Chick-fil-A, the creator of the fried chicken sandwich that so many restaurant chains seem to have copied over the past year, is taking a different route and rolling out a grilled chicken item starting Jan. 25.
The Grilled Spicy Chicken Deluxe Sandwich is the first limited-time entrée that the Atlanta-based quick-service chain has offered since 2019, when it offered a Smokehouse BBQ Bacon Sandwich over the summer.
The new item is made with grilled chicken breast marinated in a spicy seasoning and served on a multigrain brioche bun with Colby-Jack cheese, lettuce and tomato. It comes with a side of Cilantro Lime Sauce, a creamy condiment that the chain developed specifically for the sandwich. It will be available through April 24 while supplies last, starting at $5.39.
“We know guests are looking to add more variety to their meals, especially after a year where new food experiences were limited. The Grilled Spicy Deluxe offers the spicy flavors our guests have come to know and love, now available in a grilled option,” said Leslie Neslage, director of menu and packaging at Chick-fil-A, Inc. “We dedicate an average of 18 to 24 months to testing a new item before adding it to the national menu, and the Grilled Spicy Deluxe received positive feedback when it was previously tested in select markets.”
Those markets were Knoxville, Tenn.; Orlando, Fla.; and St. Louis.
Although this is Chick-fil-A’s first new entrée LTO in more than a year, the chain of more than 2,600 restaurants did roll out various drinks, desserts and sides last year, including a Chicken Tortilla Soup — shredded chicken with navy and black beans in a white creamy base with vegetables and spices, topped with tortilla strips — that was introduced in November and is slated to be on the menu through April.
A Peppermint Chip Milkshake, introduced at the same time and made with soft serve spun with peppermint bark chips and topped with whipped cream and a cherry, is scheduled to be removed on Jan. 23
In September, Chick-fil-A rolled out a new dessert as a permanent addition to the menu: A Chocolate Fudge Brownie with semi-sweet chocolate in the batter as well as fudge chunks baked into the brownie and also introduced a new blend of its Thrive Farmers coffee intended to pair better with the chain’s breakfast menu. It also started testing a Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich — Chicken breast drizzled with honey, topped with pimento cheese and served on a warm toasted bun with mild pickled jalapeño peppers — in upstate South Carolina and the Asheville, N.C. area.
For the summer, Chick-fil-a offered a Mango Passion Tea Lemonade and a peach milkshake.
In May, Chick-fil-A, like many restaurants, started offering meal kits for its guests to prepare at home, something it first attempted in 2018.
The Chicken Parmesan Meal Kit had two seasoned, breaded and pressure-cooked chicken fillets, marinara sauce, Italian-style cheeses, creamy garlic and lemon pasta and cooking instructions.
Before the pandemic started, last January, Chick-fil-A rolled out a new side as a permanent addition to the menu. The Kale Crunch Side is made with k Kale and cabbage tossed in an apple cider and Dijon mustard vinaigrette and topped with salted almonds.
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