This Meat Is Taking Over Fast Food (And It's Not Beef). Here's What You Should Try

Even as fast food costs continue to increase due to factors like corporate price hikes and elevated minimum wages in some states, consumers still can't shake their love of chicken. Just consider the proliferation of chicken-based fast food chains like Raising Cain's, Popeye's, and Zaxby's over the last few years along with the lasting popularity of old standards like KFC and Chick-fil-A. Fast food chicken is having such a moment that most chains, including some that primarily focus on burgers, are getting in on the action by developing new menu items to tempt consumers. 

With so many new chicken options from your favorite restaurants, it can be hard to keep up. That's why we did some digging to determine which items are worthy of your hard-earned bucks and which are better left untasted. We included reviews of new products from Taco Bell, Subway, McDonald's, and Wendy's then categorized them according to quality, with some truly surprising results. Chicken may be popular and versatile, but our research shows that not all fast food chains get it right. 

Briefly appearing in December of last year and making a much-anticipated return in April, Taco Bell's crispy chicken nuggets have proven to be a success. The process of developing a winning nugget recipe took nearly three years before Taco Bell was satisfied. This research and development time has paid off, as it allowed the chain to create a tempting jalapeño-infused buttermilk marinade combined with crunchy crushed tortilla chip breading.

We reviewed Taco Bell's crispy chicken nuggets and found them to be quite delicious, thanks to the successful infusion of the beloved Tex-Mex flavors synonymous with the chain. This item also comes with three new sauces: Hidden Valley fire ranch, jalapeño honey mustard, and Bell sauce, a creamy condiment featuring garlic, tomatoes, and red chilies. 

Next up on the must-try list is Subway's hot honey chicken sandwich, which appeared on menus in April (though it's only available for a limited time). This new sub is one of two hot honey options. We reviewed both of Subway's new hot honey subs and found the chicken version superior to the chain's pepperoni-based sandwich. As explained by our reviewer, the combination of rotisserie chicken, hot honey, creamy sriracha, and SubKrunch (crunchy, seasoned corn bits) makes for "a sandwich rich in flavors and textures." Subway's hot honey chicken also comes with lettuce, red onions, tomatoes, and Monterey cheddar cheese, encased in the chain's artisan Italian bread. 

Despite the growing popularity of fast food chicken, not all chains get their recipes right. Take McDonald's new McCrispy strips, which have met widespread disappointment since their unveiling in May. Many people have unfavorably compared the new item to the chain's chicken selects, which were discontinued in 2013 to supposedly better address the needs of the restaurant's customers.

While chicken selects were popular with customers, McCrispy strips don't seem to be winning any hearts and minds (or bellies). A YouTube review describes the item as intensely salty, particularly when paired with the new creamy chili dip, while commenters on Reddit found fault with the texture of the strips, describing it as "tough" and "rubbery." One Redditor even likened the item to "gas station chicken strips that have been sitting under the warmer for an hour."

Also on our do-not-try list is Wendy's Cajun crunch chicken sandwich. Debuting in April and only available for a limited time, this sandwich features a spicy filet topped with lettuce, pickles, pepper jack cheese, a spicy mustard sauce, and crispy onions with Cajun seasoning. If you think this combination makes for a spicy good time, think again. A YouTube video from TheReportOfTheWeek found that the sandwich sorely lacks the heat it promises, with the most evident flavor note coming from the pickles. This sentiment is mirrored in a Reddit thread in which users state the new sandwich has a similar heat level as Wendy's classic spicy chicken sandwich.