Boston Kitchen at Faneuil Hall Marketplace: Boston, MA

About a few weeks ago, a few of my friends and I had plans to go ice skating at Frog Pond in Boston. It was an event run by the school and transportation was going to be provided. When we went to get on the bus to go, we had found out that nobody had actually scheduled a bus and that the trip was cancelled. Our money was refunded and we left; disappointed and lost. What were we to do on this beautiful Saturday afternoon now?

My good friend Elizabeth suggested we still go to Boston. It was only 1 o'clock after all, we could easily catch the 1:30 train and make it there by 2.

"Why not?!" The rest of us said, and off we went.

In Boston, we ended up doing some shopping and heading over to Faneuil Hall to grab something to eat. It was packed per usual and I hadn't been there in a while. I was wandering aimlessly trying to decide what to have to eat, of course I was in the mood for chicken fingers. I stumbled upon a place called the Boston Kitchen. I saw that they had chicken fingers, but when I looked at them I was skeptical.

Lately I have been preaching not to judge a chicken finger by its skin - and I cannot emphasize this enough!

Chicken fingers, like humans, come in all different shapes, sizes, textures, and colors. You cannot simply judge them based on how they look!

These chicken fingers did not look too appetizing, they were very light in coloring and did not look crunchy enough. I decided to give them a go anyways, what if this was THE chicken? The best one I have ever tasted - the one that I would recommend to my grandkids and their grandkids for generations?

It wasn't.

BUT it was pretty damn good. Way up there on my list. The flavor was unbelievable, it was incredibly juicy and when I ate it I was mad at myself for doubting it even the slightest bit. These chicken fingers were rare - one bite and instant flavor washes over your entire body. Even though the breading wasn't crunchy like I usually like them, it didn't matter! I'm telling you - you've got to try these. The minute I bit in to them I texted my friends and family to tell them how good they were.

They don't beat the Puritan Backroom of course, I have yet to find a chicken finger that could, but definitely a 10/10 for these chicken fingers.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

And remember, never judge a chicken finger by it's skin - it's 2015 people.

Tavern on the Green - Hawthorne Inn: Salem, MA

As Thanksgiving approaches there is much to celebrate. I am so very thankful for my loving friends and family who support me every step of the way, a place to sleep and food to eat, for the opportunities that I am granted in life, and of course - chicken fingers.

My Thanksgiving break began on Friday, November 20th and as my mother picked me up from school at approximately 11:43 AM on that crisp, sunny November morning; we decided to stop and get some lunch before we began our trip.

"How about the Hawthorne Inn?" She asked.

"Sounds wonderful." I replied.

She told me that as a kid we used to go there all the time: my sisters, cousins, aunts, nana and I. I was too young to have any recollection of this. After traveling ten minutes we reached our destination, walking in to a beautiful hotel that reminded me exactly of my nana, no wonder she loved this place. The floors were dark brown and hardwood; a few beautifully patterned floral rugs were elegantly placed around the lobby. Multiple old-fashioned couches were placed alongside dark, wooden coffee tables and the atmosphere was calm and certain.

Inside the tavern itself, the scene was not much different. A hardwood bar area was to the right when you walk in, and to the left was a fireplace. It was a small area with about ten tables and we decided to sit at a spot next to the window.

My mom and I knew what we were ordering the second we got there, she always gets a burger and I get chicken fingers - anywhere we go.

As soon as the chicken fingers arrived I was a little thrown off. They were an odd color and they didn't look cooked all the way. I was nervous - this type of situation usually means bad news.

I took one bite and my taste buds bursted with happiness. These chicken fingers were one of the most flavorful meals I have ever had the opportunity to indulge in. Because of the horrendous look of these chicken fingers I was completely thrown off guard, however, delightfully pleased.

Although not as crispy as I usually like them, these chicken fingers were juicy and cooked perfectly, neither under or over cooked. They had an impressive ratio of chewiness to tenderness and were satisfying in all ways possible. The Tavern on the Green really shows you not to judge a book by its cover. This meal was a delectable sensation and I would definitely recommend them if you're in the area.

If you're planning your Thanksgiving meal, Turkey may be the main component - but chicken never fails as a friendly sidekick!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

The Lodge - Endicott College: Beverly, MA

Hello everyone! So, I've survived my first month of college, can you believe it? Me neither. I'm loving school so far. The people here are great, classes are going well, and I've been having some cool experiences. Not to mention, the chicken isn't so bad.

Endicott has this place called the lodge which serves pizza, quesadillas, mozzarella sticks, french fries, and of course: chicken fingers. Let me tell you, I made sure to check out this place within the first few days of school just to be sure I wasn't going to have to transfer. Good news, I'm still here! The chicken fingers are actually pretty good, definitely satisfying. Although sometimes a little too crispy and burnt for my liking they always know how to hit the spot.

I would say these chicken fingers deserve a low 7. They're good don't get me wrong, I could definitely eat them every day for every meal, kidding! (...maybe) But they just don't have that special something that could bump them into a higher range. They aren't consistent in their breading and the fact that they are often times a little burnt prevents them from being top-notch. However they are overall delicious and flavorful.

I think I'll like it here.

Chickenow - Merrimack Premium Outlets: Merrimack, NH

Hello fellow chicken fanatics! It's been a while since I've blogged, but I'm back! Excited to announce that the one year anniversary of this blog was a few days ago, August 4th, and I'd like to thank everyone who reads it and supports me!

Today my three friends and I decided to go to the outlets and enjoy some chicken for lunch. We ate at Chickenow in the food court there, and I was pleasantly surprised. I had them a while back with one of my friends, but didn't remembered how quality it was! Of course, it's hard to enjoy when your friends are snatching your french fries every time you turn your head, (kidding, it's never hard to enjoy chicken fingers).

I ordered a Kid's Tender Meal which came with two tenders and some french fries. The chicken fingers are huge, as well as the portions in general. The chicken itself is cooked to a nice crisp, with no part left un-breaded, not to mention the flavor was delectable! Restaurant quality chicken for a food court, these tenders deserve a 7.5! They strongly compare to The Villa Banca's chicken tenders, an old restaurant that was on Main Street in Nashua, NH. I would definitely recommend these if you are out and about looking for some quick, quality, chicken.

Not Your Average Joe's - Nashua, NH

This past weekend my dad, sister, and I decided to try out Not Your Average Joe's in South Nashua for lunch, and the chicken fingers there are indeed pretty average. The old saying 'looks can be deceiving' applies pretty accurately to this bunch. Looking crisp and fulfilling on the outside, the actuality of the tender was flakey and unsatisfying. Although a light, baked, batter is always nice, this kind was not preferable. When I bit in to the tender, the whole outside layer ripped off in one bite, sort of like when you rip the husk off of corn. Thus, leaving the real chicken part - naked - on my plate.

The overall chicken taste was what I found to be most average about them. They were very generic and bland tasting, not something you look for in your tender. You want juicy, tasteful, and some kind of twist on it to make it stand out.

Perhaps it was my high expectations for the food quality here, or perhaps chicken fingers just aren't their speciality. Giving them a rating of 6/10, I wouldn't recommend NYAJ if you're looking for a satisfying chicken finger meal.

Top 15 Chicken Fingers of 2014

With 2014 coming to a close, I decided it was time to post a list of what I thought to be the best to worst rankings of the chicken fingers I've had within the last year or so. What better way to end the year than with chicken fingers?

2014 was an evolving year for the chicken finger. Restaurants like Shorty's, created their own version of the chicken finger. Getting rid of the classic look for it - they spiced it up a little with the "Atomic Chicken Finger" and even added their own sauce to tag along with it. Other restaurants like Chick-Fil-A kept their chicken the same, but increased popularity through opening another establishment in Nashua, much to the public's satisfaction. I was introduced to UNO's and was surprised at just how good their chicken was, and The Puritan Backroom continued to live up to it's standards that it has been for the past 97 years. 

With that being said, I introduce you to the list.

Thank you all for reading this blog and loving chicken fingers just as much as I do.

Happy New Year!

Chick-Fil-A - Nashua, NH

Ah, yes. The moment we've all been waiting for - a Chick-Fil-A in the north end of Nashua. Throughout the summer, hopeful souls would drive down Amherst street, hoping the establishment would open soon, and today is the day!!  Chick-Fil-A is known for their chicken and for a fast food establishment, they excel in chicken tender creation. Their tenders taking on a more traditional "chicken nugget" view, contain optimal amount of crisp and everyone knows that the crisp is the best part to a chicken tender! They simply burst with flavor and are comparatively better than any other fast food's "nugget". Paired with their honey mustard dipping sauce or ketchup,  Chick-Fil-A is sure to impress.