We Tasted 11 Spicy Chicken Sandwiches & This Is the Best

The sandwiches we tried are:

• Arby’s Buffalo Crispy Chicken Sandwich

• Bojangles Bo’s Chicken Sandwich

• Burger King Spicy Ch’King

• Checkers/Rally’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich

• Church’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich

• KFC Chicken Sandwich

• McDonald’s Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich

• Popeyes Spicy Chicken Sandwich

• Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich

• Zaxby’s Kickin’ Chicken

• Zaxby’s Signature Spicy Chicken Sandwich

To keep things as far as possible, we plotted a drive-through pick-up route in Marietta, Georgia (just outside of Atlanta) of as small and efficient a radius as possible, and carefully kept each sandwich in its original packaging in a double-insulated zipped bag on a heated seat. Here’s how all 11 sandwiches across 10 chains fared and the best tasting spicy chicken sandwich of all time. (For more, check out We Tasted 7 Popular  Chain Cheese Pizzas & This Is the Best.)

1. Popeyes Spicy Chicken Sandwich

I’m not a contrarian (I swear!) … but ugh, do I hate joining in on a chorus line. However, the people have spoken and, without a shadow of a doubt, the people are right. Even in spicy form, measured against other spicy chicken sandwiches, Popeyes’ sando remains the reigning #GOAT.

2. Zaxby’s Signature Spicy Chicken Sandwich

We’ve been saying (and it’s quite apparent) that “The Chicken Sandwich War Ain’t Over Yet,” but only Zaxby’s had the temerity to go right on ahead and trademark it. And although they specialize in tenders, their touch was anything but when it came to their relatively new Spicy Signature Sandwich. This was a direct and aggressive attack on Popeyes, and by golly, are they closing the gap!

 

3. Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich

This sandwich is extremely divisive. The problem with Wendy’s chicken sandwiches is their lack of consistency, but when you get a good one, it truly is great. I have fond memories of eating these in my teen years, when I worked at the chain (R.I.P. stuffed pitas…that’s how long ago!), as they came fresh out of the pressure fryer, delicious even before Wendy herself took over and made them more “artisan” with fancier buttered, toasted buns and romaine lettuce leaves.

4. KFC Chicken Sandwich

Are you as surprised as me to find that this is a new offering? This fried chicken giant didn’t release their champion into the ring until April 2021 … but they certainly did it right. The chicken breast fillet they use for this sandwich is a full quarter-pound, but it definitely feels bigger. It’s the lightest in color of all the flour-dredged chickens, and among the lightest breaded, letting the succulent seasoned chicken be the star. The crispy (disappointingly not extra-crispy as promised) coating floated above the surface of the tender meat, which retained its moisture from end to end without being the least bit greasy.

5. Arby’s Buffalo Crispy Chicken Sandwich

I really appreciate the originality this chain has shown in their sandwich selections, and that they don’t just copy what successful competitors are doing. This includes with their Crispy Chicken Diablo Dare, which I tried (and loved!), but excluded from this test since it’s a limited-time offer. Lucky for spice-lovers, their once slider-only buffalo chicken has made it into the annals of Arby’s history, with a permanent place on their full-size sammie menu.

6. Zaxby’s Kickin’ Chicken

If you’re asking, “What is Zaxby’s?,” don’t worry—I asked the same thing when I first moved to Georgia and suddenly saw one every ten minutes. They’re regional and exclusive to the South (for now), headquartered in Athens and original to Statesboro, hence the plethora in my metro area. That said, they’re more a chicken finger specialist as opposed to bone-in fried chicken—think Raising Cane’s, but slightly more refined.

7. Church’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich

This Texas fried chicken brand is headquartered in Atlanta, so obviously, we had to give them a go. It sounded like it promised the world, upgrading the famous formula with toasted honey butter on the brioche bun, a much more balanced three pickle chips, spicy mayonnaise, hand-breaded chicken, and an extra bonus of a wet jalapeno on the side, which you’re expected to squeeze “San Antonio-style” over the sandwich when you’re ready to dig in.

8.Bojangles Bo’s Chicken Sandwich

Another fried chicken specialist with Cajun flavors, Southern roots, and lauded biscuits, we were apt to take their knight seriously as they promised that the years they took to enter the battlefield was to more effectively pierce the current champion’s armor. The components to do so were there: spices layered into the chicken beneath the seasoned, hand-breaded crust, a “toasted buttery bakery bun,” thick-cut pickles, and mayo.

9. Burger King Spicy Ch’King

The King wants his title back, and decided to come for it with a new kicked-up version of their previously released Ch’King sandwich, clocking in at an outrageous 1,404 calories for the sandwich alone! That’s double the Popeyes weigh-in, and I’m glad I didn’t find that out until after the tasting. But then again, should I have been that surprised when my first impression was already, “whoa, this is crazy greasy?” Because it was, and unforgivably so. It came in a paper foil pouch, which was normal, but within the bag, it was wrapped again in a layer of paper so covered and stained through with excess oil and fat that it was nearly translucent.

10. McDonald’s Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich

The chicken patty vibes continue with this joke of a “premium” sandwich that comes in a paper and foil bag … and a throwaway effort. Mickey D’s knows where it stands in the heart of Americans, and it’s not in the quadrant marked for chicken. This sandwich tastes exactly like the participation ribbon it is, as the mega-giant goes through the motions of offering an option in the Chicken Sandwich Wars, but not really caring if it wins any trophies.

11. Checkers/Rally’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich

Checkers on the East Coast and South and Rally’s in the Midwest, this double drive-through chain is well known for its budget menu. But however many people swap the word “value” for budget, the two are not one and the same, and their puny spicy chicken sandwich serves as a perfect example.