Alright folks, for my last article at The Collegian, I feel it is only right that I review one of my favorite foods. 

I have had chicken tenders from almost every place you can get them in Fort Collins. From Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers to Music City Hot Chicken, from Comet Chicken to The Post Chicken & Beer, I’ve tried it all. Any one of my friends can attest I will always pick chicken tenders and fries as my meal of choice. 

When eating chicken tenders and fries, I typically judge them based on a few categories: crispiness of the chicken tender, seasoning of the chicken tender and seasoning of the fries. These, in my opinion, make the best tender meal combo. I also give bonus points if there is a good side option, such as bread. 

Based on these criteria, I have narrowed down the best chicken tender baskets in Fort Collins to The Post Chicken & Beer and Comet Chicken, and now I will put them up against each other to determine the best chicken tender meal in FoCo.

The Post Chicken & Beer has some hot chicken. I’m not talking spice here but actual temperature. Chicken from The Post is always hot and fresh. The chicken is juicy and never overcooked or dry, and it has a crispy layering that can’t be beat. It does lack seasoning on the chicken and could use a bit more spice to it. However, what the chicken lacks in spice, the fries make up for. The fries are really well seasoned as well as perfectly crispy. The fries aren’t limp, and they are some of my favorite fries in Fort Collins. 

The Post Chicken also has cheddar biscuits I always get as an appetizer. The biscuits are filled with herbs and have cheddar pockets tucked in nice and warm. I love these biscuits and would go to The Post Chicken just to get them. 

While I love The Post Chicken & Beer, Comet Chicken is a strong competitor. Comet Chicken’s tenders are amazingly seasoned and awesomely crispy. The chicken tenders melt in your mouth and are a great option to try if you typically love Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers. Comet Chicken’s biggest downfall is their fries. The fries are quite bland in my opinion, and they don’t go very well with the chicken tenders. 

However, Comet Chicken has a combo of tenders, fries and a churro that just cannot be beat. These churros are some of the best I have tried, and while it might seem strange to eat a churro with your chicken tenders, it’s weirdly an amazing combination that I applaud Comet Chicken for. These churros are flavorful, crispy and soft on the inside. 

Both chicken vendors have great combinations, and they each bring something special to the chicken tender scene in Fort Collins. Personally, I think The Post Chicken & Beer wins this challenge, but it is a close call. What I think truly brings them over the top is the crispiness of the chicken and the seasoning on the fries. As a plus, you typically get a lot if you order the tender basket, and it reheats great if you can’t eat it all. 

Once I graduate, I am going to miss the Fort Collins chicken tender scene possibly more than anything else in this town. Dragging my friends and boyfriend along to different chicken tender restaurants every day is one of my favorite pastimes, and it will be missed. I urge everyone who lives in Fort Collins to not take it for granted. 

Reach Katrina Leibee at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @katrinaleibee.