If you’re trying to eat healthier in 2025 but not that much healthier, Chick-fil-A has you covered.
The fast food chain is known for fried chicken. Heck, they claim to have invented the chicken sandwich — which kind of feels like Al Gore claiming he invented the internet at this point. But alas. Their newest sandwich isn’t fried. It’s grilled.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Chick-fil-A grilled spicy deluxe sandwich. The dish, which is returning for the first time since 2021, features a grilled boneless chicken breast marinated with a blend of peppers served on a toasted multigrain brioche bun with Colby-Jack cheese, lettuce and tomato.
Look at all those healthy words. Grilled! Multigrain! Lettuce! Sounds like Chick-fil-A ditched the drive-thru and went on a diet.
I was skeptical on multiple levels. Every time Chick-fil-A introduces a new sandwich, it pales in comparison to their original fried chicken sandwich. The the honey pepper pimento chicken sandwich that made its debut in 2023 was simply too busy for me to enjoy. While the maple pepper bacon sandwich they trotted out last year was better than I expected. But still, their original spicy chicken sandwich remains undefeated.
Perhaps just as important, no one goes to Chick-fil-A for grilled chicken. It simply isn’t as good their fried chicken, and is the health equivalent of ordering a Caesar salad. It might sound and look healthier, but it isn’t actually healthier. It’s fast food half-measure.
But this is the first major fast food release of 2025! Maybe it would surprise me like the maple pepper bacon sandwich.
Nope. Chick-fil-A is just starting the new year with a grilled bummer.
The first issue was the multigrain bun, which was so dry and crumbly that it was falling apart before I even took the sandwich out of the box. The chicken itself was … fine. About as exciting as grilled chicken gets, which isn’t very exciting. The spice blend is definitely present, but kind of the same way flavors are present in LaCroix. It’s like someone whispered “spice” at the chicken while it was grilling. All jokes aside, there is a slight kick but it’s nothing like the flavor of the original fried spicy chicken sandwich.
I tried the cilantro lime sauce that comes with the sandwich and was underwhelmed — it was more salty than flavorful. Dunking the sandwich in classic Chick-fil-A Sauce (the best fast food condiment known to humankind) almost saved the thing, but not quite. It was still a dud.
If ordering grilled chicken at Chick-fil-a scratches the fast food itch for you without making you feel like a complete hamburger heathen, good for you. I’m not here to judge anyone’s drive-thru habits. I’m just saying if you’re going to Chick-fil-A, you might as well go to Chick-fil-A. Order fried chicken.
Related coverage:
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• I tried the Wendy’s Krabby Patty Kollab meal so you don’t have to. Here’s my review.
• I tried Chick-fil-A’s banana pudding milkshake so you don’t have to. Here’s my review.
• I tried Taco Bell’s cheesy street chalupa so you don’t have to. Here’s my review.
• I tried McDonald’s Kit Kat banana split McFlurry so you don’t have to. Here’s my review.
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Jeremy Schneider may be reached at jschneider@njadvancemedia.com and followed on Twitter at @J_Schneider and on Instagram at @JeremyIsHungryAgain.