First Look: Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Yesterday I spent the afternoon inside the Chick-fil-A sanctum sanctorum — i.e., the company headquarters — with AJC business reporter Jeremiah McWilliams. A large group from the product development, marketing and public relations teams met us in the test kitchen, where one wall was covered with a red tarp to shield it from our view. I assume it was shelving filled with proprietary seasonings and spices, though I suppose it could have been a voodoo altar with pins sticking from a Double Down.
After a thorough presentation of the company’s research and development methodology, we learned how the Spicy Chicken Sandwich came to be. This new product — which officially hits Chick-fil-A’s 1400-plus stores on June 7 — has been on the boards since 2004, and in active development since 2008.
Chick-fil-A is milking the huge anticipation for this product — long requested by customers — for everything it can get. As you’ve probably heard, customers who signed up online were able to reserve free Spicy Chicken sandwiches to be picked up at specified time slots throughout next week. Everyone else must wait. This sandwich is nothing short of the fast-food iPad.
And so, after the dog and pony show, Jeremiah and I were each given a hot-from-the-fryer, freshly prepared sandwich. I have to say that watching the sandwich being made from raw ingredients did a little to alleviate my fast-food skeeze. Though I do find it distressing that one sandwich contains 72% of the daily recommended allowance of sodium (the Spicy version is saltier than the regular one).
A chicken breast (one that is not injected with a saline solution) first goes into a spicy marinade that is shipped to the stores as a powder and diluted with water. The mix contains “a blend of fiery spices.” (I’m guessing cayenne, paprika, salt, garlic and onion.) Then the chicken is dredged in a flour coating that gets a hint of spice from visible flecks of cracked black pepper, but is otherwise mild. Finally it goes on a buttered bun with not one and not three, but two pickle slices.
So how spicy is it? Not slap-your-grandma-then-go-on-a-rampage-and-beat-up-her-bridge-club spicy, but frankly so. Enough that capsaicin fanatics won’t find it a wuss out, and enough that some chile-averse souls will not be able to eat it. What impressed me is not how spicy it is, but the kind of round spice it presents — one that doesn’t hit you at first but then blooms, peaks and leaves a brief sting. That thin, orangey layer of marinade below the breading has a delayed-action kick.
After we took bites of our Spicy Chicken sandwiches, we were next served Spicy Chicken Deluxe, which came festooned with lettuce, tomato and pepper jack cheese. (This sandwich clocks in at 580 calories and contains 78% of the daily recommended allowance of sodium.) I liked the cool vegetables against the spicy meat but, personally, would lose the cheese.
Afterward, we went into a conference room and learned about a number of other new products currently in R&D. I’ll put up another post on those soon, but let it be known that the Spicy Chicken breakfast biscuit will soon be on its way to a restaurant near you. That should be an eye opener.
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131 comments Add your comment
Chris
May 28th, 2010
9:04 am
As someone who worked at CFA for 4 years, I can assure you the biscuits are made from scratch. I’ve personally mixed and kneaded the dough on mnay occasions.
Yrag
May 28th, 2010
9:44 am
Chik-fil-A is good fast food restaurant. I go there weekly. Spicy chicken from Chik-fil-A will be a best seller, I predict.
Yrag
May 28th, 2010
9:51 am
I think it’s silly to “reserve” a chicken sandwich. I will try it but I’ll just stand in line and order it on the day it’s available. Reserve a sandwich ? LOL
Yasmin
May 28th, 2010
10:11 am
Next week is premier night for CFA’s, and my Mom’s Marketing Director&General Manager at a CFA in Coral Springs Florida. The owner is Samuel Poeana, and me and my mom have been working hard trying to get the store to look great for the Spicy Chicken Release. We’ve got firemen coming into ours stores, we have free water (just in case) And we are making signs to put around. We even made our own table cloths! It’s gonna look AMAZING! I’m so STOKED! But I guess not EVERY Chick-Fil-A is gonna be as amazing as this one
-Yasmin XOXO
Brian
May 28th, 2010
2:04 pm
That sounds cool Yasmin! Good luck with the event!
mattishungry
May 28th, 2010
2:48 pm
Jeff,
You are making a fool of yourself by having an argument against everyone else about a writer.
As a blogger, I know how it is to write articles where the masses come out and start ripping into the post and opinions. It is amazing how courageous people become when they are behind the computer.
This is the first article I have read by the writer and it was well written, informative, and makes me look forward to my ‘reservation’ on Tuesday to try the tasty sandwich.
You just need to relax, buddy, and quit whatever personal vendetta you have against the writer and calling out the people who support him.
-Matt
Whitney
May 28th, 2010
5:53 pm
It’s really scary that there would be so much anticipation over a fast-food chicken sandwich. Guess that explains why we’re the fattest nation and will only continue to grow.
JRED
May 29th, 2010
10:48 am
Tried the spicy a month ago (yes, I’m on the inside…but not too far up the totem pole) and it is exactly as described. Not spicy upon initial bite, but hits you almost instantly before the second bite. Can’t wait to hear the feedback from everyone next week in the store! It’s great! and “religious” or not, everyone knows what a great place CFA is…both as a guest and employee. (and seeing how they keep OPENING up new stores in the midst of this economy, says something about their character and giving the glory of success to Whom its deserved…bc it’s returned tenfold)
Paul Sanders
May 29th, 2010
7:58 pm
Hey Y’all,
I work at a CFA in North Carolina, and I just wanted to reply with some technical specifications.
1) We use separate milk wash, breading and chicken pans. We use separate gloves for spicy and non-spicy chicken We even use separate fryers, with separate oil. We take our food preparation, cleanliness and recipies very seriously. No fudge room here.
2) Yes, there is a high degree of sodium. All of our nutritional information is available in a pamplet which is just within the reach of the customer. The regular spicy sandwich, like our other sandwiches,are less than 500 calories. He ate the deluxe, which has more because of the extras.
3) CFA is not a cult. There alot of people who are very similar, and often take a bit more of the corporate ideology to heart than necessary. This is true in every company. We are not homogenous, and we do not have a faith requirement for any position. Rather, our focus on character, integrity and stewardship principles weeds out alot of people from the selection process (including those of Christian Faith). We have operators/owners, managers and staff from every walk of life, every faith, and every persuasion. Our policy is to look at the heart and character of a person, their professionalism, their potential, and their skills. That’s it. We have incredibly high standards. For example, our CFA requires that every new applicant submit a written resume with their standard application. If they cannot compose one, or do not have sufficent work/educational experience, they don’t need to be serving customers in the company’s name.
People pay three dollars for more than a delicious sandwich, they pay for the service, which is half the recipe. “The taste of the roast is in the hand of the host”. That’s true in every successful business.
Finally, for those who are of a faith system: Don’t feel like you have to defend anything. I am a Christian but we are who we are, and people who aren’t christians will not be convinced miraculously by an internet posting. Lets not be thin skinned. So the reviewer didn’t like the sandwich. That’s fine. Its just chicken. Let it be.
elnuestros
May 29th, 2010
9:44 pm
Take a powder, Jeff. I think Kessler’s a heckuva lot easier to read than Mark Bittman, but because it’s just my opinion I’m going to resist writing about it at length several times.
Better luck with your next job interview. I know writing gigs are tough to come by these days.
John Kessler
May 30th, 2010
4:26 pm
Hey, Paul – Thanks so much for the very thoughtful response to this contentious conversation. For what it’s worth, all the people I met at the corporate headquarters were incredibly nice. It seems like a fine company to work for.
I’ve tried to stay out of the melee but did want to clarify one thing. I didn’t dislike the sandwich. I thought I made some nice comments about its complex spiciness even though I pointed out the high sodium levels in both the regular and deluxe versions. But even though I shared some impressions, I did try to avoid the whole thumbs up/thumbs down “review” of the sandwich because I so rarely eat fast food. Once in a blue moon I enjoy a grilled chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-a.
Sandy
May 31st, 2010
8:43 am
I was so confused when Chick fil A announced its NEW spicy chicken sandwich since I had been buying it and enjoying it for about a year now. I guess I am in a test area and didn’t even know it. Well either way, it is very yummy. It is the only thing I have gotten in the past 6 months! Had one last week and always dip it in their special Chick fil A sauce
Yum!
The Hall's
May 31st, 2010
5:46 pm
Spicy and tasty but the coating was too thick on the filet. They need to thin the coating before marketing it. My wife did not care for it at all. We eat at Chick-Fil-A 2 or more times a week.
marluvstennis
May 31st, 2010
7:04 pm
Tried it today…very good and I am not a “spicy” fan. The first taste doesn’t hit you as spicy, but as JK said, there is an after-burn. Made my lips sting a bit, but still wanted that next bite!
Moe
May 31st, 2010
7:35 pm
Super salty and the crust was just yucky. This is a ‘never buy again’ item for me.
New Chick-Fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich | First Bite
May 31st, 2010
7:59 pm
[...] I’m not sure whether I’d order the spicy chicken sandwich over the original, but I am looking forward to the spicy chicken breakfast biscuit that AJC Food Critic John Kessler mentioned is in development. Check out his experience at CFA headquarters for a taste of the sandwich here. [...]
Deanna
May 31st, 2010
8:18 pm
Tried mine today and loved it! Not too spicy, just right.
captainedd
May 31st, 2010
8:59 pm
Oh, come on, if you have withdrawals on Sundays, just buy two on Saturday. Problem solved.
Rovert T
June 1st, 2010
1:43 am
I tried it today at the Piedmont and Sydney Marcus location, and yes, I had the appointment. It was not as good as I had hoped. I do not typically like spicy food but do like the Wendy’s Spicy Chicken sandwich. This one is not at good in my opinion. The spices overwhelm the flavor of the chicken and it had way too much breading that made it greasier than an original. I was so hopeful it would be better than the original, but it is not to me.
Lisa
June 1st, 2010
7:46 am
My reservation was yesterday. Those of us who were lucky enough to have one stood in line waving those folded sheets of paper like they were Golden Tickets.
The counter girl offered to ‘upgrade’ my sandwich free of charge (lettuce, tomato and I think pepper jack cheese), so I took the offer.
It was delicious, but I think next time I will just have one plain, with the pickles, to highlight the spicy flavor.
I can’t wait for the spicy chicken biscuit!
Review: Chick-fil-A’s new Spicy Chicken Sandwich | Live To Feast
June 1st, 2010
1:34 pm
[...] others have already stated, like John Kessler and First Bite, figuring out if you are going to like this isn’t really rocket science. Do you [...]
Glenna Jackson
June 1st, 2010
1:40 pm
I have been waiting for Chick-fil-A to start serving a spicy sandwich. Thank you for you Spicy Chick-fil-A sandwich
Bree
June 2nd, 2010
9:13 am
My boyfriend and I tried this sandwich yesterday. We are big Chick Fil A fans…. The sandwich was decent. It wasn’t a favorite of mine, but my boyfriend loved it. However, we have both been sick all night and all morning since we ate it. I would recommend it for people to try, but it is possible that it might make your stomach upset.
Andy
June 2nd, 2010
12:05 pm
Standards of quality? Chick-Fil-A? Which location is that?
The one that’s local for me will do an OK job at first with the sandwich and find a way to mess it up every time.
You’d probably need to get it at mall kiosks and really good dwarf house locations.
It’s probably going to be like Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich but a little bit better. Now they need to figure out how to revamp their “Cool Wraps” and make them hot. It’s pretty much a rolled-up salad now.
LT
June 2nd, 2010
3:29 pm
Had mine last night. Have to say that I don’t think I like it quite as much as Wendy’s spicy chicken. That’s my fav so far. The CFA one was okay, but just lacked something. Maybe I need to add mayo to it like the Wendy’s version has. Hello more fat & calories!
I will give it another shot, however, before writing it off for the original CFA.
Sherry
June 2nd, 2010
3:32 pm
I tried the new spicy chicken sandwich today and found it to be very spicy. It has a real nice bite to it and delivers in flavor. I would recommend it a friend.
Rita Paris
June 2nd, 2010
3:40 pm
I tried the new Spicy Chicken Sandwich last night at Perimeter Mall. It was pretty good. I oredered the cheese and that was way too much spicy. I put mayonaise to tame it down some and enjoyed it.
Still over-priced, unhealthy
June 3rd, 2010
7:18 am
Still over-priced, unhealthy fast food no matter what it tastes like.
*C
June 7th, 2010
2:29 pm
I love this sandwich! I recommend trying it with lettuce, tomoato and cheese. I tried it with provolone, which toned the spice down a little. As far as the “unhealthy fastfood” comments go…sure it’s high in sodium and sure, you can get one for a dollar other places, but Chickfila uses REAL food. Thats why I love it. You know what you’re getting. You can read all the ingredients in the Nutritional Guide. You can run off the calories from Chickfila…but not the chemicals and fillers you get from eating and other fast food restaurants.
Props to Chickfila! Can’t wait to try the new biscuit!
Kim G.
June 10th, 2010
2:03 pm
I live in the DC Metro Area and we have had both spicy sandwiches for what seems like almost a year if not longer. Is the rest of the country just now getting these???
Thor
July 30th, 2010
2:43 pm
Great sandwich! I think the american cheese fits the best with it. It could be a bit spicier, i personally add a splash of Franks Sweet Heat sauce. It gives it that right final touch