Have you ever craved a chicken sandwich but didn’t know where to go? The options are endless, but are they all equally as good?
Well, we are here to answer it all for you!
Around Glendale High School, there are four good fast food spots that serve spicy chicken sandwiches: Jack in the Box, Chick-fil-A, Popeye’s, and Jollibee. To rate all of these sandwich options fairly, we did not add any additional toppings or sides to our order, so they all came to us how they were meant to be served.
Ranked at the bottom of the barrel is Jack in the Box. For starters, the price for a single spicy chicken sandwich is $8.37 after tax. Unfortunately, that is not a reasonable price for just an entree, especially for a high school student.
Jack’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich also just isn’t visually appealing, and the bread is flat and looks dry when you bite into it. Overall, the sandwich here just looks sad.
The size of the sandwich is decent, but it lacks all the flavor of the other options. There is absolutely no spice, and the only thing that makes it worth eating is their signature taco sauce, which we added ourselves.
The texture of the chicken patty is only average, with very little crispiness. It’s just not worth waiting in the drive-thru line for a sandwich that is disappointing and over-priced.
If you’re looking for something slightly cheaper, Chick-fil-A is the place for you. This chain specializes in serving different variations of chicken sandwiches.
Their spicy sandwich totals $8.10 after tax, which is not much better than Jack in the Box. For the price, it is not worth just getting just a sandwich, but ordering the whole meal saves you some money.
The Spicy Chicken came with just pickles, adding saltiness to the entree. The chicken is breaded with spices to add heat, then it’s fried for crispiness. But the sandwich unfortunately had no crispiness at all.
As for spice level, it varies based on when you go, as Chick-fil-A tends to have its “good days” and its “bad days.” Depending on the batch you get that day, its spiciness is either too faint or too strong.
The size of the sandwich is relatively fine. The signature Chick-fil-A sauce is not needed, but it adds a smoky, almost BBQ, flavor to the sandwich. Chick-fil-A may not be our first choice, but it gives you a comforting feeling.
Our runner up is Popeye’s, with its Louisiana-style spicy chicken sandwich. It has earned itself the title as one of the spiciest sandwiches that we tried. The sandwich totaled only $6.56 after tax, which is significantly better than the opposing fast food restaurants. It’s hard to find a sandwich at this price that is able to fill you up, so the price is very reasonable.
Popeye’s chicken is not breaded with the spices, but instead they add a sauce afterwards for that spicy kick. The sandwich is a good portion with a flavorful, juicy chicken patty, and it includes pickles. Knowing Popeye’s, their chicken is always crispy and crunchy, and they never disappoint.
The chicken and the sauce are what make this sandwich so good, but the bun adds nothing to the sandwich at all. And after the sandwich sits for a while, the breading starts to separate from the chicken, so it’s important to keep that in mind. Overall, Popeye’s always makes sure they are serving hot and crispy goodness.
Ranked number one is Jollibee, which wins this contest in every aspect. Their sandwich is the same price as the one from Popeye’s, which again is very reasonable.
The sandwich is smaller than all the others, but it is so filling. The spicy sandwich comes with jalapenos, in place of pickles, for a different type of spice that no other sandwich has. This is what makes this sandwich stand out against the other ones, and the jalapenos add not only heat and crunch but also freshness.
The chicken itself is also thick and juicy, and it will drip down your hand with every bite. The crispiness is also up-to-par. This sandwich speaks for itself, and it really is the best out of all four of the sandwiches we tried. Jollibee really knows how to produce the juiciest chicken, which makes really anything on their menu worth eating.
Ultimately, the competition is fierce among fast food restaurants. Obviously, you have a lot of choices when it comes to picking what spicy chicken sandwich place you like, but if you listen to us, you’ll get a better bang for your buck!
