9 Frozen Popcorn Chicken Brands, Ranked

Imagine a world where convenience meets clucking perfection, where the siren call of snack time can be answered with a mere flick of the oven switch. Today, we delve into the realm of frozen poultry glory –- a land where tiny breaded warriors await their moment of gastronomic triumph. In the vast sea of freezer aisles, we've scoured the frosty depths to bring you the definitive rundown of the top 9 frozen popcorn chicken brands, each vying for the coveted title of "Bird of the Batch." Prepare to witness an epic showdown as our contenders battle it out, breading against breading, spice against spice, and cluck against cluck.

Will the reigning favorites maintain their place in history, or will a new challenger emerge from the freezer-burned shadows? We'll taste, we'll critique, and we'll make questionable chicken puns along the way. Because in the realm of frozen popcorn chicken, there's no time for feather-light evaluations. We're here for the crunch, the flavor, and the unabashed joy that comes from biting into a perfectly seasoned morsel. So grab your dipping sauces, flex those taste buds, and join us on this adventure through the wild world of frozen poultry. Move over, chicken nuggets, and let the clucking commence!

We kick off our countdown with Walmart's Great Value popcorn chicken, the champion of disappointment and the sultan of tastelessness. Where do we even begin with this culinary catastrophe? Made with chicken breast pattie fritters, they promise a hint of elegance that instantly evaporates the moment you pop one into your mouth. It seems the flavor fairies took a vacation when these morsels were made. The result? A flavorless abyss that leaves your taste buds yearning for a spark of excitement.

The texture was another huge turnoff. The breading, if you can even call it that, was as bland as beige walls, and the chicken inside was a slimy mess. It's a texture experience that will make you question your life choices. Overall, Walmart's popcorn chicken deserves a standing ovation for its remarkable ability to rank dead last on our list. It's an achievement in mediocrity, a monument to tastelessness, and a testament to the fact that even the most optimistic among us can have their hopes crushed by a bag of unappetizing poultry. These are a hard pass.

Weaver popcorn chicken is an enigma wrapped in a crispy breading. This peculiar poultry creation certainly left us scratching our heads and our taste buds, as these morsels possessed a flavor that defies all logic and comprehension. One might even go so far as to call it "weird." This chicken has a taste that doesn't match anything on the ingredient list, leaving you to wonder if it was created in a clandestine culinary laboratory by a mad scientist.

Weaver's only silver lining is its crispy exterior. The breading is a shining beacon of hope in this sea of confusion. It manages to achieve a satisfying crunch that is commendable. Unfortunately, this crispy delight is not enough to salvage the overall experience. While Weaver popcorn chicken proudly boasts its utilization of white meat chicken breast pattie fritters — and to their credit, the chicken does possess a certain level of moistness — this quality factor couldn't quite save it from its ultimate destiny of mediocrity.

In the hierarchy of popcorn chicken, Weaver's creation ranked a lackluster eight out of nine on our esteemed list. This chicken is a testament to the fact that sometimes, it's better to have something bland with a good condiment than to venture into the perplexing realm of unidentifiable flavors.

The breaded ensemble of chicken breast patties promised by Pilgrim's popcorn chicken fell short of greatness. Quality, they say, is the foundation of a great dish, but unfortunately, Pilgrim missed the mark. This breading lacked the crispy exterior that ignites joy in our hearts and satisfies our cravings for a delightful crunch. Instead, it surrendered to a state of limpness, leaving us yearning for a more robust coating.

The first full bite wasn't any better, as it unleashed a tsunami of saltiness that sent shockwaves through our taste buds. Sadly, there were no other flavors to accompany this intense sodium assault, leaving us longing for a symphony of tastes that never arrived. As for texture, we found another fail, as this chicken had the mouthfeel of a reconstituted spongey substance. It may have had the flavor hints of chicken, but it sure didn't look like it.

In the grand ranking of popcorn chicken, Pilgrim wasn't a complete disaster, but it didn't inspire us to embark on a quest to find it at our local supermarket either. It fell into the realm of forgettable mediocrity, where the taste buds yearn for something more exciting and the culinary soul craves a memorable experience. These weren't horrible, but we wouldn't try them again.

Morning Star popcorn chicken is the vegan conqueror of the poultry realm. Who would have thought that a plant-based option could join the ranks of its meaty counterparts? For starters, these morsels pleasantly surprised us with their crispy breading. They had a deep-fried texture and a stellar outer crunch. While the breading wasn't super flavorful, the crispy exterior stole the show and made us go back for more.

The first bite makes it clear that these chicken chunks aren't chicken, but that didn't stop us. The nuggets were neither juicy nor moist, yet they avoided the dreaded dryness that often plagues lesser chicken alternatives. And the taste was pretty good, too. Overall, Morning Star leaned towards the bland side, but there was a spicy aftertaste that swooped in to save the day and leave a lingering heat in our mouths.

While they may have lacked the poultry essence we know and love, Morning Star's plant-based creation claimed a respectable sixth place. They proved that vegan options can hold their own against their meaty counterparts, offering a crunchy, flavorful experience that even some real chicken options couldn't match. If you find yourself torn between the realms of plant-based delights and carnivorous cravings, fear not, for Morning Star popcorn chicken is here to bridge the gap.

Kirkwood popcorn chicken is a culinary creation that had us teetering between triumph and disappointment. This freezer product from Aldi's held promise with its white meat chicken morsels, offering a breaded exterior that delivered a resounding crunch and a decent flavor that made us want more. While the chicken itself showcased a salty taste and respectable chicken palate profile, it's not a taste that will transport you to flavor town. However, it won't leave you wallowing in tasteless purgatory either. The blandness of the chicken can be remedied with your trusty condiments of choice, as they hold the key to unlocking the full potential of this breaded delight.

Unfortunately, Kirkwood's popcorn chicken ventures into the realm of mushiness, where the chicken's consistency becomes slightly soggy. While the breading really steals the show and moves this option closer to the platform of glory on our list, there were too many deterrents to call these chicken morsels a solid choice. Overall, they weren't our favorite, but we'd buy these in a pinch.

Perdue popcorn chicken is made from all-white meat and boasts a tantalizing appearance, but did it deliver on taste? Not exactly. This option took the stage with a visual appeal that would make any chicken lover's heart skip a beat. The breading was thick and crispy, and that's no small feat in the realm of frozen popcorn creations. However, this breading boldly marched forward with a flavor profile that leaned heavily on black pepper. While the black pepper was present and accounted for, the salt wasn't, leaving us with lingering spiciness on the back end and no balance.

The chicken itself, however, fell prey to blandness, delivering a disappointing experience that fell short of its visually enticing allure. The positives? This chicken actually looked like chicken, and the texture was the same as you'd find if you were cooking up your own bird. Unfortunately, the breading overpowered the other flavors and mouthfeel, leaving us yearning for a more balanced and harmonious experience.

Overall, there were good flavors and textures with this option, which pushed it just outside the winner's circle, but Perdue missed the mark with its bland chicken. We would definitely eat this option again, but we'd fill our fridge with our favorite condiments to balance out the flavors. This is a solid choice, but not the best.

In third place is Tyson Any'tizers popcorn chicken — the chicken MVP that delivered real chicken vibes. These girthy popcorn pieces, crafted from boneless, skinless chicken breast chunks, left no doubt about their origins. Tyson showcased their commitment to authenticity with their use of real chicken breast, and we enjoyed the spoils.

While the breading proved to be somewhat of a disappointment, thin and lacking that coveted crispiness, the real winner here was the chicken — large chunks of delicious, juicy bird. While it wasn't really seasoned, this option made us feel like someone hand-made these pieces, leaving us feeling a bit healthier than the rest on this list.

In the grand hierarchy of frozen poultry, Tyson claimed a well-deserved bronze medal. It may not have dazzled us with a breading spectacle, but fear not, for the real chicken experience and the feeling of being a tad healthier made it a winner in our hearts. If you seek a taste of authenticity and a hint of virtuousness, Tyson's Any'tizers popcorn chicken awaits your eager taste buds. Bon appétit, and may your chicken adventures always be filled with juiciness and satisfaction!

Good & Gather popcorn chicken from Target is an unexpected hero that left us pleasantly surprised. This offering of white meat chicken breast fritters demonstrated the power of simplicity and flavor focus. The juicy morsels burst onto the scene with the aura of fried chicken greatness. The batter was a testament to culinary craftsmanship, delivering a crispy, golden embrace that made our taste buds jump with joy. 

The beauty of this product is the real chicken pieces, offering a delightful mouthfeel that elevated the experience. Each bite provided a satisfying balance between the crispy batter and the tender chicken within, creating a harmony that made us crave another bite. The chicken itself relied on the humble yet mighty flavor of salt. While some may yearn for a more diverse flavor profile, this simplicity had its charm, allowing the true chicken flavor to shine without distractions; it served as the perfect backdrop for any dipping sauce adventure. 

Good & Gather's truly deserves the runner-up spot with its fried chicken feel and great batter, coupled with the simplicity of the predominantly salty flavor. This popcorn chicken is a solid choice, one we'd make again and again when our chicken cravings hit.

Koch Foods popcorn chicken is the undisputed champion that swooped in and stole the show with its boneless, skinless chicken breast morsels. They delivered quality and flavor with gusto, starting with their batter that was perfection personified. Crispy and flawlessly executed, it danced on our taste buds with grace, never overpowering the star of the show –- the moist and seasoned chicken within.

Regarding taste, this popcorn chicken teased our palates with a journey that began with a delightful hint of saltiness. But it didn't stop there. Hints of pepper and paprika emerged like flavor ninjas, gracefully sneaking into the experience without overpowering it. It was a harmonious balance, a flavor profile that left us craving more with every bite. Even the texture was a solid 10, as it struck the perfect balance between not too thick and not too thin –- a crispy coat that encapsulated the tender and moist chicken within.

Koch Foods claimed the esteemed first-place spot, earning this accolade through its perfect batter, moist chicken, and balanced seasoning that never failed to impress. Overall, we have no notes for Koch, and we'll be making this our go-to popcorn chicken option from here on out!