by Bottom Line: The Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich from Whataburger is definitely a filling sandwich made with some tasty chicken tenders, but it could use a little more heat to balance out the tang.
Whataburger is an institution in Texas, having started just down the road in Corpus Christi in 1950 and having spread throughout the state as it built a cult following for its burgers. (It has since been bought by a company out of Chicago, but we won’t get into that controversy here.) And while the chain is known for bringing the beef, it has other items as well such as chicken sandwiches (both regular and spicy). In that category, Whataburger has a fan-favorite that is not a menu regular but that returns for frequent limited-time-only engagements each year and that is the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich. I have lived in Texas most of my life, but somehow I never got around to trying this sandwich, so I finally decided to rectify that oversite.
Following is the official description of that item:
Three crispy Whatachick’n® Strips smothered in Whataburger’s original spicy Buffalo Sauce and topped with cool Buttermilk Ranch and two slices of Monterey Jack cheese, all on a five-inch bun.
You can also get a junior version of the sandwich that comes with two tenders and a smaller bun. I decided to go with that so that I would not have to pay as much penance in the gym afterword. It is still a pretty sizable sandwich, and one thing I can say about this from the start is that it is pretty messy. They are generous with the two sauces and you will need to have plenty of napkins at the ready. And don’t try eating this and driving!
The fried tenders on the sandwich manage to maintain their crispiness despite the abundance of sauce. They are decent in size with a good crust-to-meat ratio and they are flavorful and well seasoned. The tang of Buffalo sauce is immediately apparent, kicked up by some extra tang from the Ranch. The sandwich is also fairly salty, though the cheese offers some creaminess and a touch of sharpness to balance out that and the tanginess. The bun is fairly standard and neither detracts nor adds to the sandwich, but it holds things together well enough.
And while the sandwich delivers good Buffalo flavor, it doesn’t offer much heat to go with that, not even coming to Mild on my scale. The Ranch might offset the burn to a degree, and perhaps this would work better without it. But seeing as it is a fan-favorite, I’m guessing they wouldn’t make that change. You could add jalapenos, but while those would bring some heat, they might also send the tanginess into the stratosphere. I enjoyed the sandwich well enough, but it is definitely more about tang than heat. If I get it again, I will ask them to go light on the Ranch or maybe leave it off.
Nutrition-wise, the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich comes in at just under one thousand calories and packs in 54g of fat along with 90g. Along with the 2800mg of sodium, this thing is a dietician’s nightmare! The junior version is a little more reasonable at 640 cals and 32g of fat, and as I said above, it is still pretty filling. But you better go easy on the sides because a medium order of fries adds 420 cals which will put you over a thousand total without factoring in a drink. The better option is the medium order of onion rings (300 cals), though that is still a hefty amount for the meal and you will need to schedule some extra time on the treadmill.
The Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich makes a return trip to the menu on a regular basis, I believe through the Summer months, and should be around for another month and a half or so before heading back to Limited-Time-Only-Ville. It will certainly fill you up, but it may not satisfy your need for heat. It is a fan-favorite, though, so I don’t expect them to make any changes to the recipe to appease us chiliheads.
Nutrition Info:
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich
Calories: 990
Fat: 54g (15g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 41g
Carbs: 90g
Sodium: 2800mg
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich Jr.
Calories: 640
Fat: 32g (9g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 28g
Carbs: 57g
Sodium: 2360mg
