The Chicken Sandwich Wars: Wendy’s New Spicy Chicken Sandwich

Bottom Line: The New Spicy Chicken Sandwich from Wendy’s is a solid fast food entry that brings some heat, but nothing that will make the competition worry too much.

The Chicken Sandwich Wars continue to rage on, though we have not seen quite as much activity on that front over the past year or so. In 2019, Popeyes introduced its Chicken Sandwich, and that turned into a big hit, with the rest of the fast food industry responding and trying to draw people to the drive-thru with their own poultry picks. Salvos were fired on all sides for a while, and a lot of chickens gave their lives to the cause. These days, Popeyes and Chick-fil-A still top the sales charts, but other chains keep trying to establish a beachhead of their own.

Case in point, Wendy’s just recently came out with an “upgraded” Spicy Chicken Sandwich that they claim takes things to the “next level,” firing the latest salvo into the Chicken Sandwich Wars. I have had the spicy chicken from Wendy’s in the past, and it was a pretty solid selection, but it did not quite measure up to the more premium poultry that places like Popeyes and Chick-fil-A have been putting out. I stopped by to try the new version, and I will run down my findings based on what they claim to have changed.

New Bold Marinade: The chicken did seem rather flavorful and quite tender, but I do not recall that it was much different than it used to be.

Premium Panko-Style Breading: This is the one difference I did take notice of. The crust was crunchy and flaky and nicely seasoned. That certainly seemed like an upgrade from the previous version, and it really stood out.

Soft Potato Bun: Either potato or brioche buns seem to be all the rage these days, and they sure sound fancy on the ingredients list, but typically I do not notice much difference. The bun held everything together well enough and seemed pretty tasty, but I don’t know that I would count it as much of an upgrade.

Rich Homestyle Mayo: Considering the fact that I usually sub out mustard for mayo on a spicy chicken sandwich because it helps kick up the heat, this is not a big one for me. I left the mayo on this time, but I didn’t notice that it really added anything. Mayo is mayo, and it is actually not a favorite condiment of mine.

Pickles: I thought that Wendy’s used to put pickles on its chicken sandwich, but maybe not. These worked out pretty well, though, delivering some tang that went well with the chicken, even if they were a bit stingy with them.

Of course, the main thing you want to know is how hot the sandwich is, and it did deliver a kick, but nothing that would set your mouth on fire. I would put it a little above Mild on my scale, and it did leave a tingle on the tongue. But it came up short on the burn compared to several of the other spicy options out there. Basically, I would call this a solid chicken sammy, but it does not quite measure up to the premium sandwiches Popeyes and Chick-fil-A are putting out.

Nutrition-wise, the new sandwich comes in at 560 calories, which is not too bad for the drive-thru. You will want to go easy on the sides, though, sticking with the small order of fries that tacks on another 260 cals. Overall, that is still a bit on the high side, but you can schedule some extra time on the treadmill the next time you are at the gym.

The new sandwich sells for $6.09 in my area, which is a bit pricey, especially compared to the competition (the Popeyes Spicy Chicken Sandwich comes in at $5.49, and it is a bigger sandwich). If you get the combo with medium fries and a drink, that runs over twelve bucks, and you are reminded that fast food is not cheap food these days! The new sandwich is apparently a permanent menu addition, and it is a decent enough entry in the Chicken Sandwich Wars, especially if you frequent Wendy’s. But I don’t think it will cause a lot of people to flock to the drive-thru like Popeyes did when it introduced its sandwich in 2019.

Nutrition Info:

Calories: 560
Fat: 26g (4.5g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 28g
Carbs: 55g
Sodium: 1500mg