The grilled chicken sandwich is a dying breed in fast food. That’s a real shame, too — because while grilled chicken, the healthier sibling of fried chicken, doesn’t have the allure of its fried counterpart, a great one can be just as delicious as the best fried chicken sandwiches in the game. I know, I know, that sounds crazy but a few fast food chains are doing grilled chicken the right way — keeping it juicy and tender and full of flavor.
So if you haven’t given grilled chicken a chance, try it, you might surprise yourself how delicious the experience can be. Seriously.
Despite menus nationwide dropping their grilled chicken options (RIP Wendy’s Grilled Sando and Burger King’s Tendergrill sandwich) the ones that are left are mostly pretty damn delicious. To help guide you to the best of the best, we’ve rounded up all the grilled chicken sandwiches still on fast food menus and ranked them from least to most delicious. When we do big fast food rankings we tend to keep it to just one item per restaurant, but since grilled sandwiches tend to be a bit more varied and creative than fried chicken sandwiches, we’ve decided to include multiple variations from the same restaurant if the build is radically different (this also helps us provide a longer list, who doesn’t love options?).
Let’s dive in and get grilled.
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- We Blind Tested Fish Sandwiches From Popeyes, Wendy’s, And Carl’s Jr — Here’s The Undisputed Champion
HONORABLE MENTION: Popeyes Blackened Chicken Sandwich (Chill, we know it’s not grilled, let us explain)
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
I know, I know, I know, it’s not grilled. This is a fried chicken sandwich, but it’s not breaded, so if your whole draw to a grilled chicken sandwich is the slight reduction of carbohydrates, this will satisfy that.
The Blackened Chicken Sandwich is tossed in a blend of black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, salt, a hint of cayenne, and onion powder, and then dropped in a frier until cooked. The result is, unsurprisingly, delicious.
You get that fragrant slightly spicy Popeyes seasoning, without any of the crunch. Since the breast filet here is still fried, you’ll get an interesting texture. It won’t provide an audible crunch, but it scratches that Popeyes craving.
I didn’t want to rank this sando because it seemed unfair, but if I had this would’ve easily dipped into the top 5.
The Bottom Line:
It’s still fried, but it’s not breaded so it lives in this weird halfway point between a fried chicken sandwich and a grilled one. That halfway point happens to taste pretty damn delicious.
Find your nearest Popeyes here.
13. Subway— The Great Garlic
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Have you ever wanted to just chew into a bulb of garlic? No? Then you probably won’t like this sandwich.
I cannot speak enough about how much I find this sandwich absolutely vile. The sandwich features rotisserie chicken (not technically grilled, but not fried so we’re counting it), bacon, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and a creamy roasted garlic aioli. Sounds great right? Well, it’s not. This sandwich has exactly one tasting note: garlic. It tastes so overwhelming that it’s inedible.
Roasting garlic is an art, you want it blistered and slightly caramelized, offering a flavor that has a touch of sweetness, floral and caramelized earthiness, and a noticeable depth. It’s supposed to elevate a dish, not drown it. This garlic aioli Subway serves is extremely bitter — which suggests it’s not roasted, it’s burnt.
The Bottom Line:
It sounds good, but if you order this, ditch that garlic aioli and replace it with one of Subway’s other sauces, like the Baja Chipotle.
Find your nearest Subway here.
12. Subway — Mexicali
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Again, this isn’t grilled chicken, it’s rotisserie (Subway seems to have discontinued grilled chicken in any of their signature sandwiches), and it’s not even tender juicy rotisserie chicken — it’s dry and stringy.
We’ll grade the chicken for you — it gets an “F” and everything else about this sandwich misses the mark as well.
Mexican food, and I’m totally biased here, is the best food on earth. The flavors are rich, complex, and excite the palate as they dance across your tastebuds. The Mexicali has none of that. There is avocado, which is great, but everything else about this sandwich is bland. Lettuce? Why not cilantro? Tomatoes? Okay, but how about jalapeños? Why is this sandwich so lacking in flavor?
The only saving grace is the Baja chipotle sauce, which tastes fine, but… I mean why not just have some sort of salsa? Do you know how many people would order their sandwich with salsa if it was an option?
In short: Subway makes me so f*cking mad.
The Bottom Line:
Run away from Subway, find your nearest taqueria, and order a f*cking torta.
Find your nearest Subway here.
11. Jack in the Box — Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
In the past year, Jack in the Box has made a subtle change to its Grilled Chicken Sandwich. It has removed the mayo and instead replaced it with JiB’s Good Good Sauce. I think this is a massive improvement.
Good Good Sauce is a mix of sweet and savory flavors with a sharp tangy finish, which helps add a bit of life to this sandwich.
Here is what works: The sauce, the sourdough-style bread, which is airy and chewy, the bacon is, well, bacon (hard to mess that up) and… that’s it.
The filet is fine, it’s a bit dry but has a decent flavor. The tomatoes, and the lettuce all leave something to be desired. There is a stunning lack of flavor in the produce that I really think holds this sandwich back.
If you’re looking for an easy tweak to make this sandwich better, order some Frank’s Red Hot on the side.
The Bottom Line:
Respect to JiB for still f*cking with a Grilled Chicken Sandwich and actively trying to improve it. But it’s a few tweaks away from being truly delicious.
Find your nearest Jack in the Box here.
10. Chick-fil-A — Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
If you’re a big Chick-fil-A fan this one is going to feel like it’s ranked very low, and it is, but Chick-fil-A offers much better grilled chicken sandwich and this one is just a bit too bare bones to rank any higher for us. This sandwich features a grilled chicken filet on top of tomatoes, green leaf lettuce, and a toasted multigrain bun. That’s it!
The chicken is delicious, it has a balance between charred flavors with some brightness from lemon and a floral-herbal flavor, it’s some of the best seasoned grilled chicken in all of fast food, but it’s dry like the desert. Yes, you can fix that by choosing your favorite Chick-fil-A sauce and dipping it or smearing it on the top bun, but that’s not how the sandwich comes, so we have to take it and rank it as it is. Ultimately, it tastes too empty to rank any higher.
The Bottom Line:
Delicious chicken, poor construction.
Find your nearest Chick-fil-A here.
9. Carl’s Jr — Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
We’re officially in the category of grilled chicken sandwiches that taste amazing. I don’t have any notes of improvement for Carl’s Jr’s Charbroiled BBQ Chicken, it’s a solid grilled chicken sandwich that is worth ordering if you love BBQ sauce.
Carl’s Jr has some of the best BBQ sauce in the game, it’s tangy, smokey, sweet, and obliterates the dry texture you’re going to get with a charbroiled chicken breast filet. The chicken has a great flavor, I’m tasting salt, black pepper, and that delicious charred flavor, but as a result of the cooking method, it’s a bit dry. Trust me, the BBQ remedies that.
Rounding on the sandwich is tomato and lettuce and while the lettuce is low quality offering more texture than flavor, the tomatoes are deliciously juicy and ripe, bringing brightness to counteract the darker smokey flavors.
The Bottom Line:
If you love BBQ sauce, this is your sandwich!
Find your nearest Carl’s Jr here.
8. Carl’s Jr — Charbroiled Chicken Club
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
It’s the same chicken that’s in the Charbroiled BBQ so it’s good, juicy, charred, and flavorful, and the build here is much better. You’ve got smokey notes from the bacon, a nice infusion of salty and creamy Swiss cheese, and a buttery brioche bun that is soft and easy to chew through. Here is the thing though — instead of BBQ sauce you get mayo, which is fine but… this sandwich would taste better with BBQ.
Why isn’t bacon on the Charbroiled BBQ sandwich? Bacon and BBQ is an unbeatable combination!
While the rule here is to take these sandwiches as they come, I’m going to rank the Charbroiled Chicken Club just a bit higher than the BBQ because I think the addition of bacon and cheese makes this a more satisfying sandwich. But between you and me, switch out that mayo for BBQ.
The Bottom Line:
Bacon, chicken, cheese, what’s not to love? (The mayo, mostly.)
Find your nearest Carl’s Jr here.
7. Panera — Signature Take Chicken Sandwich
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
This sandwich is simple, it features a seared chicken breast filet (not technically grilled but we’re counting it) atop a layer of slightly bitter and earthy greens, parmesan crisps, and a garlic aioli sauce-smeared brioche bun. It’s simple, direct, and delicious.
The chicken is tender with a sort of citrusy zest to it and the parmesan crisps, while not particularly flavorful, add a great textural mouthfeel. The garlic aioli is fragrant and savory and elevates the dish. Subway take note — this is how you make garlic aioli!
By searing the chicken, Panera has managed to offer a nice semi-crispy crust to the meat, giving you a similar texture to fried chicken without the crunch. It’s an all-around winner and definitely worth seeking out if you haven’t given Panera a try.
The Bottom Line:
Simple and delicious, Panera offers one of the best-tasting and newest non-fried chicken sandwiches in the fast food space.
Find your nearest Panera here.
6. Carl’s Jr — Charbroiled Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
I have a bone to pick with Carl’s Jr. This sandwich used to be served on a honey wheat bun and it added a sweet element to the flavor profile that really helped to make this one of my favorite grilled chicken sandwiches, but somewhere over the past two years Carl’s Jr has gotten cheap and dropped the honey wheat bun and replaced it with brioche. It changes the flavor profile, and while it’s still good, I can’t help but miss the old sandwich.
Two things make this sandwich delicious, the Santa Fe Sauce, which tastes like a savory blend of mayo, smokey paprika, earthy curry powder, and a hint of cayenne on the backend to give it a spicy lift, and the mild green chili. More chicken sandwiches need a giant chili in them!
This chili isn’t hot, at all, if you’re looking for spice, look elsewhere, but what it does provide is a nice earthy, vegetal, and smokey top note to the sandwich that makes each bite a true pleasure. There is a delicious medley of natural flavors here, and on top of that you’ve got salty American cheese, and that char-broiled chicken. I rarely say this about any sandwich but: ditch the cheese, you don’t need it.
The Bottom Line:
One of the most interesting and flavorful chicken sandwiches in all of fast food. The green chili here really brings something fresh and interesting to the fast food space.
Find your nearest Carl’s Jr here.
5. Smashburger — Truffle Mushroom Swiss Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
I love a good grilled chicken sandwich as much as the next person, but one thing most chicken sandwiches are not are decadent and savory in the same way a big bacon cheeseburger is. Smashburger’s Truffle Mushroom Swiss Grilled Chicken sandwich is different though, it takes on the challenge of making a decadent and savory chicken sandwich, and it knocks it out of the park.
This sandwich is bursting with rich flavor, thanks to a mix of toasted crimini mushrooms, truffle mayo, and nutty creamy Swiss cheese. A single bite is an explosion of deep umami flavors with a little bit of funk and a rich savoriness that makes the burger more satisfying than its modest size would suggest.
My only gripe with this sandwich is it’s a bit hard to taste the thin grilled chicken filet underneath all the rich mushroom tones. But ultimately, that’s a small complaint.
The Bottom Line:
A grilled chicken sandwich with big and rich flavors. As savory and delicious as your favorite burger.
Find your nearest Smashburger here.
4. Chick-fil-A — Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich With Pepper Jack Cheese
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
The fact that this sandwich exists makes Chick-fil-A’s other grilled chicken sandwich just seem sad by comparison. Joining the tender lemon and herb-marinated chicken are a few strips of smokey bacon, and a layer of cheese (your choice of Colby Jack, American, or Pepper Jack). My suggestion is the pepper jack — it’s creamy, slightly sweet, and adds a small kick of spice to this already delicious medley of flavors.
Like all Chick-fil-A sandwiches, this thing comes sauceless, which is fine. It’s delicious even without sauce, but Chick-fil-A suggests you eat this with some Honey Roasted BBQ and we agree — it strengthens the smokey notes of the bacon and pairs excellently with the citrus-marinated flavor of the meat. I’m going to suggest you try it with Polynesian sauce as well. The Polynesian sauce adds a touch of sweet and sour flavors that help to take your taste buds on a journey, and that’s what good fast food should do.
The Bottom Line:
Hands down, Chick-fil-A’s chicken filet is the best in all of fast food. If you’re looking for the best chicken, this is your sandwich. But if you’d like something a bit more inventive, there are a few more sandwiches we think you should try.
Find your nearest Chick-fil-A here.
3. Panera — Spicy Take Chicken Sandwich
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Grilled chicken is marketed as a healthier fast food option, and smartly so, but Panera’s Spicy Take chicken sandwich looks at that marketing, and goes in the exact opposite direction. Guess what? It works! Featuring a seasoned and seared chicken doused in a spicy buffalo sauce, this sandwich sports a double smearing of garlic aioli and a layer of thin-cut crispy fried pickles. The result is an explosion of flavor that shifts from spicy and sweet, to floral and rich, with an earthy tang and a satisfying crunch.
This sandwich is executed perfectly and, on top of that, you can add bacon and avocado.
The Bottom Line:
A must order, we never thought we’d say this but — get to a Panera as quickly as possible to try this sandwich!
Find your nearest Panera here.
2. The Habit — Grilled Chicken Club
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
The Habit absolutely nails its chicken sandwich. There is an attention to craft here that most of the other sandwiches on this list just can’t match. The chicken is hand-filleted, offering something that isn’t quite as thick as the other filleted breasts on this list, meaning the chicken is juicer and more tender. It’s well-marinated and perfectly seasoned, offering hints of bright lemon and earthy black pepper with each bite.
The idea of a thinner piece of chicken might not sound great to you, I get that, but remember that attention to craft I was talking about? The Habit anticipated the “thin chicken” letdown and added a layer of crispy bacon to the sandwich, which more than makes up for the thinner cut of meat, and on top of all of that, is a layer of freshly cut seasoned avocado, adding a creamy butteriness to this sandwich in both flavor and texture. It is sandwich perfection!
The sandwich has mayo on it too, just to make sure it doesn’t come across as too dry, but it doesn’t need it at all, so if you’re looking to cut calories, look there! Everything in this sandwich is absolutely on point, and then it’s served on some of the best, airy but chewy perfectly toasted sourdough in all of fast food.
Let me make one thing clear — I think The Habit makes mid-tier burgers, so if you share that view and you’re reading this thinking, “This review can’t be for real,” trust me: try the sandwich, it’ll change your mind.
The Bottom Line:
Last year we gave it the top spot in a ranking of 11 chicken sandwiches, this year we have one above it. But make no mistake, this is still a great sandwich and worth a trip to the Habit.
Find your nearest The Habit here.
1. Smashburger — Colorado Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Smashburger’s Colorado Grilled Chicken Sandwich is hands down the best grilled chicken sandwich in all of fast food.
This sandwich is perfect. The breast filet is flattened out a thin, allowing it to get a good char on Smashburger’s grill without drying out. It’s tender, juicy, and full of flavor. The chicken alone is better than most of the competition.
On top of that, you have a layer of pepper jack and cheddar, offering a creamy, nutty, and slightly sharp cheese element to the sandwich. But what sets it apart from everything else is the inclusion of grilled Anaheim chilis.
Anaheim chilis aren’t the spiciest out there, instead what they offer is a very mild heat, a bit of sweetness, some smokiness, and a vegetal tang. What they lack in heat, they make up for in flavor, bringing a lot of depth to this sandwich.
The build is rounded out by crispy lettuce, thin tomatoes, and mayo spread on a toasted chipotle bun. For some extra cash you can add bacon and smashed avocado on to this sandwich to elevate it even further, but try it the way it comes first. You’ll find that it’s perfectly thought out with flavors that all work in harmony.
The Bottom Line:
Our favorite grilled chicken sandwich in all of fast food. A near-perfect blend of flavors.
Find your nearest Smashburger here.
