I compared the fried-chicken sandwiches from 3 fast-food chains, and the best was extremely simple
Rachel Askinasi
- I compared and ranked fried-chicken sandwiches from Burger King, McDonald's, and Wendy's.
- Each chain had its own take on what the fillet's coating should be.
- While Burger King's was filled with crunchy ripples, McDonald's took more of a thin and crispy approach.
A dense bun landed McDonald's the bottom spot in this ranking.
While the bun McDonald's chose to use for this sandwich was pleasantly sweet, it was also dense and damp from the steam that gathered inside the foil-lined packet. I thought the chain's classic hamburger bun would have been a better choice.
The fillet was nice and crispy, as advertised, and had a flavor profile reminiscent of other chicken products at the chain.
It came dressed with pickles and without any sauce.
Pickles provided some acidity to this sandwich, but they were thin and small, so their flavor only came through on certain bites.
While I do appreciate the opportunity to choose your own saucy adventure, I believe the flavors of the sandwich would have benefited from something tangy and sweet.
In my opinion, it felt incomplete without sauce.
The breading on Wendy's wasn't as enjoyable as McDonald's, but it was an overall better sandwich.
The golden fry on Wendy's fillet looked like it would be crisp and filled with flavor. Unfortunately, only half of my predictions came true.
It had a flavor similar in sweetness to McDonald's sandwich, but the texture didn't hold up. It wasn't super crispy or crunchy, just a bit limp and soft.
But, the dark, slightly chewy, light, and fluffy bun helped salvage this sandwich.
The addition of pickles, mayo, lettuce, and tomato made it feel and taste more complete.
The three pickles and tangy mayo offered acidity, and the lettuce and tomato brought freshness.
While this wasn't a perfect sandwich, and it wasn't bursting with flavor in every bite, it did satisfy my craving.
The simplicity and execution of flavor on Burger King's sandwich landed it the top spot.
Visually, this sandwich blew the others out of the water. A large, rippling, golden piece of fried chicken sat perched between two halves of a sweet bun topped off with two large pickle chips and a tasty sauce.
The fillet was coated in a luxe and crunchy exterior while the bun was super soft and pillowy.
Pickles and sauce enhanced the crunchy texture of the statement-making breading.
There was a small amount of sauce that tasted like a mix of honey mustard and mayonnaise on both the top and the bottom buns, which made for a well-rounded flavorful experience.
I also appreciated the size of the pickle chips here. They were big enough to cover most of the chicken and ensure a briny bite almost every time — I said almost.
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