Everyone's Raving About This New Fast-Food Chicken Sandwich
America's second-largest burger chain may have been very late to the chicken sandwich party, but its new item is getting some rave early reviews on the internet. According to some customers who have tried the new Hand-Breaded Crispy Chicken Sandwich from Burger King, it's one newly launched fast-food chicken sandwich that perhaps comes closer to the untouchable Popeyes sandwich than any of the other close competitors, like McDonald's or KFC.
The sandwich is a new and improved version of something the chain already had on the menu for years. Burger King accepted it wasn't as competitive in the chicken sandwich space and started working on a better chicken sandwich back in 2019. Earlier this year, the upgrades were ready to be unveiled.
"What if hand-breading were to chicken what flame-grilling is to burgers?" Ellie Doty, the brand's chief marketing officer, said at the time. "That's been our guiding filter to bring a delicious chicken sandwich to guests in a way only BK can."
As you might have guessed, Burger King followed the time-tested winning combo of a super crispy filet on a potato bun, accented with some crinkle-cut pickles and a signature mayo-like sauce. The crispy chicken filet got a makeover via hand-breading, making it juicier and crispier than ever. Another major improvement? A spicy counterpart was also added to the menu.
And it's this spicy version that's being lauded by chicken sandwich connoisseurs as one of the best currently on the market. Apparently, the regular version is a forgettable middle-of-the-road attempt, but the spicy chicken sandwich has something that other sandwiches should fear—a sweet-and-spicy sauce slathered all over that crispy chicken filet. Not on the bun, not just on top of the chicken filet, but all over it.
Bill Oakley, one of the most-followed fast-food critics on social media, had high praise for Burger King's spicy sandwich, calling it a "colossal achievement," one that's better than both McDonald's and *gasp* Chick-fil-A's versions.
"This is probably the best sandwich on the menu at Burger King, and it's the best thing they've introduced in decades," he said.
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It's the sauce that's the difference-maker according to Marnie Shure, who reviewed the item for the digital food publication The Takeout. She said the sauce was a hot and sweet "curveball" that set this item apart from the competition, but that she wishes it was more evenly distributed on the chicken filet.
"The cinnamon-sugar heat is the differentiator here, and BK should lean on that element as much as possible," she wrote in her review. "Its unique flavor profile didn't even make it into the press release!"
The popular YouTube fast-food reviewer Daym Drops had a poetic take on the flavor of this sandwich.
"[Your] Spicy Hand-Breaded Sandwich, that's what joy tastes like," he said. "Ain't nothing perfect in this world, but that's near perfection."
However, his one gripe had to do with the pricing of Burger King's sandwich. He noted he paid $5.49 for it, compared to a $3.99 price tag for the famed Chick-fil-A and Popeyes sandwiches.
"If you're looking for the fastest way to lose the chicken sandwich wars, that's where it starts," he noted. "You can't be a burger spot charging over what the chicken spots are charging for their chicken sandwich."
Beyond our favorite internet fast-food judges, other customers showed love for the new BK sandwich on Reddit.
The only thing left to do is try this item for yourself if you haven't already. And if you feel so inclined, let us know your thoughts by emailing us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear your verdict! For more, check out Burger King Has Been Forever Banned From Operating In This Town, and don't forget to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest restaurant news delivered straight to your inbox.
