Fast Food Review: Hot ‘n Spicy McChicken from McDonald’s
The Hot ‘n Spicy McChicken is your standard McChicken, with a peppery breading on the chicken fillet. All the main components are exactly the same… same bun, same shredded lettuce, same overuse of mayonnaise. So does this value menu spicy chicken sandwich standout better than it’s non-spicy brother? I’d have to say yes, but it’s still nothing too special.
Once again, I have to go back to my original gripe with McDonald’s. Why isn’t this spicy version of the McChicken available everywhere? Do people in the south have a special affinity for spicy that the rest of us don’t have? This is something I obviously just can’t get over. Alright, whatever, I get it… McDonald’s is dropping the ball on this one and instead of making a value menu spicy chicken sandwich in every American restaurant, they opt to go nationwide with the sub-par Chipotle Angus Burger and the Mac Snack Wrap… wildly successful offerings? Nope. Spicy McChicken? Automatic big-seller guaranteed. Wow, I really can’t get over it. So how does the Hot ‘n Spicy McChicken taste? Well like I mentioned before, it’s still quite reminiscent of the standard McChicken. Reminiscent being exactly the same… except for the chicken patty breading. No new sauce, no new bun, no cheese, no bacon… really no new anything except for the peppery breading on the chicken patty. Heat scale? For a wimp like me… 6/10.
I’m a firm believer that if your fast food restaurant has a chicken sandwich, you must have a spicy version. The Hot ‘n Spicy McChicken, in my opinion, is better than the regular McChicken. I’ve always found the regular McChicken to be incredibly bland and boring. A sandwich that might work with the addition of nugget sauces, but a stand-alone weak item. The Hot ‘n Spicy McChicken at least wakes up the taste buds a bit.
- Pros: It’s a spicy menu item at McDonald’s. Average to decent heat. Inexpensive. Better than the regular McChicken.
- Cons: Try and find it. Good luck.
Taste: 6.75/10
Value: 8.00/10
Grubbing on the Go: 8.00/10
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GrubGrade: 6.75/10
(Overall GrubGrade is not an average)
Price: $1.00
Nutrition Info – Hot ‘n Spicy McChicken
Calories -450
Total Fat – 26 grams
Saturated Fat – 5 grams
Cholesterol – 45 milligrams
Sodium – 820 milligrams
Carbs – 40 grams
Dietary Fiber – 1 gram
Sugars – 5 grams
Protein – 15 grams
Wow – how come we can’t get one in Michigan either! I didn’t realized these were available in some markets. I usually just splash on Chipotle Tabasco to my McChicken. Actually, I pretty much splash Tabasco on everything I eat…but it adds a nice touch to a chicken sandwich.
1Chipotle Tabasco is one of the 7 food additive wonders of the modern world. That, and El Yucateco Habanero Hot Sauce. I carry around a bottle of El Yucateco (Red) wherever I go in case I can’t find a spicy chicken option on some menu board somewhere.
2I got this in Las Vegas. It is hot. I like it, but I don’t know if I would like it permanently on the menu.
3I’m curious..if you like something, why wouldn’t you want the option available to you every time you go?
4This idiot next to me that was sitting next to his ex-con buddy in Vegas kept ripping the loudest, nastiest, ugliest farts as I was eating. I will forever associate this sandwich with that horrible moment! That’s part of the reason, but another is that I like the regular McChicken and don’t really want to eat a spicy version everyday.
5I’ve only seen these at one location in California somewhere between L.A. and S.F. I think it was either Kettlemen City or Wesley… can’t remember. I remember it being pretty good though.
6These are probably my favorite thing on McDonald’s menu, since they have them permanently out here (Arizona)
7Have not seen this in upstate New York.
8yo its in newyork between buffalo and jamestown its also in and around rochester area i forgot ive had 1 there its my only reason to go to mc donolds
9I’ve seen this thing in Atlanta (or at least that’s where I think I remember seeing it), but I haven’t seen it locally in Alabama or anywhere else. The McChicken I’m used to has been getting spicier and spicier these day though…
But I really wanna try one. A real hot n spicy McChicken.
10Jack in the Box has a spicy chicken, but it’s not a value menu item; it comes with lettuce tomato and onion-mayo on a seseme seed bun.
11About time.
12I live here in Texas,
and I have never seen a $1 chicken sandwich from mcdonalds
that was not the Hot ‘n Spicy! it’s weird.
I’d be down to try a regular Mcchicken.
13the regular mchicken is much better, spicy mchickens got old fast
14No way, regular McChicken is the dullest, blandest chicken sandwhich you’ll find anywhere. Unless that’s your thing. For those of us with refined pallets….no thanks.
15I always get this with extra mayo (here in Texas they really skimp on the mayo). It creates a wonderful cooling feeling to balance the heat of the spicyness (which honestly seems to vary from “barely spicy” to “seriously my tongue is burning spicy”).
16I agree. I like the flavor combination of the heavy mayo and the spicy chicken. I find this to be the spiciest of the fast food chicken sandwiches that I’ve had and to be honest, I could eat it everyday. I guess I’m lucky….they have been a permanant menu item (and dollar menu at that) everywhere I’ve travelled and lived in the country.
17We’ve had it in Washington for a month or two. I tried it out and didn’t really care for it. It’s not that it tasted bad, but I just prefer the original McChicken over this, and that’s coming from somebody who enjoys spicy food.
And where I’m at I have only seen it advertised for $1.29 which is still a good deal in my opinion.
18Am I weird for liking the mayo they use on the McChicken?
19McDonalds must not like the South much either. I haven’t encountered this in either Florida or Georgia. Sucks, I could see this being my go to Dollar Menu item.
20i love this sandwich. but it seems to phase in and out of sale here in tampa. which is REALLY FRUSTRATING. either sell it, or don’t! don’t give me false hopes.
21In Michigan, this used to be called the Cajun McChicken. It’s not available here anymore but it was my favorite!
22These have always in existed in Vegas, I’d always get one whenever I’d go down there. A similar item used to exist permanently on the menu in Washington state about 7 years ago?
It was called the Cajun McChicken, identical looking to the Spicy, but maybe a tad hotter. They were 99 cents and I loved them. In fact it was the only McChicken sandwich on the menu during it’s lifespan and was eventually replaced by the regular McChicken on the cheapo menu.
My guess is the Spicy McChicken’s current geographic spread is based on mild stereotyping by McDonalds who are pushing it out in areas with larger Hispanic populations. As noted by the Arizona commenter and my Vegas observations, it’s always been available in the more latino SW.
The Wiki article on the McChicken leads me to believe it may have been the Cajun everywhere at one time, and the change was around 2000.
23The only thing i ever get from mcdonalds along with small fries. This is permanent on the menu in Louisiana!
24If your local McDonald’s doesn’t carry it, just look for Tyson’s spicy chicken patty. It’s the exact same thing.
25uhhh no, tyson anything is terrible
26This really upsets me. I live in Southeast Texas and I’m planning to move to Maine this coming winter to be with my long time girlfriend and I think I’ll miss the Hot n’ Spicy McChicken more than anything. I’m totally addicted to them. McDonalds needs to spread the joy to the world.
27They have them everywhere in Texas, though one time I went to a McDonalds in College Station and all they had was the regular McChicken. It was absurd! I tried it out and let me tell you, the regular McChicken is GARBAGE compared to the Hot N Spicy!
You yanks are missing out!
28Actually, they don’t offer them anywhere in the D/FW area, unless you know of a place, in which case i’d like to know, haha. The only one that I ever had was at the the Mcdonalds across from the San Antonio Convention Center.
29This is pretty tasty! I like it!
30They offer the Spicy Mc Chicken at every McDonald’s in the Denver area of Colorado. Every menu also lacks the regular Mc Chicken, which I actually didn’t know existed until seeing this article. I don’t go to Mc Donalds super often, maybe 10 times a year, but when I do go I am certain to get the “Hot N Spicy” chicken sandwich as it is only 1 dollar. I limit my visits to when I need something really fast or if I am just really broke. That way the food is actually quite good every time. I can imagine the Spicy Mc Chicken would get old very fast. But to those who live in a city that doesn’t serve it, give it a try when you go west or south!
31I love vegas for having the hot n’ spicy! Best dollar spent!
32I love mc donalds but i dont go to them in california because little to none of them have it!
If they served this at my local McDonald’s, I’d order it in a heartbeat.
33I swear, they must’ve accidently shipped one of these to my local McDonald’s (mind you, I live in Florida, where the existence of this sandwich is futile.), as one time I had the normal McChicken and it was spicier than it normally was.
34We have these in my town in washington
What i always liked was the Spicy Chicken Sandwhich, like the Original Chicken Sandwhich only spicy! It was one of my favs back a few summers ago, i had found it in the South…But then it was gone. They usually only keep items on the menu that sell a lot in that area. Try a Mcdonalds in Germany; much different!
35They are all over in Colorado, pretty much every Mcdonalds has this little delight.
36However, I am stationed in Washington now. And this communist state doesn’t have a single Mcdonalds with Hot n’ Spicy, its an outrage. When I asked for one, when I arrived here, the cashier had this look of stupid on his face. Didn’t even order anything, just left. I hope this sandwich goes worldwide some day.
My wife is pregnant and craving these like crazy. However, I am a soldier stationed in the D.C. area and i can’t find these anywhere, if anyone can fill me in on where the closest place to get one of these i would be greatly appreciative.
37In 2005 my husband and I ate the crap out of these in South Texas. We seriously would get 8 of them (and ask them to add tomato) and gorge ourselves. Then they took them away and I haven’t seen them since. We’ve lived all over the country being a military family and have not had the opportunity to come across them again. Kind of sad, b/c for $1 you couldn’t beat it.
38ugh!Thats why i miss Arizona sooo much they have these everywhere out there. By the way i live in Maryland i’ve visited a couple McDonalds and none of them seem to have them:(!
39Yep. It’s in Texas…Houston to be exact
Not all parts of Texas have it though.
40All of Texas has them. I’m from San Antonio and this is a common choice when going to McDonald’s. I’m in Maryland for a job and I decided I wanted a Hot&Spicy today and the dude on the other end asked me “What’s a Hot&Spicy?” SERIOUSLY?!?! I’m taken away by this lol. I miss Texas and wanna go home haha.
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