I Went to 7 Drive-Thrus to Find the Best Spicy Chicken Sandwich

7. Wendy’s

Anyone who grew up in the ’80s might remember the iconic Wendy’s tagline, “Where’s the beef?” Upon opening our order for the Wendy’s classic spicy chicken sandwich, our first thought was “Where’s the chicken?” The sandwich was covered with such a huge piece of lettuce that it obscured all the other ingredients. We lifted the bun and found the chicken patty, slice of tomato and a dab of mayonnaise.

We wouldn’t call this one a spicy chicken sandwich; it’s more of a “seasoned” chicken sandwich. It sells for $6.29, which is pricier than others we sampled.

It’s worth noting that there’s a brand-new limited-time chicken sandwich that Wendy’s just added to its lineup. The Cajun Crunch is made with spicy chicken, Cajun crispy onions and spicy mustard. This may have been added to the menu for those looking for a sandwich with more heat.

Heat Level: Just slightly above a zero.

Bottom Line: If you’re afraid of too much heat but want to dip your toes into the world of spicy chicken, Wendy’s mild sandwich fits the bill.

6. McDonald’s

The Spicy McCrispy from McDonald’s is the chain’s contribution to the spicy chicken sandwich game. It’s described as a southern-style fried chicken on a toasted potato roll with spicy pepper sauce. While this does sound mouth-watering, we found this sandwich to be lackluster in reality. The bun was flimsy and the sauce on the chicken patty wasn’t substantial enough to give the sandwich any real kick.

Sliced pickles offered a briny contrast to the spice, but were almost too vinegary. At $4.99, this was one of the less expensive sandwiches. The Deluxe Spicy McCrispy sells for $5.99 and comes with the addition of lettuce and tomato.

Heat Level: Two.

Bottom Line: The price point is easy to swallow and the spice level is moderate, making this sandwich a good deal for spicy chicken neophytes.

5. Burger King

Burger King’s contribution to the spicy chicken game is its Fiery Royal Crispy sandwich for $6.09. It’s part of the chain’s new Fiery lineup, which also includes Fiery Nuggets, Spicy Chicken Fries and the Ghost Pepper Whopper sandwich. We were impressed with the chicken patty at first glance, as it seemed more robust than other chicken sandwiches we had previously tried from Burger King. However, the spice level just wasn’t there for us. We were looking forward to the fiery glaze on the chicken, but there wasn’t much burn.

Heat Level: One.

Bottom Line: While we did appreciate the plump and juicy chicken patty, overall, this sandwich flamed out for us.

4. KFC

The spicy chicken sandwich at KFC is massive and sells for a bargain at $5.19. The oversized bun and huge piece of crispy, breaded chicken made this sandwich a feast for the eyes even before the first bite. After taking a peek underneath the bun, we were also impressed by the generous amount of pickle slices as well as the slather of spicy mayo sauce.

Since KFC didn’t skimp on the sauce, the spice level also came to play. We were excited to finally taste some real heat. One thing we didn’t love was how big the sandwich was. All the breading almost made it hard to bite into. Also, the chicken underneath all that crispy coating was dry and rubbery.

Heat Level: Five.

Bottom Line: If you want the biggest sandwich possible with a significant amount of heat, KFC is the way to go. However, it wasn’t tops in terms of the quality of the chicken itself.

3. Chick-fil-A

The spicy chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A was a complete 180 from what we experienced at KFC. This was a more modest-sized sandwich without a lot of bells and whistles, selling for $5.99. The bun was average, the sandwich had no additional sauce and there were a few pickles present. However, as we’ve come to expect from Chick-fil-A, the quality of the chicken was top-notch. The patty was tender and juicy with a moderate amount of spice. Next time, we’ll order the spicy chicken sandwich but also use our favorite Chick-fil-A hack for a hot honey twist to kick it up a notch.

Heat Level: Four.

Bottom Line: If you want the highest-quality chicken possible, Chick-fil-A is the way to go.

2. Arby’s

Arby’s contribution to the spicy chicken game comes in the form of a Buffalo-style sandwich. The first thing we noticed when we opened the Arby’s Buffalo Crispy Chicken Sandwich, was the fact that it was coated in a generous amount of sauce. A crispy chicken breast was dipped in spicy Buffalo sauce and then served on a toasted brioche bun with shredded lettuce and Parmesan peppercorn ranch sauce.

The chicken was dipped in the sauce—no skimpy smear or drizzle like some of the others we tried. This was lick-your-fingers messy in the best way possible. Plus, this sauce brought the heat we had been hoping for all along. It was the kind of heat that burned, but not enough to make you want to stop eating. The fire was balanced with the cooling ranch dressing.

Heat Level: Eight.

Bottom Line: Since we so often associate Arby’s with roast beef, this chicken sandwich was a huge surprise and a big hit in our taste test.

1. Popeye’s

Popeye’s has mastered the art of fried chicken, and those skills are apparent in the chain’s chicken sandwich game. The spicy battered chicken breast struck the perfect balance between moist chicken and crispy coating. It was big and impressive without being overwhelming. Plus, the addition of a generous slathering of spicy mayonnaise and the tangy homestyle pickles brought everything in this sandwich into harmony. The sweet brioche bun tied it all together.

We liked that this sandwich had nuanced spicy flavor, rather than pure heat. A little more sauce would bring even more heat. For those who aren’t afraid to push the envelope even further, Popeye’s has added a Ghost Pepper sandwich to the lineup as well.

Heat Level: Three or four.
Bottom Line: Even though the heat level wasn’t too high, this was undoubtedly the best spicy chicken sandwich we tested in terms of heat, chicken quality, toppings and bun.