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Wendy's

Spicy Chicken Sandwich

  • Signature

Wendy’s had a spicy chicken sandwich long before chicken sandwiches became a fast-food war, and plenty of people still think it beats the newcomers. The heat is in the breading itself, peppery and building rather than scorching, with lettuce, tomato and mayo to calm it down. A genuine house classic.

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The story

Wendy’s had a spicy chicken sandwich on American menus through the late 1990s, twenty years before Popeyes set off a national argument about who made the best one. It was regional at first, and customer demand is what made it permanent. That head start is why Wendy’s spent the 2019 chicken sandwich war mostly making jokes on social media rather than launching anything: it already had the sandwich, and a breaded fillet with a cayenne-heavy coating, lettuce and mayonnaise has needed almost no changes since.

What’s inside

Make it at home

There is no copycat of the Spicy Chicken Sandwich yet. Until there is, these recipes on the site come closest to it, judged by what goes into the bun.

The Spicy Chicken Sandwich on YouTube

Everyone who has cooked, copied or taste-tested it on camera.

Similar burgers at other chains

Built around the same things as the Spicy Chicken Sandwich.

More from Wendy's

About Wendy's

  • United States
  • Since 1969
  • $

Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy’s in Columbus, Ohio, in November 1969 and named it after his daughter Melinda, whose childhood nickname was Wendy. His big idea was that fast food did not have to mean frozen and flavourless, and his most visible idea was the square patty: the corners stick out past the round bun so you can see the beef, and the company still repeats his line that Wendy’s does not cut corners.

Around 7,000 restaurants, most of them in the United States, and a growing presence in the UK.

The full Wendy's burger menu and story →

Not affiliated with Wendy's. Trademarks belong to their owners.