I tried chicken tender meals from McDonald's and Chick-fil-A. One chain served up juicier tenders.

Each bite was evenly coated in well-seasoned, peppery breading. The strips paired excellently with the creamy chile dipping sauce.

The chain's new creamy chile sauce was created to go with the new chicken strips, and they paired well.

The sauce tasted similar to a Sriracha aioli and added just the right amount of spice without being too overwhelming. The creamy dipping sauce clung to every crevice of the chicken strip, ensuring maximum flavor.

The meal also came with fries and a drink.

Though some may argue that all Diet Cokes taste the same, I disagree. I'm a huge fan of the McDonald's Diet Coke, which comes with just the right amount of ice and is always perfectly refreshing.

The fries also impressed me — they were salty and crispy, and also paired well with the creamy chile dipping sauce.

I also ordered a four-piece chicken tender meal from Chick-fil-A.

Chick-fil-A has been selling its beloved chicken tenders since 1989, though it didn't launch the chain's signature sauce until the early 2000s.

The meal cost $19.89, excluding tax and fees. It came with a medium drink, a medium order of waffle fries, and three sauces.

The chicken tenders were evenly fried, but coated with loose, flaky pieces of breading.

At first glance, these tenders were noticeably thicker than the McDonald's chicken strips.

They also had a lighter, more golden color to them rather than the almost-brown color of the fried chicken strips from McDonald's.

The chicken strips paired well with the chain's signature sauce.

The sauce was creamy and tangy but didn't have the same kick as the chile sauce from McDonald's.

The chicken tenders really impressed me.

They were crunchy yet filled with thick, juicy shreds of chicken meat. I was surprised to find I actually preferred the chicken tenders from Chick-fil-A over the ones from McDonald's.

The seasoning was peppery, like the breading on the McDonald's strips, but it had a slightly briny flavor, adding even more flavor. The chicken tenders were also much thicker, making the meal slightly more filling.

The meal came with crispy waffle fries.

The waffle fries were crispy yet pillowy — the potato inside seemed fluffier than the potato in McDonald's fries, which were more heavily fried.

They were also an ideal vehicle for the Chick-fil-A sauce — I was able to practically scoop it up with the fries, which was mouthwatering.

I had to give the win to Chick-fil-A, though I still thought McDonald's offered excellent value.

I preferred Chick-fil-A's thick and juicy chicken tenders to the more heavily fried, crispy tenders from McDonald's.

I also liked the fluffy waffle fries in the Chick-fil-A meal more than the crunchy fries from McDonald's. They were a better vehicle for the chain's signature sauce.

However — shocking, I know — I actually preferred the creamy chile sauce from McDonald's. It packed more flavor than the Chick-fil-A sauce, thanks to the slight kick from the chile peppers, but it was still creamy enough to evenly coat the chicken strips.

When it came down to value, I thought McDonald's won. The Chick-fil-A meal was over $3 more expensive than the McDonald's meal. In terms of value, it had the chicken chain beat.

In terms of flavor, though, I had to give the win to Chick-fil-A's thick, flavorful, and briny tenders.