A New Chick-Fil-A Sandwich Could Be Coming To Stores

When a sandwich war erupted between two of the most prominent chicken chains in America in 2019, perhaps no one foresaw the changes that would take place across the nation's fast food menus as industry giants like McDonald's, Burger King, and Carl's Jr. joined the fray. But what began with Chick-fil-A and Popeyes going at it for sandwich supremacy has seemingly gone back to its roots as the two unleash competing chicken sandwiches once again.

Earlier this month, Popeyes announced an addition to its menu that comes with the ability to request bacon and cheese as toppings. And now Chick-fil-A is testing a new maple pepper bacon chicken sandwich that contains both bacon and cheese. It will be available starting on Monday, June 12, at select locations in Lexington, Kentucky, and Indianapolis, Indiana. Chick-fil-A has indicated that the possibility for a wider roll-out will be determined by the response it sees in these markets.

This new Maple Pepper Bacon Sandwich uses some crucial elements of Chick-fil-A's previous wartime offerings and a new element or two. The protein is a lemon-herb marinated boneless chicken breast, which is the same kind used in the classic grilled chicken sandwich. This item gets a bit of a kick with the addition of pepper jack cheese, which is commonly used on the Spicy Deluxe chicken sandwich. Slathering maple syrup on a brioche bun, Chick-fil-A combines spice with sweetness. Perhaps the most notable part is the brown sugar pepper bacon, which was a topping on their popular Smokehouse BBQ bacon sandwich from a few years ago. To complete this spicy, savory, and barbecued sandwich, a couple of sweet and spicy pickles are added, which aren't seen on any other menu item.

Its potential competitor is a much more savory variant of the chicken sandwich that also offers a spicy kick. Popeyes made the Blackened chicken sandwich a permanent member of its sandwich family. Notably, customers can choose to top it with Havarti and bacon for an additional fee. This potentially sets the stage for a battle of bacon and chicken sandwiches. But first Chick-fil-A will have to see if its newest weapon backfires or catches fire with customers.