Craving Hot Chicken? 10 Fried Chicken Brands That Bring The Heat & 10 That Simmer Quietly
Craving Hot Chicken? 10 Fried Chicken Brands That Bring The Heat & 10 That Simmer Quietly
Can You Handle the Spice?
Competitive brands sprint to produce better wings and sandwiches, and while some have it down to a science, many falter with a lack of crisp, burn, or balance. So it’s pretty clear that not all spicy chicken is made equally, and some brands certainly have others beat. With that in mind, here are some of the best and worst contenders in the chicken space.
1. Dave’s Hot Chicken
Dave's Hot Chicken is all about customization. The spice can be anywhere from mild to so hot it's like licking a flamethrower. Even their medium level will give you a good burn. The sandwich itself is substantial as they pile on the toppings in a towering potato bun. There's so much chicken, slaw, pickles, and sauce you might not be able to eat it all. If you like it hot, this is a chain for you.
2. Popeyes
Popeyes has long been a purveyor of traditional, Southern-style fried chicken. That remains true at the renovated restaurant, which feels modern and sleek. The chicken is as crispy and audaciously flavored as ever, and the clean, streamlined operation is an upgrade. The communal dining experience keeps the vibe lively and frantic. The spicy menu items set a standard for mainstream fast food heat.
3. Shake Shack
Shake Shack's treatment of spicy chicken is no different than the way it approaches a burger. More expensive than your standard fast-food joint, the chicken is correspondingly more high-end in terms of texture, seasoning, and balance. The spice is tempered, not obnoxious, and should please those who prize refinement over firepower. It's proof that heat can still feel luxe.
4. Chick-fil-A
As obvious as it may seem, Chick-fil-A is popular based on the endless line at the drive-thru and full parking lots. I would describe Chick-fil-A as consistent and a good quality meal. The spice level is fairly mild, so it is something that most anyone can handle. Chick-fil-A is definitely an overrated place, but it is not without reason. The place is very clean, and the staff is always nice and friendly. It isn't the spiciest place, but they are consistent with flavor.
5. Huey Magoo
Huey Magoo’s chicken comes with a laid-back vibe and constant rotation of themed lemonades. The tenders are juicy, and the seasoning is a generous kick in the face of flavor. The chicken can be a little salty, but it is well-cooked and tender. The overall feel of the restaurant is homey, which makes for a pleasant place to stop for a lover of spicy chicken.
6. Bojangles
Bojangles is often an unexpected treat for newcomers to the brand. It has a surprisingly warm service experience, and the down-home Southern charm is hard to mistake. The chain is an interesting mix of fast food convenience and above-average friendliness. Bojangles' chicken is aggressively seasoned and spicy, but not to the point of being overpowering. In this way, Bojangles feels both comforting and incendiary.
7. Raising Cane’s
Raising Cane’s is about as simple as they come, specializing almost exclusively in chicken fingers and the sauces they go with. The chicken sandwich just repurposes those crispy strips into a substantial, satisfying build. Cane’s sauce adds just a bit of kick to round out the flavors. Generous and made with solid bread, it’s a spicy chicken winner when simplicity is done right.
8. Chicken Guy
Guy Fieri’s Chicken Guy! distinguishes itself with its giant chicken tenders and aggressively spiced breading. The tenders are pounded thinner to evenly coat each piece with spices, which adds flavor to every bite while maintaining juiciness. The breading is balanced and heavily seasoned instead of being an overly crunchy crust, making the chicken taste elevated. This chain is for the best fast, spicy chicken that doesn’t skimp on flavor or personality.
9. KFC
KFC is known for its buckets of fried chicken, but the spicy chicken sandwich gets overlooked. The crunch of the exterior, juicy meat, and soft bun keep it all together. It’s not so spicy that it drowns out the taste of traditional fried chicken. For the price, it has a nice level of spice and great bang for the buck.
10. Zaxby’s
Stepping into Zaxby's interior isn't your usual fast-casual, diner-like restaurant experience. The sit-down dining aesthetic here is more comfortable and upgrades the experience overall. The chicken here has some hearty heat and flavor, and won't feel rushed or watered-down at any time. There's just something more relaxed about this chicken spot than its competitors.
Now that we talked about some of the heavy hitters in the spicy chicken field, here are 10 that leave customers wanting more.
1. Burger King
BK's new spicy chicken sandwich has a decent flavor, but is messy, not very well constructed, and light on toppings. It's far too dry to really be filling and satisfying, even for the price of nearly seven dollars. Sure, it's edible, but it's no better than any other place, and I won't be craving it in the future.
2. Wendys
Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich lags behind the competition for a few reasons, the biggest being value. The patty has some flavor, but it's not very thick and can dry out. It's one of the more expensive ones on the list, and you can get crispier chicken with better texture and more toppings elsewhere. It's a good sandwich, but not a great one.
3. Wingstop
Wingstop is all about big, brash sauces and delicious wings, but the brand's spicy chicken sandwich disappoints. While the breaded chicken breast is tossed in sauce like the chain's wings, this iteration is heavy-handed, but lifeless and lacking in oomph. The heat doesn't really pop, and the flavor overall is just passable. Stick with other items on the menu if you're a Wingstop fan.
Ser Amantio di Nicolao on Wikimedia
4. Sonic
Sonic’s spiced chicken sandwich is one of the lowest quality and worst executed in the game. The toppings work against the sandwich. Between the wilted lettuce, limp pickles, and strangely sweet mayo, it all doesn’t mesh together into a satisfying bite. It could be entirely worse without the toppings.
5. PDQ
PDQ comes into the ring loaded with hype but finishes with a whimper. The chicken tenders fail to pack any real personality when it comes to flavor or texture. There's also a certain blandness to the overall restaurant atmosphere, as if it lacks any defining personality or brand culture. It's just hot (literally) and spicy enough to get the job done, but never enough to sear itself into memory. The sandwich, in the end, comes across as more of an unfinished product compared to the competition.
6. Culver’s
Culver's is popular for consistency, but the chicken sandwich is a letdown. Its chicken is exceptionally juicy, but that juiciness is working against itself, and the texture of the chicken suffers. It's flabby and soft, with no crunch or real bite to it. The thin, crispy breading they use on their tenders is a nice touch, but isn't so great on the sandwich. The spice is also much subdued.
Iowahwyman at English Wikipedia on Wikimedia
7. Slim Chickens
Slim Chickens gets some points for the name and the sides. The chicken itself is a bust. It was stringy and gross, and I just could not enjoy the sandwich at all. It might have been a timing thing, but the whole thing left me thinking it was inconsistent. It just can't hang with the big guns.
8. Checkers
In Checkers' chicken sandwich, crunch is king. It may be fiery, but spice is not the main event in the chain's sandwich named for its heat level. The breaded coating on the chicken has good crunch and seasoning, but a burn that disappoints, and it's a bit too greasy. The sandwich, which comes on an ersatz honey wheat bun, has a cafeteria food vibe, but it does have some bright spots.
9. Jollibee
Jollibee has a good reputation for its fried chicken, but this sandwich doesn't quite have that same magic. Despite a long line and big expectations, this is a pretty middling experience overall. The spice is kept in check, and there isn't much going on with the build overall. It's okay, but it doesn't really show the chain at its best.
10. McDonalds
McDonald’s does itself no favors in terms of textural contrast or seasoning balance with its spicy chicken sandwich. The spice hits heavy with little flavor, and the chicken offers no crisp factor whatsoever. In terms of looks, it’s a small and flat sandwich that doesn’t do much visually besides presenting soft buns and fat pickles. Good thing some OG chains know how to properly do a spicy chicken.
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