I Tried Five Fast Food Crispy Chicken Sandwiches—This Is the One I’ll Order Again

My top pick surprised me.

Remember the chicken sandwich wars before the pandemic? People raced to the nearest Popeyes restaurant to taste its version of the classic chicken sandwich. Social media was saturated with polls on who was better, Popeyes or Chick-fil-A. However, things got even more chaotic when other fast food restaurants joined the race. Places like McDonald's, KFC, and even Burger King released their own versions. For the longest time, Chick-fil-A was the reigning champ of supplying hungry suburbanites with classic chicken sandwiches since 1964. Now the options for one of these bad boys are increasing by the day.

The crispy chicken sandwich is pretty simple: It's essentially a fried breaded chicken breast, pickles, and mayonnaise on a buttered bun. Some places try to do their own twist (I am looking at you Shake Shack), but for the most part they share the same basic preparation.

So to really get to the bottom of which fast food joint does it best, I tried five fast-food classic chicken sandwiches to determine which one comes out on top. Here are my results:

#5. McDonald's "McCrispy"

McDonald's always had a chicken sandwich on the menu—I mean the McChicken is iconic in its own right. However, their classic chicken sandwich, titled the "McCrispy," is more of a recent addition to the menu. You may not know this, but this is not the first time Mickey D's introduced this style of sandwich. Back in 2008, the company released a southern style chicken sandwich to combat Chick-fil-A's popularity. Unfortunately it was discontinued and now they have this new and revamped version today.

Despite being revamped, this version was not the best offering out of all the sandwiches. The chicken looked like real all-white chicken, but it had a strange texture that broke down in the mouth too easily. It honestly was like a giant chicken nugget on a bun with pickles.

#4. KFC Chicken Sandwich

KFC is the number one chicken chain in the world and it has become a household name for decades. It wasn't a surprise that it released a chicken sandwich. KFC double breads its chicken (fancy, huh), adds pickles and Colonel's mayo (don't know what that means, but maybe it has the secret blend of spices added), and serves it on a brioche bun. The double breading really did show itself with its extra crunchy exterior, but it lacked flavor. I was shocked it faltered in the flavor department since the chicken giant is known for its secret blend of 11 herbs and spices. That being said, it's still a better option than McDonald's.

#3. Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich

Gasp! You may be thinking it is impossible to place the leader in classic sandwiches at number three. Well the truth is the truth. Even though Chick-fil-A cracked the code on making a great chicken sandwich, it ended up in the middle of the pack. Of course the chicken was very flavorful and juicy (thank you, pickle juice and pressure cooking), but there are two more options that edged it out of the top spot.

#2. Shake Shack's Chick'n Shack

For all of you purists who insist on ordering burgers at Shake Shack, think again and go with the "Chick'n Shack." This chicken sandwich follows the same mission as the burgers, 100% all-natural and antibiotic-free ingredients. This one has pickles, lettuce, and a buttermilk herb mayo. The chicken is seasoned well (slow-cooked in a buttermilk marinade), isn't dry, and is the first sandwich I tried that also paid attention to the mayo. This buttermilk herb mayo is fantastic, loaded with fresh chives, parsley, and thyme. It's worth noting that this sandwich is the most expensive of the bunch, reaching as high as 9 bucks. So if you are on a budget, the number one pick would be a better choice.

#1. Popeyes Chicken Sandwich

We have finally reached our number one spot and it goes to the now legendary Popeyes chicken sandwich. After eating this sandwich, I understand why people were piling into the locations to get their hands on one. I was a fan of Popeyes chicken way before the sandwich was introduced. The restaurant's iconic crispy skin on each piece of chicken makes it a one-of-a-kind chain. It uses the same technique for the chicken sandwich. The sandwich was the biggest of the bunch. Its signature crisp gave it texture, the bun was really good, and unlike its fish sandwich, the blend of spices paired well with the chicken. It was the most balanced sandwich. And if you think this is delicious, the chain also has a spicy version that is even better!