Although Chick-fil-A has long been a staple in the South, our Northern brethren have only recently been exposed to the famed chicken sandwich. The restaurant made its New York City debut in October, opening to long lines and a lot of curiosity.
But this isn't the first time New Yorkers have been whipped into a frenzy over a fried chicken sandwich. In June, celebrity chef David Chang introduced the city to a spicy chicken sandwich at his restaurant, Fuku. Chang, who grew up in suburban Virginia, said that he wanted to "create the next Chick-fil-A."
The inspiration is obvious, but how does Fuku's sandwich, known for its heat, compare to Chick-fil-A's spicy sandwich? Hollis Johnson at Business Insider took both sandwiches for a spin. Here's his experience:
Availability
New Yorkers wanting a Fuku sandwich fix outside of the restaurant’s Wednesday through Sunday lunch hours will be disappointed. Folks may suffer a similar withdrawal with Chick-fil-A, because it's closed on Sundays.
Cost
At $8, Fuku’s sandwich is about $3 more than a Chick-fil-A sandwich.
Bun
Chick-fil-A’s toasted bun is dressed with a few sour pickle slices. Likewise, Fuku’s sandwich includes pickles and a bun with a light spread of mysterious “Fuku butter.”
Breading
Johnson notes that while the breading on Chick-fil-A's chicken is "soft, with a buttery rich flavor," Fuku's is "sturdy and super crispy."
Chicken
Fuku's chicken is "humongous" compared to Chick-fil-A's. However, Fuku's is much thinner and "oddly fatty and tough at times." And while Johnson comments that Fuku's chicken is "fibrous but not dry," he says that Chick-fil-A's is "juicy and dense" with little, if any, fat or gristle.
Heat
Fuku’s sandwich includes habanero, which makes for heat that “isn't unbearable, but it makes its presence known.” Johnson is underwhelmed, to say the least, regarding Chick-fil-A’s heat, or lack thereof. Despite paprika, he feels there’s practically no heat, aside from black pepper in the breading.
So, which spicy chicken sandwich gets top honors?
It’s a tough call for Johnson, but he concludes that Chick-fil-A’s sandwich is more satisfying and the better bang for his buck.
“What it lacks in spice, it makes up for in tender, thick chicken.”
