by Bottom Line: The Cajun Crunch Spicy Chicken Sandwich from Wendy’s is hefty but lacks that Cajun twang and doesn’t deliver much heat.
Chicken again, chicken again, chicken again. As I have lamented multiple times on this site, the restaurant industry seems to think that poultry is pretty much the only protein they can spice up, so they keep putting out plenty of variations on hot chicken. Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing—I do like chicken with a kick—but I also find myself wishing for some other spicy options from time to time.
Wendy’s is one of the latest to put a kicking twist on the bird, having recently fired a new salvo in the Chicken Sandwich Wars with their Cajun Crunch Spicy Chicken Sandwich. That includes their breaded and fried spicy breast filet topped with pepper jack cheese, Cajun crispy onions, lettuce, pickles, and a spicy mustard spread. I stopped by a location near me recently to give one of these a try, but unfortunately left disappointed.
Let’s start with the best part of this sandwich, which is the meat at the middle. It’s a decent-sized filet that is well seasoned and has a good meat-to-breading ratio. The chicken is tender and tasty throughout with a bit of a kick, and the crust delivers a good crunch. I’ve often heard people say that Wendy’s makes one of the best spicy chicken sandwiches among fast food competitors, though I always felt they were more middle-of-the-road. But after encountering this, I’m going to give their original spicy chick sammie another try.
As for the Cajun Crunch version, it seemed to lack something rather essential: Cajun flavor. The “Cajun” crispy onions seem to get lost in the mix. The pepper jack cheese adds a little creaminess but doesn’t stand out too much. The mustard sauce adds a little tang and creaminess and a touch of heat. The pickles bring a nice pop, but they are sparse and not evenly distributed. And that big leaf of lettuce added very little and just seemed to be in the way.
There is some Cajun twang in there, but it’s minimal, and I’m not quite sure where it comes from. Perhaps a combination of the crispy onions and the mustard—though not enough to really satisfy. And the heat is disappointing, not even reaching Mild on my scale. I could handle the lack of burn if there were more of the bold Cajun flavor I love, but that falls short as well. It’s not that this is a bad sandwich, it just doesn’t measure up to the promise of its name.
Calorie-wise, this thing clocks in at 610 cals (plus 31 grams of fat!), which is pushing the high side for the drive-thru. If you get a medium order of fries (350 cals) with it, you’re almost at a thousand total and will have to pay some penance in the gym. And don’t even be looking at that medium Frosty (390 cals)!
The sandwich by itself runs $6.49 in my area, which is on the high side considering the competition (market leader Popeyes charges $4.99 for their spicy chicken sandwich). And the combo with a medium order of fries and a drink goes over twelve bucks with tax, which puts this close to sit-down restaurant prices. It’s not quite worth that for me—though maybe my sandwich was subpar because I got there right at lunchtime and they were quite busy. I’m not too interested in giving them a second chance on the Cajun Crunch sandwich, but as mentioned above, I might stop by and give the original spicy chick another shot.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 610
Fat: 31g (7g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 33g
Carbs: 50g
Sodium: 1360mg
