Chili's Has Just Entered The Chicken Sandwich Wars With 6 New Crispy Chicken Sandwiches, So I Tried And Ranked All Of Them

Full disclosure: I rarely think bacon elevates a sandwich or burger (unless it’s a BLT, of course). The quality was there; it bolstered the salt level of the sandwich and added a smoky element. But I didn’t think it truly improved the sandwich. Same with the Swiss cheese; it turned plasticky and sweaty instead of melting down. 

While the lettuce and tomato made the sammy a little harder to eat than those without as many toppings, it brought a crisp, refreshing contrast to the otherwise heavy lineup. The filet was indeed big and crispy, as the name suggests.

I appreciated how balanced this was. The glaze coated the chicken evenly and generously without turning the breading soggy. It clung well to the meat. Due to the sweetness of the honey, I thought a more sour pickle would’ve been nice for contrast. 

But the main con was that it didn’t taste as spicy as the name implied. If you want something nuanced, smoky, and saucy, this is a solid choice. But if it’s heat you seek, there are better options — more on those below!

For a chicken sammy with no extra bells and whistles, there’s this classic pick. With flavorful, just-salty-enough breading, a toasted-yet-pillowy-soft bun, shockingly rich mayo, and a few pickle chips, the sandwich checks all the boxes. I could have done with a little less mayo — and I say that as a mayo devotee — but the chicken itself was undeniably thick, juicy, and crisp. 

I appreciated the crispness of the pickles, but wouldn’t have minded more acidity (the mayo was rather sweet).

Buffalo sauce is hard not to like, if you ask me. With its robust yet approachable heat, acidic backbone, and buttery notes to round out its flavor, it’s a timeless match for crispy chicken. This Chili’s number delivers all the tang and heat of chicken wings, minus the mess (and bones!). 

I liked that the sauce dried onto the breading without turning it to mush, essentially infusing it with lip-smackingly tangy flavor. Again, I wouldn’t have minded a more sour pickle (some may prefer a sweeter one, since the vinegar base was already acidic), but I had minimal complaints. Pro tip: Use the side of ranch that comes with the fries for drizzling or dunking the sandwich.

This sammy offers spice that packs a punch without detracting from flavor. Even though the chicken was doused in Nashville hot sauce, it wasn’t as wet as the other options; it was more like a hybrid between a sauce, chili oil, and dry rub. 

As the chicken cooled, the sauce dried out some and seemed to infuse the breading rather than coat it. I loved the smoky, creeping heat that built up as I ate the sandwich. The pickles and mac and cheese were particularly tasty pairings for this one. TLDR? I totally get the TikTok hype behind this Chili’s sauce.

True life: I love Popeyes. Of all the drive-thru havens, I firmly believe they have the tastiest crispy chicken sandwich, especially of the spicy iterations. The Spicy Big Crispy is much like the Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich in the way that it gets its heat from spicy mayo, rather than a spicy breading or a sticky glaze that robs the chicken’s exterior of its crispness. 

Chili’s pickles are less acidic than Popeyes, which is a minor downside in my book, but the flavor profile was nearly identical. The Chili’s number seemed to have a better balance between meat and breading (Popeyes filets can often be craggier and smaller). 

According to the brand, the Spicy Big Crispy was the early favorite in test markets; I didn’t let that sway my review, but the people were definitely onto something.