The Chicken Big Mac has been a fan-favorite in Australia, Canada, Ireland and the U.K for years. While Americans have had to order a copycat version off the secret menu in the past, McDonald’s just launched the real thing stateside for a limited time. I, a food editor and fast food connoisseur, braved my local drive-thru to see if the coveted handheld was worth the hype. Read on for my honest taste test.
The Chicken Big Mac Is Available in the U.S. for a Limited Time—Here’s a Food Editor’s Honest Review
Extra signature sauce, please
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Published Oct 16, 2024
Taryn Pire/McDonald’s
What Is the Chicken Big Mac?
This chicken sandwich is piled high with two tempura chicken patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese and pickles on a sesame seed bun. Of course, it’s a Big Mac, so there’s also a third bun in the middle that’s toasted on two sides. The TLDR? It’s a standard Big Mac with chicken patties in place of beef.
Taryn Pire
McDonald’s Chicken Big Mac Review
I’m, admittedly, not a huge fan of the O.G. Big Mac. As much as I enjoy the special sauce, it always feels messy to eat, and the beef patties aren’t made to order like they are for the quarter pounder with cheese (aka the best item on the menu, don’t @ me). But there are pros and cons to this poultry-based Mac alternative that are worth noting before you order one.
On one hand, I feel like the briny pickles and tangy signature sauce shine brighter with the chicken patties (which taste like oversized McNuggets—no issues there) than the beef. It also feels like a more substantial handheld than the original, rather than mostly bread, since the beef patties are pretty thin.
That said, the chicken patties do lose their crispness pretty quickly, which isn’t an issue for the burger. I also feel like the chicken makes for an even messier bite; the components don’t congeal quite as evenly or effectively as with the beef. My final hot take is that the cheese doesn’t offer much to the sandwich, although I’d consider asking for an extra slice to see if that makes its creaminess and flavor more prominent.
Honestly, the Chicken Big Mac is tasty and filling, but nothing to write home about. I’ll stick with my QPC and the trusty McChicken, TYVM.
However, I’d like to see a Filet-O-Fish Mac in my lifetime, ideally with signature sauce on one side and tartar sauce on the other (I have more faith in that breading’s enduring crunch)…but I’ll have to DIY it for now.
