Chicken Sandwich Wars: Chick-fil-A Goes Spicy

Chick-fil-A is turning up the heat against rivals KFC and McDonald’s with a new spicy sandwich that debuts nationwide Monday.

The limited-time menu features chicken, marinated in a spicy seasoning and grilled, served on a toasted multigrain brioche bun with Colby Jack cheese, lettuce and tomato -- and paired with a creamy cilantro lime sauce.

Chick-fil-A tested the sandwich three years ago in selected markets; the Atlanta-based chain has roughly 2,600 outlets in the continental US.

"We know guests are looking to add more variety to their meals, especially after a year where new food experiences were limited,” menu director Leslie Neslage said, calling the sandwich "a flavorful twist" and "a bold break " from lunch and dinner stand-bys.

A few weeks ago, KFC introduced a new extra crispy chicken sandwich topped mayo or spicy sauce and pickles on a toasted, buttered brioche bun.

McDonald’s, too, is fighting to win the chicken sandwich war, with three new ones – classic, deluxe, and spicy. They go on the menu Feb. 24.

Mickey D's classic is a crispy chicken breast with crinkle-cut pickles on a toasted, buttered potato roll. A pepper sauce spices up the sandwich, and the deluxe includes shredded lettuce, Roma tomatoes, and mayo.

Popeyes declared war first, in August 2019. Customers went wild for the crispy fried chicken breast, topped with pickles, slathered with either mayo or spicy Cajun sauce and cradled on a brioche bun. The demand was so great that sandwich sold out at many restaurants within a few days and didn't come back for a couple of months.