McDonald’s Finally Brought Its Beloved International Sandwich to the U.S.—and I Tried It First

It's only made brief appearances on U.S. menus.

Quick, name this sandwich: two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun. If you guessed a Big Mac, you know your fast food trivia. But what happens when those all-beef patties are replaced with breaded chicken? You get a Chicken Big Mac.

If you’ve never heard of the Chicken Big Mac, don’t worry. It’s been on McDonald’s menus in other countries but has only made brief appearances in select U.S. restaurants. Now, the Chicken Big Mac is coming to a McDonald’s near you—for a limited time.

In August, Chris Kempczinski, the CEO of McDonald’s, conducted a side-by-side taste test of the Big Mac and the Chicken Big Mac, and he loved both. Surprising, right? He shared that one thing he enjoyed about the chicken version was the “crunch that you don’t get with the regular Big Mac,” resulting in a different mouthfeel.

You have to admit, a breaded chicken sandwich slathered in Big Mac sauce does sound tasty—and it is. We tried it before it hit menus nationwide—and now you can try it, too.

McDonald's Brings the Chicken Big Mac Nationwide

After years as a UK fan favorite and a successful U.S. test in Miami, the Chicken Big Mac is finally, officially coming across the pond. McDonald's introduced the Chicken Big Mac in the UK in February 2022, where it sold out in less than two weeks. Then, in late 2022, Mickey D's announced it would bring the chicken sandwich to the U.S. for a limited test.

Now, two years later, the fruits of Miami customers' labor have paid off because the Chicken Big Mac is going national. On Oct. 10, the new take on the iconic Big Mac will hit participating Mickey D's menus across the country.

The Chicken Big Mac is almost identical to its beef counterpart, made with special sauce, lettuce, cheese, and pickles on a sesame seed bun, but the two hamburger patties are replaced with two tempura-battered chicken patties—and there are no onions.

Additionally, it's important to note that the Chicken Big Mac doesn't use the same chicken patties as the McChicken or McCrispy sandwiches. The new Big Mac is made with tempura-battered chicken, similar to the batter used for the McNuggets.

I Tried The Chicken Big Mac First

I tried Mickey D's new Chicken Big Mac at its Chicago headquarters before it officially hit menus. The new chicken sandwich looks almost identical to the classic Big Mac—just with two crispy, fried chicken patties instead of burgers.

I know some people were worried about the tempura-battered chicken being dry, but I can assure you the patties are tender and juicy. Plus, nothing can be dry when it's slathered with Big Mac sauce. The patties are very similar to the Chicken McNuggets in texture and taste, so if you love the nuggets, you're already on track to like the new Big Mac.

The sandwich doesn't have onions like the OG burger, but I don't think you really miss them. You have enough crunch from the lettuce, pickles, and chicken patties, so the only thing you aren't getting is the sharp onion taste. And, hey, if you love McDonald's onions that much, you can always customize your Chicken Big Mac to include them.

I didn't find the Chicken Big Mac as flavorful as the iconic burger, but that might just be because, given the choice between a chicken sandwich and a hamburger, I'll always choose the beef. But if you're a chicken sandwich stan, then you really can't go wrong with the cheese- and special sauce-covered crispy Chicken Big Mac topped with lettuce and pickles on a warm, toasted bun.

As we rush to McDonald's to try the new sandwich, only one question remains. Is the Chicken Big Mac actually a Big Mac? An E.U. court ruled no, but now it's up to you to decide.

Read the original article on All Recipes.