The Best Chicken Sandwich On Chick-Fil-A's Menu, According To Our Test

If you've got a hankering for a chicken sandwich somewhere in the United States, chances are good that one is just a stone's throw away at your nearest fast food joint. However, if you're hoping to sink your teeth into the best chicken sandwich of the bunch, you'd be best to drive straight past all those golden arches and red-and-white striped bucket signs and make your way to your local Chick-fil-A.

There's no denying that the chicken chain totally nails it when it comes to creating perfectly crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside servings of the bird, whether in nugget, strip, or, most famously, sandwich form. When it comes to the latter, it seems the restaurant's only true competition is with itself. Although we're big fans of Chick-fil-A's original chicken sandwich, there is one other on the menu that we think outranks it: the deluxe chicken sandwich.

While we ranked the nuggets as the number one chicken item on Chick-fil-A's menu, the chain's deluxe chicken sandwich came in at number two, making it the best sandwich offered by the eatery, at least according to our own taste test. As its name suggests, the "deluxe" is pretty much an upgraded version of the OG, topped off with the addition of lettuce and tomato, as well as your choice of a slice of cheese: either yellow American — which is standard — or event colby jack or pepper jack, which can each add some extra bite or spice, respectively. It may cost a little more, but trust us, it's worth it.

Don't get us wrong — the original Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich has virtue in its simplicity. Consisting solely of a fried white meat patty and a smattering of pickles, the sandwich allows for the chicken itself to truly sing. But the deluxe version just takes things up a few notches. For one thing, the addition of the crisp lettuce and juicy tomato supplies the sandwich with a symphony of fresh flavor as well as some well-rounded texture. Though the American cheese may not add much in terms of taste, its creamy mouthfeel plays well with the crunch of the chicken. (That said, we'd still recommend opting for one of the other more exciting cheese slices mentioned above.)

Favoring the deluxe over the original may be considered controversial, but across the internet, you'll find plenty of Chick-fil-A fans that agree. In a Reddit thread concerning this very debate, one commenter said it best: "The deluxe just has more to offer, brings more [flavor] and taste to it" — especially if you finish it off with some of that iconic Chick-fil-A sauce

However, one of the best benefits of ordering the deluxe chicken sandwich has less to do with what's served on it and more to do with how it's served. Unlike the standard sandwich, which is packaged in a sog-inducing foil bag, the deluxe version comes in a cardboard box, which helps keep the bun perfectly fluffy and the ingredients nice and crisp. Consider that a Chick-fil-A hack you didn't know you needed.