Review: Stupid Hot Tenders from Tumble 22

Bottom Line: The Stupid Hot Tenders from Tumble 22 definitely deliver on the heat, but the burn does not overwhelm the delicious, crunchy chicken.

Hot chicken is a big thing these days, spurred by the success of places like Dave’s Hot Chicken which currently has locations opening throughout the country. Another place serving up poultry with a burn is Tumble 22 which got its start in Austin as a food truck and has been expanding with brick and mortar restaurants throughout the state. Like many of these venues, Tumble 22 offers chicken tenders and sandwiches and it has multiple heat levels. I recently stopped by and got two tenders at their highest level—Stupid Hot—and they definitely delivered on the burn.

I had previously tried their Cluckin’ Hot, which is fourth out of their five levels (not including Wimpy), and while I found it tasty, the heat seemed to come up short. There were a few bites that delivered some fire, but for the most part, they did not get too much above Medium on my scale. Based on reviews I have read online, though, I’m wondering if I just did not get as much seasoning as usual with those.

So upon my return, I thought I would go ahead and sample the top of the heat scale, ordering the two tenders that are served on top of bread with pickles. The crust for these has a good crunch, and it is well-seasoned. Tenders are meaty and flavorful and not dry at all, nor too greasy from the frier. The seasoning has a peppery intenseness—it has ghost chilis in the mix—and it brings a good kick. The chicken does necessarily need a dipping accompaniment, but the Comeback Sauce does pair up quite well. It is a little sweet with a touch of tang, and acts as a nice counterbalance to the heat.

As for that heat, these tenders definitely pack a punch! The burn is noticeable right away, but doesn’t seem to get much beyond Hot on my scale at first. Buckle in, though, because it builds to the point that it is beyond Fiery and definitely left my mouth burning and lips tingling. These are not the Insane heat level of Dave’s Reaper tenders (more on those here), and that is actually a good thing. These certainly deliver some fire, but you can still taste the chicken and the seasoning. Those who do not enjoy spicy food (we weep for them) will want to run far away from the Stupid Hot at Tumble 22, but chiliheads will gobble these down.

I don’t see any nutrition info for the Tumble 22 menu items, but two tenders and bread is easily 400 calories because these are big pieces of poultry. That’s not too bad, though, and I got their delicious collard greens as a side, which shouldn’t be to high on the cals, so I could almost call this meal healthy! Sure, they stew a fair amount of pork with those collards, but the fact that I am eating a green vegetable counters that, right?

Two tenders runs $9.99 and you can add a side for only two bucks more. And that is not bad for this quality of food, especially considering that several fast food combos will set you back that much if not more. And they have plenty more beyond tenders available on the menu, including old-school, bone-in fried chicken (which you can get at any of the heat levels). They have nine locations around Texas now and are continuing to grow, and you can check if one is near you at their website.