It has been a long time coming — McDonald's true answer to Chick-fil-A's iconic sandwich.
In terms of size, the sandwiches are rather distinct. Chick-fil-A's, on the left, is substantially larger and, in this instance, substantially less smushed.
Let's start with the leader of the pack: the Chick-fil-A classic sandwich.
The chicken is a meaty breast that's lightly breaded — their chicken is rarely crispy, but the breading is consistent in taste and coverage. The scent is intoxicating and somehow unique. Fried chicken has many smells (all good) but Chick-fil-A's is unmistakable.
A pickle is a pickle is a pickle — at least in this instance. The pickles are an integral part to the classic sandwich, adding that bright and crisp note of vinegar, as well as a refreshing vegetal crisp.
One bite, and you know why Chick-fil-A has dominated the chicken sandwich dialogue for years. The chicken is buttery, juicy, incredibly tender, and flavored just right — the buttermilk marinade really shines.
Now, McDonald's. The chicken breast is crispier, yet thinner, and this trade-off comes with a tougher meat that's sometimes dry and stringy. Not always, but enough to notice when it is. The flavor is more breading-forward as opposed to being dominated by any seasonings or marinade.
The pickles are fine — what's odd here is the sauce. Chick-fil-A adds no sauce to the sandwich — the onus is on the eater — but McDonald's slathers on some of its relatively new "signature sauce," which is similar to the Big Mac sauce. It's your typical savory mayonnaise, ketchup, and "spices" kind of deal.
The sauce is an odd fit — it feels rather shoehorned into the sandwich as an afterthought. We all know that pickles are the perfect pairing for fried chicken, so the sandwich has that classic culinary construct working in its favor. But the chicken itself just isn't as good.
The McDonald's sandwich isn't rich enough, isn't smooth enough, isn't as flavorfully decadent as that which it so desperately craves to be: Chick-fil-A. And so, perhaps unsurprisingly, Chick-fil-A's sandwich still reigns supreme.
