McDonald's Crispy Chicken Sandwich Review: I Tried the Latest Entry in the Chicken Sandwich Wars So You Don't Have to (2024)
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Since Popeyes introduced its chicken sandwich in late 2019, blasted Chick-fil-A on Twitter and started a fast-food arms race over who can make a better chicken sandwich, hungry people everywhere have been waiting for McDonald's to answer.
Wendy's, Arby's, KFC and Shake Shack have each tried to create the same kind of buzz as Popeyes and Chick-fil-A with their own chicken sandwiches. No one has come close. Burger King and even Taco Bell plan to enter the ring later this year.
McDonald's, the world's No. 1 fast-food chain, finally officially joined the chicken sandwich wars on Wednesday, adding its new Crispy Chicken Sandwich to the menu. Could this be the game-changer the Golden Arches are hoping for? As a public service to the readers of cleveland.com, I drove to my local Mickey D's for lunch and ordered one.
The Crispy Chicken Sandwich is available in three flavors: classic, spicy and luxurious. Each meal starts with an all-white chicken breast, topped with crinkle pickles and served on a toasted, buttered potato roll. The spicy version adds spicy pepper sauce to the mix, while when you order the deluxe you get shredded lettuce, Roma tomatoes and mayonnaise. I opted for the classic and made it into a meal, paying $7.39 for the sandwich, fries and a Sprite. The price for the deluxe is the same, but the spicy sandwich meal costs a little more: $7.99.
ONLY FACTS
If you want to eat healthy, you are on the wrong side of the map, perhaps in the wrong restaurant. Nutritionally, the Cripsy Chicken Sandwich is a moderate indulgence that's closer to Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwich than Popeyes' more decadent version. McDonald's sandwich contains 470 calories, 20 grams of fat (5 g saturated), 1100 mg sodium, 9 g sugar and 27 g protein.
INSTAGRAM VS. REALITY
As you can see by comparing the official press photo with the photo I took of my meal, the McDonald's Cripsy Chicken Sandwich is a bit disappointing in person, at least visually. The bun is not as fluffy as advertised. The size and plumpness of the chicken fillet also appears to have been made incorrectly. The actual size is on the small to medium side and doesn't come close to Popeyes' giant chicken patties. McDonald's also doesn't seem sure whether the pickles should be top or bottom.
TASTE TEST
They say never judge a book by its cover, but in this case the taste of the sandwich matched the matte appearance. First, the good: The fried chicken breast was indeed crispy, as the menu item name suggests, but not enough that you would bite into it in a library. Inside, the meat itself was tender and juicy as advertised. But the sandwich falls short where it counts most: flavor. The chicken patty is slightly spicy, with an emphasis on mild, and will immediately make you appreciate the subtle Southern spices of Chick-fil-A's counterpart. The crinkle pickles were also a disappointment, lacking any discernible amounts of crunch or saltiness to justify their presence. The potato roll, as broken as it was, is nothing to write home about. Of course, it's entirely possible, and perhaps even likely, that ordering the sandwich in its spicy or deluxe form would solve these problems. I've read that the spicy version packs a lot of punch.
CONCLUSION
Popeyes and Chick-fil-A have been at the top of the fast food chicken sandwich hierarchy for almost two years. McDonald's, meanwhile, has a long history of rolling out premium chicken sandwiches that, for whatever reason, never quite caught on. Yada, yada, yada... I want a Big Mac.
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Despite this lack of fatty items like bacon or cheese, the Sweet & Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich still contains 1,350 calories, 62 grams of fat overall, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 3,520 milligrams of sodium, and 159 grams of carbs.
If you ask critics, the Popeyes chicken sandwich is the one that deserves first place, based on flavor, breading, and toppings. Chick-fil-A edged out Popeyes in terms of size, but Popeyes came out as the overall winner. Other media outlets did similar tests and also found that Popeyes had the edge over Chick-fil-A.
McDonald's has rebranded its crispy chicken sandwich to the McCrispy. According to the company's website, the (trademarked) McCrispy includes a white meat chicken filet, crinkle cut pickles and a buttered potato roll.
Johnson in response to tariffs placed by France and West Germany on importation of U.S. chicken. The period from 1961 to 1964 of tensions and negotiations surrounding the issue was known as the "Chicken War", taking place at the height of Cold War politics.
America's new obsession with chicken sandwiches began four years ago, when Popeyes added one to its menu. It led to the internet losing its mind, and then it quickly led to other competitors rushing out their own. And since then, we have all kept arguing - spicy or original? Pickle or no pickle?
This claim is unsubstantiated, although the Chick-fil-A southern-style chicken sandwich (served with pickles on a steamed roll), introduced on March 21, 1964, was most likely the first chicken sandwich introduced by an American fast food restaurant chain.
McDonald's is changing their name. But only temporarily. For the time being, McDonald's will take the risky chance of changing their famous “M” to a “W,” and will now be known as WcDonald's all over the United States.
The Bacon Cajun Ranch McCrispy is inspired by soul food flavors of the South, with a bold, creamy and spicy Cajun ranch sauce, applewood smoked bacon and crisp crinkle cut pickles, all served on a warm toasted potato roll. It's the spiced-up touch the OG McCrispy didn't even know it needed.
This crispy, juicy, tender sandwich is a special kind of delicious—with our crispy chicken fillet made with all-white meat, crinkle-cut pickles and buttered potato roll—did we mention it comes in Deluxe and Spicy too? At participating McDonald's.
Our Oven Roasted Chicken and chicken strips are made from 100 percent all white meat chicken. The chicken is mixed with spices, seasoning and marinade then cooked and seared to perfection. When we add spices and seasoning to the marinade, we also add – in some regions – dried soy protein, like a spice.
Unfortunately, the sandwich serves up a lot more than nostalgia, given the number of ingredients in its breaded filet. The filet, which is only 56% chicken, contains chicken breast, water, wheat flour, starch, palm oil, and nearly a dozen other ingredients.
Consuming foods fried in unstable oils can have several negative health effects. In fact, eating them regularly can put you at a higher risk of developing diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Therefore, it's probably best to avoid or severely limit your intake of commercially fried foods.
Foods that are deep fat fried such as french fries and fried chicken are loaded in calories and fat. In many instances a hamburger without the mayonnaise has less fat and calories than a fried fish or chicken sandwich. Choosing grilled chicken sandwiches instead of fried chicken would also be an excellent choice.
Grilled chicken emerges with fewer calories and fat, making it the healthier choice. But remember, even heavyweight fried chicken can fit into a balanced diet, provided it's enjoyed in moderation. Variety is the spice of life, and an occasional indulgence won't knock out your health goals.
The frying process will change the chemical structure of fats, and make it difficult for your body to break them down, leading to negative health effects. Trans fats are associated with an increased risk of many diseases, including: Heart-related diseases, cancer, diabetes and obesity.
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