This Is Hands Down The Best McDonald's Chicken Sandwich

Burgers may be McDonald's claim to fame, but everyone knows the chicken sandwiches are no joke. With about half a dozen options on the menu, how is one to know which to order? Luckily, we made the ultimate ranking of McDonald's chicken sandwiches. This taste test entailed an initial two bites of each sandwich to get first impressions, followed by another couple of bites of each to follow up and see how they compared to one another. Using this methodology, our reviewer worked out that the Spicy McCrispy is the best poultry-based sandwich you can get at McDonald's. The sauce and overall balance of flavors put it over the top.

If you've not had a McCrispy (formerly known as the Crispy Chicken Sandwich), here's what you need to know: It has a totally different vibe than the classic McChicken, which has been around for decades. The McCrispy contains a breast fillet with rib meat. This makes it more of a fried chicken sandwich (unlike the McChicken, which uses a patty). To that effect, it's also got an extra crispy Southern-style coating. The spicy version also comes dripping with Spicy Pepper Sauce, containing both habanero and paprika, which brings more heat than any other McDonald's menu item. It's rounded out with tangy, crispy crinkle cut pickles that expertly cut through the grease and the buttery potato roll bun.

McDonalds added the original McCrispy to the menu in 2022 along with three other variants: Deluxe, Spicy, and Spicy Deluxe. The original McCrispy, which comes with mayo and pickles, is a tasty, classic flavor comparable to Chick-fil-A's fan-favorite sandwich, which Mashed staff calls one of the best fast food chicken sandwiches out there. Still, it's missing a little kick. The Deluxe, topped with lettuce and tomato, just doesn't hit because McDonald's didn't exactly impress with its produce. While the Spicy Deluxe may sound like a well-balanced meal, the handful of watery veggies takes away from the spice.

On social media, some fans have said the spicy sauce is what sets the sandwich apart. "Their spicy chicken sandwiches are fantastic. The sauce they put on it is better than any other place," one person writes on a Reddit thread. "Just the right amount of spiciness for me," a different diner remarked on Facebook. While some Reddit users were haters, suggesting you should go just about anywhere else for a spicy fried chicken sandwich, others felt that you can't beat the quality. As one commenter puts it, "It's the best chicken sandwich they've ever made."