Is there anything cauliflower can’t do? Caulipower, the company behind cauliflower-based frozen pizzas, tortillas and sweet potato toasts, is using dried cauliflower along with rice and corn flours to bread its new Caulipower Chicken Tenders. Gluten-free eaters rejoice!
Baked, not fried, Caulipower Chicken Tenders come in two varieties: Original and Spicy(ish), ($10.99 for a 14 oz. bag). Throw them in the oven for 13-15 minutes and you’ll be chowing down in no time.
Here’s a look inside each bag. Imagine three more pieces in each one. I actually shot the photo after I baked the tenders.
Billed as “better-for-you,” you’re getting minimally processed, real pieces of chicken, no flaked-and-formed stuff here. Each four-serving bag is 480 calories and runs 1.5g fat per serving. On the nutrition side, my only gripe is that they’re a little high in sodium. Grab the detailed nutrition facts here.
We tried both the Original and the Spicy(ish), and since I’m not gluten-free, we had mini chicken sliders on King’s Hawaiian’s rolls. We also tasted them on their own.
If you don’t want to fuss with frying or baking your own, Caulipower’s Chicken Tenders are a solid option. Between the two varieties, I liked the Original better. They’re salty enough that they didn’t really need any sauce, but I still put a little tonkatsu sauce on them. You could also dice the tenders and add them to salads and wraps, or even pasta in a pinch.
The Spicy(ish) tenders are noticeably red, which appears to come from a good dose of paprika. They’re true to their claim, they’ve got a kick that does build up a little bit the more you eat, but it’s not fiery. For me, I’d rather have the Original and add my own hot sauce.
While I’ll probably still fry my own chicken tenders when I feel like having them, overall verdict: Pretty dang good!
I’ll definitely recommend them to friends, gluten-free or not. They may be pricier than other products on the market, but I like that the chicken is recognizable as chicken and each serving is pretty low in fat. If you usually buy Trader Joe’s gluten-free Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets in the blue bag, give Caulipower’s a try.
Check Caulipower’s product finder for stores carrying the Chicken Tenders near you. The product finder page also offered a $2 coupon that’ll help make the tenders a little cheaper.
If you’re wondering how Caulipower’s pizza is, we’ve got you covered with this review.