Chick-Fil-A Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich Review: A New Spin On A Classic Hits All The Right Notes
Unlike other fast food restaurants that regularly remix the menu to keep our attention, Chick-fil-A has made a name for itself by sticking to what it does best, and rarely deviating from it. Given how popular the chain's iconic fried chicken sandwich is, we can't help but think it's made the right choice by keeping it simple. According to a timeline of the company's chicken sandwich, the most notable changes to the sandwich offerings since the original was released in 1964 have only been adding the grilled chicken sandwich to the menu and adding a spicy version of the fried chicken filet, which was introduced back in 2010.
But behind the scenes, the chefs at Chick-fil-A have been tinkering. In the past, the grilled chicken sandwich has been modified to create the Smokehouse BBQ Bacon sandwich and the Grilled Spicy Deluxe sandwich, but this is the very first time that a variation on the original fried chicken sandwich has made it out of the Chick-fil-A test kitchen. Chefs Christy Cook and Stuart Tracy began brainstorming a new sandwich offering all the way back in 2018, developing 20 to 30 concepts before finally settling on and creating the Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich. After years of testing in markets across the country, the new sandwich is finally ready, and we were invited for a first taste prior to its release. Here's everything you need to know about the new Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich from Chick-fil-A.
What's on the new Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich
For the record, the fried chicken filet that you know and love hasn't changed, and it's the same filet you'll find on the new Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich. But there's a bit more to the new sandwich than there is to the original. Instead of just a bun and pickles, the new sandwich has a layer of pickled jalapeños in place of the classic pickles. Next comes the fried chicken filet, which is topped with the new pimento cheese, and finished with a drizzle of honey.
During our sandwich preview, Tracy described Chick-fil-A's new pimento cheese topping as an extra creamy version of the popular Southern spread. It's made with the same ingredients you'd expect to find in pimento cheese: sharp cheddar cheese, cream cheese, pimento peppers, and roasted green chiles — a personal favorite of Tracy's. The pickled jalapeños are on the milder end of the heat spectrum, and pickled just enough to impart a slight bite. Although hot honey is a popular addition to chicken sandwiches these days (along with so many other foods), the honey on this sandwich is your traditional sweet amber honey. It's all served on Chick-fil-A's buttered and lightly toasted white bun.
When and where you'll be able to order the seasonal sandwich
You'll be able to order the new Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich from your local Chick-fil-A starting Monday, August 28. The sandwich will be released in 47 states nationwide and Washington, D.C., as part of the seasonal fall menu. Unfortunately, the sandwich will not be available at restaurant locations in Hawaii, and there are no Chick-fil-A locations in Alaska and Vermont.
The limited-time fall menu will run for approximately 11 weeks into the early part of November and include the new seasonal milkshake, a Caramel Crumble Milkshake. While the special sandwich is set to run for 11 weeks, Chick-fil-A representatives mentioned that availability for the duration of the season will depend on demand, and once the supplies for the special sandwich run out at your local restaurant closer to the end of the season, ingredients may not be restocked. So you've got a little while to snag one of the Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwiches, but once November hits, you might be cutting it a little close depending on how popular it is in your area. Prices will likely vary by location, but the retail price for the sandwich is said to start at $6.75 before taxes.
How to customize your sandwich
There aren't so many ingredients to the new Honey Pepper Pimento Cheese chicken sandwich that it needs much tailoring. But all the same, you've got options to make it suit your tastes. The classic fried chicken filet can be swapped out for the spicy chicken filet if you'd like to take the heat level up a notch, or the grilled chicken filet if you prefer. On the other hand, if you're worried about the sandwich being too spicy, you're welcome to order it without the pickled jalapenos or substitute the classic pickles instead. Both the honey and pimento cheese topping can be dropped, or swapped for another cheese or sauce option. According to Chick-fil-A's menu online, there are also options for gluten-free and multigrain, and unbuttered white buns, as well as deluxe additions like lettuce, bacon, and tomatoes.
At the time of this writing, nutrition information for the new Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich had not yet been released. Once the sandwich is available in stores, the nutrition information will likely be available through the company's website.
The first taste: a comforting upgrade to an established favorite
If there's one thing we can't control ourselves around (let's face it, there's more than just one thing), it's a creamy, cheddary, and slightly spicy pimento cheese. In the same way that some people have very specific requirements for their casseroles, bagels, or tacos, most Southerners have a very specific idea of what flavors and textures they like in their pimento cheese. Chick-fil-A has created a pimento cheese that is neither bland nor controversial to appeal to a wider audience, and manages to comfortably compliment its quintessential fried chicken sandwich. A scoop of pimento cheese on top of a fried chicken sandwich is an authentically Southern move, that we think will entice people who love Chick-fil-A's style of sandwich well beyond its home region.
There's nothing we'd take away from the Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich, but as fans of a little more heat, we'd absolutely consider ordering it with the spicy chicken filet. We might also be so bold as to order it with classic pickles in addition to the pickled jalapeños if you're into an extra-briny compliment to the creamy pimento cheese. Honestly, why stop there? A little pork goes a long way, and we can't help but think that a few slices of bacon might just make all our dreams come true. Dressed up or down, we're fans of this new seasonal offering, and not-so-secretly hope it lasts much longer.