I Tried And Ranked Every Chicken Item At McDonald's

My love for McNuggets runs deep, so leading a review of all the chicken items at McDonald's brings me so much nostalgic joy. Ever since the 90s, among the steamy french fries, Disney-themed Happy Meal toys, creamy vanilla milkshakes, questionably safe PlayPlaces, and impossible-to-win Monopoly games, I would happily nibble on my McNuggets. I requested nothing else for years, eschewing all the burgers for yet another box of nuggets.

I would like to say that I've matured, and though I'm now in my late 30s, I still often order the McNuggets. And while I would be content with a celebration of a solo product, there are far more delicious chicken items to try on McDonald's menu. Especially now that the McDonald's Snack Wraps are back, how could I continue shunning a mouthwatering list of ever-evolving options that all have their own merits in the fast food sector?

So, I'm approaching this taste test with an empty stomach and an open-minded curiosity, ready to take on strips, nuggets, wraps, and sandwiches. While grilled chicken is starting to make a minor comeback in select locations with no national release date as of this writing, I've only chosen standard menu items for this review. With 11 total chicken items to try, including breakfast options, we'll see how this die-hard McNuggets fan ranks them all from worst to best.

Among the sweet-and-savory McGriddles and the tried-and-true McChickens, McDonald's Snack Wraps have made a return. All throughout the early 2000s, as a young adult, I would nonstop order Snack Wraps until they were woefully discontinued in 2016. I was ecstatic when they reappeared on the menu but was soon disappointed. Both currently available options for Snack Wraps, the Spicy and Ranch, are the lowest-ranking options and will be judged virtually the same, so bear with me as I make repeat complaints in these next two sections.

While McDonald's Spicy Snack Wrap ranked second place in Chowhound's review of fast food chicken snack wraps, I have some serious issues that demoted it closer to the bottom of this ranking. The flour tortilla is large and heavy, overtaking all the other ingredients as the giant, excessive wrapping paper for a minuscule amount of filling. There was only one small strip of chicken, just a small scattering of limp lettuce, and a little squirt of spicy pepper sauce. And because McDonald's used a low-quality, pre-shredded cheddar, not only did it taste fake and plastic, but I could tell there was a thick layer of anti-caking agents. My husband said it best: If we wanted a wrap, we'd go to a different fast food restaurant like Taco Bell — why go somewhere that sells what they aren't known for and don't do well?

McDonald's Ranch Snack Wrap mimics the same issues as the Spicy Snack Wrap, but just with ranch dressing instead of spicy pepper sauce. This one gets a mildly higher score only because the chicken strip was a little larger, and there was more lettuce and dressing compared to the Spicy Snack Wrap. I also preferred the fresh, herbal taste of ranch dressing in this style of a chicken menu item.

I still hated the huge size of the tortilla wrap and how weirdly thick it was, too. Even though there was more filling in the Ranch Snack Wrap, it still seemed so sparse compared to how much carb-loaded wrapping there was. One chicken strip wasn't enough for a wrap of this size — two strips would have been the ideal amount. And yet again, the cheap shredded cheddar cheese does nothing for the taste and texture. It's bland and tastes closer to soft rubber than a decent cheddar.

McDonald's McCrispy is definitely missing the mark when it comes to a good sandwich. While the McCrispy chicken fillet was as expected — flavorful with a nice crust, but maybe a little overcooked — and the fluffy potato roll was nicely greased and griddled, none of that could outshine how bizarrely dry and pickle-forward the sandwich was. And I'm not the only one with this opinion; the McCrispy was ranked as the worst fast food chicken sandwich by Chowhound, described as "an unremarkable and dry sandwich overall."

With only a dried-out chicken fillet and some flaccid pickle slices, the McCrispy sandwich wasn't that exciting or appetizing. And even though I ate the sandwich soon after purchasing it, the juice from the pickles immediately soaked into all of its surroundings. Wherever pickle juice touched, briny devastation followed. Luckily, the pickles were smaller, so most of the sandwich, other than the middle, kept its texture. But the smell and taste of them were still surprisingly overwhelming.

My husband's favorite fast food item from McDonald's is the Sausage Biscuit, with no egg and no cheese. And through the osmotic power of marriage and sharing many meals together, I've grown to love them, too. With many pleasant past experiences eating Sausage Biscuits, I was looking forward to trying the McChicken variation. Unfortunately, it wasn't as good. This one was dry, dry, dry.

I've eaten plenty of biscuits from McDonald's, and they are usually so soft and buttery. Especially when paired with the sausage patty, the whole sandwich is a savory, succulent masterpiece. The reason why the McChicken Biscuit was so disappointing isn't a mystery — the naturally leaner McChicken patty doesn't provide the necessary greasiness the sausage has. And because the biscuit was not as good as it usually is on this particular day, the sandwich suffered from being excessively dry.

I did save about half of the sandwich to eat later, and it was significantly better when reheated. Using the microwave softened everything, which helped it taste more like the biscuits I know and love. But how often will you have leftovers of one tiny McChicken Biscuit?

The Spicy McCrispy was a small improvement from the classic McCrispy, but not by much to elevate it to a higher ranking. They are virtually the same sandwich, sharing the same strengths as well as flaws. The McCrispy fillet was a meaty piece of chicken with a hearty crunch from the well-seasoned coating, and the potato roll was fresh and soft with a golden-brown crust where it was toasted.

While I still took issue with the flabby pickle situation, the pepper sauce made a huge difference in balancing out the flavors and textures. Here, the spicy sauce made sense and gave the McCrispy sandwich some much-needed character. What could have been yet another dry sandwich was at least improved by the presence of a creamy sauce. And because of the spicy punch, the combo of the crunchy chicken, pickles, and sauce was reminiscent of a Nashville hot chicken recipe.

I think the Deluxe Spicy McCrispy sandwich goes one step too far with the lineup of ingredients. It shares the same components as the Deluxe McCrispy (one McCrispy fillet, shredded lettuce, Roma tomatoes, and a potato roll), but it has a spicy pepper sauce instead of mayonnaise. And that condiment was the main annoying thorn that limited the sandwich's enjoyability.

With the fresh tomatoes and lettuce, the sandwich is already more complicated than the others. The spicy sauce was a pesky redundancy that muddied the once clear waters of a sandwich featuring fresher ingredients. While I like spicy food, it wasn't the right choice for this kind of sandwich. The heat was too overbearing, and it tasted messy and mucky when eaten altogether.

Again, it wasn't the worst choice. There were still tasty components on it that should be commended. The McCrispy fillet was, as promised, crispy with a lot of flavor. The potato roll was also delicious. I'll always love its subtly sweet flavor and soft, rich texture. It's even better when greased and toasted, just like how McDonald's prepared it.

Big and balanced, the McDonald's Deluxe McCrispy has both impressive girth and good flavor without being overwhelming like its spicier counterpart, the Deluxe Spicy McCrispy. The sandwich includes the following standard components: one McCrispy fillet, mayonnaise, shredded iceberg lettuce, and Roma tomato slices on a potato roll.

While the tomatoes weren't the best quality (they were underripe and slightly mealy), I accepted that I wouldn't find heirloom tomatoes picked at seasonal, peak ripeness at a Pittsburgh McDonald's. I still thoroughly enjoyed the refreshing mix of fresh produce and thought they were uplifting accompaniments to the salty, savory chicken.

The toasted potato roll was a massive triumph. Along with the creamy, lightly tangy mayonnaise, it complemented all the other components of this satisfying sandwich. In the case of the Deluxe McCrispy, I think it's far better without the heat, as sometimes an abrasive spicy factor harms food more than it helps.

Golden-brown, moist, and fluffy, the two mini pancakes used in the Chicken McGriddle have perfect little pockets of sweet maple syrup speckled throughout each one. The McChicken patty found itself a happy home right in the middle. One bite of the sandwich reminded me of eating chicken and waffles drizzled with maple syrup. I adored the sweetness combined with the ultra-savory, peppery chicken.

And because the pancakes have such a soft texture, the McGriddle is going to come out on top when competing against the McChicken Biscuit in the breakfast department. A pillowy pancake with syrupy surprises inside will always be a better companion to a leaner, drier piece of chicken patty compared to a single craggy biscuit with no included condiments to provide any moisture.

The McNuggets at McDonald's are the quintessential fast food favorite for kids, but there's absolutely no age restriction and no judgment to order them anytime for anyone at any age. As a true fan for quite a few decades, I know all the fun facts about McDonald's McNuggets. And I also know that after all these years, including the time I did this review, they're still damn delicious.

The thin, crispy crust is gently flavored; the McNuggets don't have strong seasonings or big flecks of black pepper, which is ideal for kids and adults with sensitive palates. The inside contains all white meat, and it's perfectly tender with no mysteriously chewy bits. There is an ease to eating them one after the other, and I could just as easily have inhaled a 20-piece order as I did my four-piece order. With or without sauce, McNuggets are here to stay close to the top of the list.

As the more mature evolutionary level of McNuggets (think Charizard compared to Charmander), the McCrispy Strips are big, hearty, and incredibly satisfying. Four strips provided a meaty, generous feast I was not expecting once I opened the box. Without any bread, veggies, or spreads in the ensemble, the chicken all on its own confidently takes center stage as the prima donna of poultry products.

You can really taste the flavorful breading and experience its great textural crunch. To guarantee the crispiest pieces of chicken possible, you can specify "cooked to order" when placing your McCrispy Strips order, but I was feeling lucky and didn't include that instruction. While I cannot attest to anyone else's orders, I was incredibly happy with the results.

I was worried that the all white chicken breast would be dry underneath the crunchy exterior. But the big, moist pieces of chicken breast were perfect. Though they certainly don't need any accompaniments, any of the McDonald's Nugget sauces would be a fun addition to this otherwise successful one-man band.

There's nothing to hate and everything to love about the McChicken. With shredded lettuce, mayonnaise, a McChicken patty, and a classic hamburger bun, it's a proudly simple and straightforward sandwich. It's a classic that never fails. Each component serves a useful purpose; nothing seems excessive that you would want to eliminate, and there's nothing missing that you would want to include. The McChicken is just right.

The McChicken patty, compared to the McCrispy fillet, has that nostalgic taste of school lunch chicken patties. It's so incredibly moist and tender and doesn't run as great a risk as the McCrispy fillet does of becoming dry or overcooked. And for this particular sandwich, I love the little bites of black pepper scattered throughout the breading, which adds a subtle level of complexity without overpowering the whole eating experience. The McChicken is akin to ordering a classic hamburger — sometimes, you don't want a messy, teetering stack of ingredients from a complicated, multi-component order. Simplicity will do just fine, and it's what earned the McChicken its top spot.

For this review, I relied on my own experience as a multi-decade McDonald's customer to supplement my research. I also enlisted the help of my husband, a fellow seasoned McDonald's customer who also has years of professional experience in the food industry. His discerning palate, not to mention his enthusiasm for free fast food, was of great use as we discussed our thoughts on each item. We judged each item based mainly on taste and texture, but also considered proportions of the ingredients. For the sandwiches, we noted the different preparations between the McCrispy fillet and the McChicken patty.

I had to divide the time of my testing between the breakfast and lunch/dinner menus in order to try everything hot and fresh. I did not order substitutions or customizations on any items, and I ordered each one exactly as is described on the menu. For any nuggets and strips, I did not use any sauces for dipping and only tasted them on their own.