Chicken Sandwich War of 2021

THParent

THParent

Founder - Service Academy Bacon Forums (SABF)
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As a public service, I have been trying all of the "Crispy Chicken Sandwiches" out there, and I am almost ready to post my exhaustive study on the subject.

MY PSEUDO-SCIENTIFIC METHOD, EXPLAINED
1. As a science guy, I have ordered all the chicken sandwiches the same way; WITH NO SAUCE, which leaves you with the most-crispy-chicken-sandwich-on-a-bun-with-pickles, without the addition of unnecessary (in my opinion) calories from mayonnaise or ranch dressing, or whatever fat-laden goo they like to slather these things with.

2. When I get them, I IMMEDIATELY open the container that they are in, so that they don't unnecessarily steam themselves into an un-crispy-ness state, which would throw off the entire tasting/experience evolution. You see, some of these places put their sandwiches in a mylar-coated envelope which is designed to keep them hot, but just goes about steaming the crispy out of them, if left in that evil sauna bag from Hell. Some of the places put them in a more-standard cardboard flip-top box of sorts - which seems to be better - but I still open those up to keep the control over the test.

3. This is the only thing I order. No sides, and no drink. I always have water in the car during the Summer, so I'm not tossing these things down my gullet without something to chase them with. I'm not a savage.

4. I don't eat them while I am driving - because I simply am not a savage - but I do eat them soon after, usually in the parking lot next to the place.

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOUND SO FAR;

1. Popeye's
Listed as "Classic Chicken Sandwich", this is by far the largest chicken sandwich that I have ever thrown down my neck. It is crispy, and the most expensive sandwich I tested. I make it #1 because I made this thread and I think it was the best.

2. Chick-Fil-A
Where it all began, with the "Original Chicken Sandwich". All the others saw how these folks were crushing the market with chicken sandwiches and thought "Hey, we have to get into this chicken sandwich craze!" They didn't start the war, but they won a lot of the battles, that's for sure. There is a HUGE cult following for this highly-successful franchise, and I completely get it. When you see the dance they do in the parking lot with FOUR TIMES AS MANY CARS as any other fast-food restaurant anywhere, and still get you your order as fast as the other fast-food places, it is a wonder to behold. They have a good chicken sandwich. The fact that they aren't open on Sundays doesn't matter to me one bit. They are awesome, but their sandwich is a distant second (in my opinion) to Popeye's. Sorry, everyone, but it's true. It's also 1/2 the size of the Popeye's offering and not all that crisp. The pickles there are the best I have tested, by the way.

3. Hardee's
Their sandwich is billed as the "Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich" and it's really quite good. Again, it's 1/2 the size of the Popeye's sandwich (which puts it in line with the Chick-Fil-A original). It was crispy and the pickles were average.

4. Burger King
The "Ch'King Chicken Sandwich" sounds utterly stupid to me, but the sandwich was on par with the Hardee's offering.

5. Wendy's
The "Classic Chicken Sandwich" is what you'll find here. Again, on par with Hardee's and Burger King.

6. McDonalds
Get serious. You would be better off with a roller-dog from the Shell station. Even bacon couldn't fix this thing.
 
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Popeye's is awesome, in size and in spice and in moistness, so I agree with its top spot.

The virtue of the McD's product was its long-time presence on the Dollar Menu. As they have recently pared that back and moved away from things that actually cost a dollar (wise move - they couldn't possibly be making much off those items) I have had less patience for it. I can't eat at Hardee's since I left my 20s. Even White Castle is easier on my gut.

Finally I *like* the sloppy goop. If I was interested in healthy foods I'd be at home eating kale with my wife. We do have a CSA sub and a garden, but some days a guy's just gotta hit the drive thru, and when I do I want the goop.
 
StPaulDad said:
...The virtue of the McD's product was its long-time presence on the Dollar Menu. As they have recently pared that back and moved away from things that actually cost a dollar (wise move - they couldn't possibly be making much off those items) I have had less patience for it...
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You refer to the "McChicken", my friend. That's a chicken hockey puck on a bun.
I tested the "New Crispy Chicken Sandwich". The two are radically different, but the new item is still not very good.
 
Ideally, crispy chicken rises to the level of crackly, crunchy-to-the-point-of-noisy-toast, with whimsical little bits of extra crunchy fried bits hanging off with no interior chicken parts to interfere with gratuitous crunchiness. Of course, there should be adequate spice and salt. Where chicken and skin are actually involved, the tenderness should stem from a buttermilk soak in advance of breading.

Chick-Fil-A chicken is moist, tender and flavorful, but the crunch factor is way down there. I am happy to eat it, but I am not checking my crunchy fried chicken block when I do. I do have a fondness for the chicken biscuit available in the AM at Chick-Fil-A and Hardee’s.

As noted before, my preferred chicken sandwich consists of two things: my fingers and a piece of fried chicken. I’m the one nibbling at every last bit of crunch stuck to a bone.
 
@THParent, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry! Either way, I’m in awe! So glad someone made the personal sacrifice to provide this fairly comprehensive and rather detailed survey of fried chicken sandwiches.

When DD was on leave last spring, she and I and DS did a truncated version of this. We hit Chick-fil-A, Popeye’s and Raising Cane’s. Our consensus pick: good ol’ Chick-fil-A. Since then, I’ve also tried the newer entries: Burger King, McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Shake Shack. In that group, my winner is Shake Shack.

But my best-in-show, by a country mile, is DS’s homemade concoction. He uses thighs, brines them in buttermilk, pickle juice and spices, and double dips them in seasoned flour. But his coup de grace is this: homemade brioche buns! They are simply exquisite.

DW often tells DS he should go to culinary school. DS has instead opted for AROTC on a national scholarship. What can you do?
 
I like your methodology and I appreciate the reviews. I however am not a pickle person, and I rarely want a bun. That having been said, I love ordering the kid's meal at Culver's. They have amazing chicken tenders, and their chicken sandwich is also on point.

I also like making my own hand-pounded chicken cutlets at home (the same method as when I make schnitzel).

Carry on with your research sir, well done.
 
Ft. Bliss has a Raising Cane's on post and is very popular with the soldiers there. Our DS was on pre-deployment quarantine last year and he requested that DW and I bring him mass quantities of their chicken sandwich.

Concur with @Heatherg21, excellent methodology and leave it to @THParent to create the most interesting off-topic threads. (does he drink Dos Equis?)
 
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AROTC-dad said:
Ft. Bliss has a Raising Cane's on post and is very popular with the soldiers there. Our DS was on pre-deployment quarantine last year and he requested that DW and I bring him mass quantities of their chicken sandwich.

Concur with @Heatherg21, excellent methodology and leave it to @THParent to create the most interesting off-topic threads. (does he drink Dos Equis?)
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He's savage.
 
cb7893 said:
What about Bojangles?

You're all just a bunch of snobs.
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Bo saved me many a day after when I was young. The Cajun filet combo with extra seasoning on those fries and 2 to 3 refills of tea... that would sop up any remaining ounce of hungover beer still floating through my blood.

Even with their quality problems the last decade or so since becoming hedge fund fodder, it still is my favorite chicken place.
 
DS just started working at Chick-Fil-A last week. It’s his favorite food and he could walk there from our house. He loves working there so much that I told DW that I’m afraid if he doesn’t get an ROTC scholarship he may end up being a Chick-fil-A manager. Well, at least he is in uniform. They love to hire clean-cut kids at our Chick-fil-A and he said that being in NJROTC helped him get the job. Our local Popeyes (we love the food there too), on the other hand is run and staffed by idiots.

I guess being a southern family we love our fried chicken. We took the family on vacation to Montreal a couple of summers ago and we were dying because we could not find any fried chicken.

P.S. - I concur with @THParent’s ranking. My only critcism of the Popeyes sandwich is that it is TOO big
 
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