Burger King's Best Chicken Item Is Also Its Most Expensive

Burgers are only one aspect of the modern drive-thru. Chicken is perhaps the undersung darling of the fast food world, and to separate the wheat from the chaff, we embarked on a comprehensive taste test with poultry as the star. Not including Burger King's secret menu or any creative BK ordering hacks, Tasting Table ranked every chicken-based item on the Burger King menu, and by our count, the most expensive option, the Bacon and Swiss Royal Crispy Chicken sandwich, swept the competition.

BK's Bacon and Swiss Royal Crispy Chicken sandwich comprises a crispy breaded chicken fillet topped with savory sauce, Swiss cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes on a toasted potato bun. Smoky, salty bacon and sharp, tangy, nutty Swiss is a flavor combination that just works. As our reviewer noted, it was a welcome departure from the other mayo-centric chicken sandos on BK's menu. Add on the savory chicken patty and the textural components of the creamy sauce and crunchy veggies, and the sum is greater than its parts. Even the backseat ingredients here are doing some major lifting. The subtle sweetness of the potato bun counterbalances BK's savory Royal Sauce, a luscious moisture component. While the exact recipe remains unreleased, fans speculate that BK's creamy, tangy Royal Sauce includes some combination of mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, vinegar, possibly ketchup or mustard, and various peppery, garlicky spices. All in all, this sammy was the most flavorful offering we sampled in our taste-test — and we're far from alone in our praise.

An Instagram review of the Bacon and Swiss sandwich praises its harmonious interplay of ingredients: "Wow, amazing. The ripe tomatoes, crispy green lettuce, the Swiss cheese, the Royal sauce. You've gotta try this, this is the bomb." Elsewhere online, a Reddit poster shares a photo of their Royal Crispy Bacon and Swiss Chicken Sandwich, and in a happy rarity, the sandwich actually looks as fully-loaded as BK's promotional pictures promise. A Facebook post echoes the sando's fullness, noting that a "decent amount of bacon and Swiss cheese" make for a toothsome array of toppings that are "filling out this potato bun pretty nicely," with the crispy chicken fillet fully stretching from one end of the bun to the other.

If we were going to dock points for anything, it would be the price tag. This economic criticism is also shared by the ultra-basic Original Chicken Sandwich, which costs way too much for what it is. At least with the flavorful, stuffed Bacon and Swiss Royal Crispy Chicken sandwich, shelling out the extra coin feels a bit more justifiable. At a Burger King location in Chicago, the Bacon and Swiss Royal Crispy Chicken sandwich currently runs for $7.09. Bump that price up to $11.69 for a combo with a medium fry and drink. By comparison, the Royal Crispy Chicken costs $5.79, and the Chicken Jr. costs $2.19. According to our taste-tester, other fast food chicken sandwiches like Popeyes and Carl's Jr. offer on-par depth of flavor, often for lower prices. Still, while this sando may not warrant a special trip to BK, it's our favorite chicken-based offering on the chain's menu, and belongs in your order the next time you happen to visit.