We ate Gardein Nashville Hot Chickenless Tenders. Here's what we thought of these spicy vegan chicken tenders!
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Gardein Nashville Hot Chickenless Tenders review
A couple of days before recording, we were cleaning the house and needed a quick dinner afterwards. Dave suggested Gardein Nashville Hot Chickenless Tenders that we had in the freezer, and I am so glad he did!
He had his on a hoagie roll, pictured above, with lettuce, mayo, and pickle chips.
I wasn't as hungry, thanks to a super late lunch, so I had mine sort of like a salad? It was a bed of lettuce with the tenders and pickles and a side of tahini ranch dressing to dip everything in.
Y'all, these tenders were spicy! Much spicier than, say, Sweet Chili Doritos.
Nashville hot is supposed to be super spicy, and Gardein achieved it. They were great on a hoagie, and I loved them dipped in cool, creamy ranch.
I also associate a little sweetness with Nashville hot, which these didn't have, but Dave doesn't think that sweet edge is a requirement.
Either way, we are fans of these! Dave said they are his favorite Gardein product yet. That's high praise!
Gardein has really nailed the breaded vegan chicken thing, and if you like super spicy, Nashville hot, you'll love these.
Air fryer and oven directions
My favorite way to cook these is in the air fryer, since it's the quickest method. Ten to 12 minutes at 400° F is perfect for these!
If air frying isn't your thing, you can cook them in a conventional oven or a toaster oven at 430° F for 16-22 minutes.
You can also microwave them for 30 seconds on high, then bake for eight to 10 minutes at 450° F, according to the package.
The ingredients
Here's what's in Gardein Nashville Hot Tenders:
Water, Enriched Wheat Flour [Enriched With Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Canola Oil, Pea Protein Concentrate, Vital Wheat Gluten, Contains 2% or Less of: Paprika, Methylcellulose, Spices, Yeast Extract, Organic Ancient Grain Flour (Khorasn Wheat), Salt, Leavening (Cream of Tartar, Sodium Bicarbonate), Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Dried Chile De Arbol, Dextrose, Sea Salt, Potato Starch, Wheat Gluten, Organic Distilled Vinegar, Color Added, Organic Cane Sugar, Maltodextrin, Cane Sugar, Lactic Acid, Paprika, Extractives, Vinegar, Yeast, Natural Flavors, Onion Powder, Caramelized Sugar (Sugar, Water), Garlic Powder, Turmeric Extractives
A lot of folks wonder whether vegan meats like this are healthy. Some vegan meat is pretty healthy, but others aren't.
I definitely wouldn't call Gardein Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders healthy, but I would call them delicious! Since they're meant to emulate fried chicken, it feels a little bit unfair to hold them up to a different standard for healthiness.
More Gardein reviews
We are big Gardein fans over here, so we eagerly try their new products when we find them!
Here are more Gardein goodies we've reviewed:
- Asian Style Chicken Fried Rice
- Gardein Canned Soups
- Steak and Eggs Breakfast Bowl
- Ultimate Plant-Based Chicken Nuggets
- Ultimate Plant-Based Jerky
Where to listen
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