Wendy's brings different things to mind for different people, but for many,
the first thing they think of is the Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Before you run off to
try this modern marvel of chicken and spice, check out these facts. They may surprise you.
While it may seem like we've all been sampling, ranking, and debating chicken sandwiches forever,
our current obsession is actually pretty new. According to Restaurant Business Magazine,
the chicken sandwich wars only really started in 2019, as hard as that is to believe.
So you might think that Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich is a relatively newer offering,
but you'd be very wrong. Wendy's has been making chicken sandwiches — and
their spicy counterparts — well before they were cool.
Wendy's made its spicy chicken sandwich as a full-time menu staple in 1996.
Since then, so many other items have come and gone from the Wendy's menu,
from boneless wings to Twisted Frostys to deli sandwiches — and
let's not forget that brief time when they were covering everything in Wendy's queso.
Through it all, the spicy chicken sandwich remained, and fans still love it today.
Like so many of our favorite fast food staples, Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich
started out as a limited time menu offering. It's a strategy that allows a restaurant to
try new things without too much investment if they don't work out. It's also a great marketing
trick to get consumers rushing to get their hands on a product that could sell out fast.
In this case, Wendy's wanted to test the waters and see if the public had
an appetite for a done up chicken sandwich from a chain known for beef and potatoes.
Turns out, they most certainly did. Soon after Wendy's tested the sandwich in 1995,
the chain says customers demanded it become a permanent menu item. By September 1996,
their demands had been met. Perhaps it was inevitable. From the very start,
Wendy's advertised the spicy chicken sandwich as an object of, quote,
"burning desire." And as Wendy's vice president of brand marketing puts it,
"Once people taste Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich, they fall under its hot and spicy spell."
If you're looking to get your spicy chicken sandwich fix at Wendy's, you have more than one
option to choose from. Wendy's introduced the new Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich in August of 2020.
The new sandwich is available as part of Wendy's much loved 4 for $4 value deal, which
lets customers create their own mix-and-match meal by pairing — a Jr. Cheeseburger, Jr. Bacon
Cheeseburger, or Crispy Chicken sandwich with a 4-piece chicken nuggets, small fries, and a drink.
The biggest difference between the Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich,
and Wendy's original spicy chicken sandwich seems to be that the patty
on the new sandwich is thinner, and has the consistency of a large, flat chicken nugget,
rather than a breaded piece of chicken breast. It may not be the most exciting
spicy sandwich you've ever laid eyes on, but for just four bucks, it'll get the job done.
"Welcome to Wendy's. Can I take your order please?"
"Let me handle this."
"Good evening Wendy!"
Every fast food chain serving up a spicy chicken sandwich has its own tried and tested concoction
of spices and ingredients to achieve their signature taste and texture — and Wendy's is
no exception. The chain claims that its chicken breast is coated in a special blend of spices,
which include black pepper, chili pepper, and mustard seed.
A quick peek at Wendy's ingredients list, which can be found on the chain's website,
provides even more insight into how this sandwich is made. There are also hints of celery seed,
paprika, and turmeric in the chicken breast itself. And it's worth noting that the
breading and the bun contains artificial additives in the form of phosphates.
While the chicken may contain a laundry list of ingredients,
the sandwich itself is pretty simple, served only with lettuce, tomato and mayo.
A spicy chicken sandwich from Wendy's is very likely to satisfy your craving for a delicious,
savory sandwich, but it's probably not going to cut it if you're focused on eating healthy.
Let's break down the numbers. Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich is 500 calories by itself. Make
it a meal with fries and a drink, you're looking at anywhere from 770 to more than 1,000 calories.
However, it's not just the calories you should be wary of; the sandwich is also
packed with a whopping 19 grams of fat, 51 grams of carbs, 65 milligrams of cholesterol,
and nearly 1,000 milligrams of sodium. That's almost half the amount of sodium
that experts recommend adults consume in a whole day, according to the FDA.
We're not telling you not to enjoy that spicy chicken sandwich from Wendy's. Go
ahead and savor the fries and soda, too. Just be aware of what you're
consuming. Bestseller
When you pull up to the Wendy's drive-thru, there are a lot of options for you to choose from.
Even if you're just in the mood for a chicken sandwich, you've still got 14
different choices on Wendy's current menu. You've got your original fried
chicken sandwich along with a healthier grilled version. Then there's the more
unique options like the Asiago Ranch Chicken Club or the Crispy Chicken BLT,
newer creations like the Jalapeño Popper Chicken sandwich, and more. It can be overwhelming.
But at the end of the day, most customers are going for the ever popular spicy
chicken sandwich. It's been on the menu longer than almost every other sandwich,
and it's the fan favorite among customers, according to Wendy's. In a press release,
the company's vice president of brand marketing declared,
"This original classic has long been Wendy's top selling chicken sandwich."
These days, spicy chicken sandwiches are basically a dime a dozen at fast food chains.
From Popeye's to McDonald's, Chick-fil-A to Burger King,
it seems that everyone has taken up arms in the spicy chicken sandwich wars.
Even Taco Bell has its own iteration of a spicy chicken sandwich. And the fierce opinions over
which sandwich reigns supreme are just as vast as the range of options one has to choose from.
"It's two pieces of bread, a piece of fried chicken, dill pickles
and a squirt of mayo. Who would have thought such a humble sandwich could set off a fast food war?"
Some would say the tidal wave of competing spicy chicken sandwiches all started with
Popeyes. And while it may be true that Popeyes' sandwich set the internet on fire, so to speak,
it's worth noting that we might not even be having the debate at all if it weren't for Wendy's.
Decades ago, well before chicken sandwiches were everywhere,
Wendy's was starting a new trend without even realizing it. The chain claims it was
actually the first major fast food restaurant to introduce a spicy chicken sandwich on its menu,
and customers fell in love fast. In fact, Wendy's boldly declares that it's spicy
chicken sandwich has made it quote "one of the undisputed leaders in spicy chicken."
Sadly for Wendy's, the chain has arguably been outdone by some of its competitors on
the spicy chicken sandwich front. But it seems only fair to give credit where credit is due.
It might be hard to believe in the world of fast food, but Wendy's 25-year-old spicy
chicken sandwich has seemingly been made with the same recipe since it was first introduced.
Wendy's has never officially announced any changes to their original spicy chicken sandwich,
but that doesn't mean that fans aren't still speculating that something is different.
One disappointed Wendy's fan on Reddit claimed,
"[It] was once my favorite chicken sandwich in all
fast food [but now] the chicken has become bland, and very flat."
They aren't alone in their misery. Another poster said,
"The Spicy Chicken Sandwich is my go-to,
but over the past year or so it seems to have become consistently thinner."
There were several other Redditors who agreed that the spicy chicken sandwich was smaller or thinner
than it used to be in the past. And one angry Wendy's fan went so far as to declare the quote
"death of the spicy chicken sandwich," claiming Wendy's sandwich isn't as spicy as it used to be.
Sometimes you don't need anything more than the classic to satisfy your spicy chicken sandwich
craving, but at Wendy's, you have options if you feel like spicing things up even more.
Wendy's is known for frequently rolling out creative, sometimes over-the-top menu items,
many of which only last for a limited time.
For example, for a while Wendy's offered a Jalapeño Fresco Spicy Chicken Sandwich,
which included the same spicy chicken breast customers know and
love, all done up with fresh jalapeños, spicy pepper jack cheese, a jalapeño bun,
and ghost pepper sauce. These days, you can order an upgraded version of the spicy
chicken sandwich in the form of a Spicy Jalapeño Popper Sandwich, and a Spicy Asiago Ranch Club.
And of course, you can always just get creative and doctor up
your sandwich on your own — maybe by adding some of Wendy's chili on top?
If you're craving a spicy chicken sandwich, but can't make it to the Wendy's drive-thru,
you're in luck: Now you can satisfy your craving in the snack aisle at your local supermarket,
for a limited time at least. Wendy's and Pringles have teamed up to offer spicy chicken flavored
chips, giving the spicy chicken sandwich wars a crunchy new twist. According to Kellogg's,
"[The new Pringles flavor is said to pack]
the savory taste of Wendy's spicy fried chicken into one perfectly crunchy and
extremely convenient bite that satisfies the spicy thrill consumers can't get enough of."
We don't know how they do it, but we're certainly not complaining.
And it's worth noting that you might want to hit the drive-thru afterwards anyways.
Each can of the limited-edition Pringles includes a special code that will get you
a free spicy chicken sandwich at Wendy's when you order through their mobile app.
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