Mashed's Exclusive Survey Uncovers The Fast-Food Restaurant With The Best Grilled Chicken

Many fast-food chains have added a grilled chicken option to their menu, likely due to a rise in health-conscious eaters (per Fast-Food Menu Prices). According to Wesley Enhanced Living, grilled chicken is relatively low in fat and calories and has a quicker cook time than the fried variety. Moisture loss is minimal in the cooking process, meaning the chicken remains packed with vitamins and other nutritious aspects.

Certain types of grilled chicken can also be a suitable choice for gluten-free diners. Per Statista, 3.1 million Americans now nix gluten from their meals. Though the number of people enjoying a gluten-free diet without a celiac disease diagnosis is quite high, it's becoming noticeable that some are simply intolerant or sensitive to wheat and grains.

The important question, though, is that of taste. Do any of the grilled chicken options live up to the standard of fried chicken offerings? And if so, what establishment does it the best? To answer at least the latter question, Mashed recently conducted a survey to see what our readers think.

It was a landslide victory for this eatery

Mashed has conducted an exclusive survey of 599 of our readers to find out which fast-food eatery serves the best grilled chicken. In first place with an overwhelming 53.26% of votes, readers say Chick-fil-A is the winner. The second place with the best grilled chicken is KFC with 17.70% of votes.

The least liked grilled chicken is served by Taco Bell, which only received 2.67% of votes. Other contestants were Wendy's with 12.19% of votes, McDonald's with 8.68% of votes, and Subway with 5.51% of votes.

According to the owners of our winning chicken, Chick-fil-A, their current grilled chicken recipe took seven years to create and was released in 2014. To get the right blend of herbs, garlic, lemon, and other seasonings, the team tested more than 1,200 combinations. Over the years, the chicken has been served as nuggets, in wraps, salads, sandwiches, and even breakfast items. If you want to see for yourself why it's the winner, visit a nearby location or create a copycat grilled chicken sandwich at home.