The fast food chicken sandwich wars are heating up, and a new player has officially entered the game. Beloved Dallas-based restaurant chain Chili’s kicked off the start of June by putting its name in the running for best chicken sandwich. Although best known for its fajitas and baby back ribs, the restaurant has now added the new Chili’s Chicken Sandwich to the menu.
The limited-time only sandwich features a hand-battered, hand-breaded fried chicken filet, which is topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and the chain’s very own Chili’s Special Sauce. All of these ingredients are placed on a buttered, toasted brioche bun. Chilli’s said, “you can’t rush hand-breaded perfection, which is why we took the time to get our Chicken Sandwich just right.” The sandwich, however, isn’t here to stay, and will only be available between June 1 and June 30. It is unclear if Chili’s will consider keeping it around for longer if it does well. Making the new dish even better is the fact that My Chili’s Rewards members can order the sandwich as part of the chain’s 3 for $10 menu. The deal allows fans to order a nonalcoholic beverage, appetizer, and entree for just $10.
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“We didn’t want to create just another chicken sandwich. We’re all about food perfection and wanted to create the best chicken sandwich. And that takes time,” Michael Breed, vice president of marketing at Chili’s, said in a statement, according to Fox Business. “We’ve been testing a chicken sandwich and our new Secret Sauce for over a year to ensure we give our Guests the perfect bite — a bite that’s full of flavor and makes you want another bite and another.”
After the chain officially debuted the newest menu item at the beginning of June, fans immediately went crazy for. Commenting on the Instagram post sharing the news, one person wrote, “I will be dining at no other location except chili’s from now on.” Another person added, “this just made my day.” Somebody else who already sunk their teeth into the dish hinted that the sandwich could possibly be putting up some stiff competition, writing, “it was delicious and was the biggest chicken sandwich out there.”
The chicken sandwich war has been a years-long affair that was first sparked in 2019 after Popeyes added its own fried chicken sandwich to the menu. This prompted fellow fast food chains including Chick-fil-A, KFC, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s to add their own chicken sandwiches. In the more than a year since, the restaurants have continued the war. In February, McDonald’s launched its new Crispy Chicken Sandwich, with Taco Bell during that same month entering the game with the Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco. Burger King has also joined the fray, announcing plans to introduce the hand-breaded sandwich they had been testing nationwide.
