McDonald's, A&W and Wendy's — they all have chicken burgers, but only one reigns supreme.
And now that it's well and truly summer, I'm all about the burgers. Anything topped with crispy lettuce, generous heaps of mayo, and a juicy tomato is my platonic ideal of a summer food (and especially when you get to nosh in the sunshine. Pure heaven!).
But finding the right one can be a bit tricky, considering every spot puts its own twist on things. Is it worth the gamble, or do you go for your tried-and-true faves?
I've tried lots of other fast food burgers, and as much as I love patties of all shapes and sizes, my favourite still has to be a good ol' fashioned chicken burger. So I decided to get down to business and scope out the options for the best chicken burgers, so you can spend more time actually enjoying this quintessential summer food and less time trying to find one that tastes just right.
McDonald's
Okay, McDonald's, I see you.
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
I know McDonald's is obviously famous for a lot of things, so I decided to opt for a classic: the McCrispy sandwich (because I love a little heat, I treated myself to the spicy version).
I have to admit, I was very pleasantly surprised. Think of this like the perfect "mass market" chicken burger: meaty and satisfying enough to please almost everyone, without alienating anyone for being too bold or experimental. Just a generous patty, crispy shredded iceberg lettuce, and perfect little blobs of Mac sauce.
But while my taste buds and I thoroughly enjoyed the flavour ride, the bun is another story. After a few minutes (a.k.a in the time it took me to receive my order and make my way to a park bench), it was already beginning to wilt. The structural integrity was just not designed with these generous toppings in mind, though I'll take a less-than-perfect bun over a stingy patty any day.
That said, I have a slight beef to pick with the team at McD's. Why doesn't this burger come with tomato? Perhaps the other toppings were enough to maintain moisture, but I wouldn't be mad about a juicy lil' tomate slipped onto the crispy chicken.
Rating: 8/10
Price: $9.03
Wendy's
Very intense research, this.
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
After McD's great balance of spice, heat, and flavour, my expectations were pretty high for Wendy's Spicy Chicken. Unfortunately, they were short-lived. While it delivered (maybe even overly so) on the heat, it fell flat on the flavour — all sizzle, no steak, as they say. But without that tongue-tingling heat, the burger would've been pretty mediocre.
The patty was generously breaded, but it wasn't really crispy. Instead, it was a bit dry, thin (especially compared to the other two chicken burgers I tried), and somewhat miscellaneous in taste, almost as if it couldn't decide what texture it wanted to be or how it should taste.
The bun, at first so pillowy, collapsed within the first bite, neatly gluing the toppings into a single meaty monolith. This one did come with tomato, though I almost wish it hadn't, as it delivered very little in the moisture department and just served as a better adhesive for the chicken patty, romaine lettuce, and bun.
Rating: 6/10
Price: $9.59
A&W
This one hit the spot.
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
After comparing A&W's chicken fingers to those of other fast food chains, I admittedly did not have high hopes for this burger. But I'm not too big to admit that it took me completely by surprise.
When I think "chicken burger," this is exactly what I'm picturing: crispy, light-as-air breading, juicy chicken patty, ultra-fresh and crunchy lettuce, and a pillowy bun that just won't quit. While it didn't come with tomato, I didn't miss it — the patty was dressed with generous globs of mayo and whole leaves of iceberg that maintained their shape while I mowed down (instead of making a mess all over the place like its shredded counterpart).
But let's be real: the patty is the star of the show, and in this case, it most definitely was. Between all three of these chicken burgers, A&W's was the meatiest, juiciest, and had the most flavour — not because it was doused in sauce, or topped with flavourful additives, but because it was just damn good. Coming in at almost $10, it was the most expensive one I tested, but I didn't mind forking over the extra cash for the extra flavour.
Rating: 9.5/10
Price: $9.93
And there you have it! Nothing fancy, nothing pretentious, just a bunch of classic chicken burgz you can go get the next time a sudden hunger strikes. They're not all created equal, but then again, neither are we. Your taste preferences may be entirely different than mine, and if there's one thing I always endorse, it's doing your own research.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.