It's worth crossing the street, but it might not thrill you

McDonald's Signature Big Mac got a highly anticipated twist on October 10 when the fast food giant introduced its Chicken Big Mac. The twist on the classic menu items marks the first time the Big Mac has been served with something other than beef in the United States. IIn short, the new Chicken Big Mac menu item has the same familiar toppings and construction as the Big Mac, except the beef has been replaced with two tempura-breaded chicken patties.

The Big Mac first appeared on McDonald's menus in 1968 – about 20 years after the franchise launched. When first released, the burger sold for $0.49. More than half a century later, it continues to be a top seller for the restaurant and one of the main reasons McDonald's sells 75 burgers per second worldwide. McDonald's says that “fans have been clamoring for a Chicken Big Mac,” so the chain has finally delivered.

In its press release, McDonald's asks the question, “Is the Chicken Big Mac a Big Mac?” Whether it is or not, Chowhound would rather ask, “Is it worth it?” To find out, we went at 11 a.m. – straight away breakfast – to our local McDonald's to be one of the first to try it out. Here's everything you need to know about McDonald's new Chicken Big Mac.

Read more: How restaurant steak fools your taste buds

What is the Chicken Big Mac?

Is the Chicken Big Mac a Big Mac or not? Well, I would say yes. When I think of the Big Mac, two things come to mind: the signature middle piece of bread that separates the two patties, and one of fast food's most special sauces: Big Mac sauce. Even if in this version the minced meat patties are swapped for fried chicken patties, this doesn't really change the character of the sandwich. The Chicken Big Mac still has “the same familiar toppings” as the Big Mac, including sauce, shredded lettuce, a single slice of cheese and pickles on a sesame seed bun. (The only change I noticed was that the Chicken Big Mac didn't have the diced onions found on almost every McDonald's burger.) And then, of course, the biggest change is replacing the beef with chicken patties was replaced.

About that chicken: McDonald's says it has developed a new chicken patty specifically for the Chicken Big Mac. Although there are already two chicken patties – the ones used in the McChicken and McCrispy sandwiches – neither would have made sense in this sandwich. Instead, McDonald's took inspiration from its McNuggets and created a tempura-breaded chicken patty. Essentially, Big Mac patties are similar to Jumbo McNuggets. To me this means that McDonald's didn't simply already have the ingredients in stock to make this happen; The Golden Arches put research and development into developing this new menu item.

Why is now the right time for a Chicken Big Mac?

Unlike top rival Burger King, which frequently releases spin-offs of its main menu item, the Whopper, McDonald's has largely left its Big Mac alone (at least in the United States). While McDonald's offers variations of the Big Mac in Europe, Asia and elsewhere, the only large variants found in the United States are the “Mega Mac”, which contains four 1.6-ounce patties and an additional slice of cheese; the Denali Mac, made with two quarter-pound patties, available only in Alaska; and the Little Mac, a single-layer version of the burger.

Burger King, on the other hand, released the Whopper about ten years before the Big Mac. Since then, the Impossible Whopper, the Pizza Burger (only available in Times Square in New York), the spicy Angry Whopper and the sub-variant Angriest Whopper as well as Whopper Jr. have been offered.

But not even the Whopper has received a facelift as dramatic as swapping beef for crispy chicken. So why now? Like Wendy's and Chick-fil-A, McDonald's needs to know that Generation Z is all about chicken. And despite their global appeal, fast food chains must remain relevant to consumers – and more importantly, their taste buds.

Where can you find it and how much does it cost?

The Chicken Big Mac will be available starting October 10th at participating locations nationwide while supplies last. The sandwich can also be ordered via the McDonald's app and McDelivery. One good thing to know: At my location, I noticed that the Chicken Big Mac was no longer available to order after midnight, and it became available as soon as this local restaurant switched from their breakfast menu to the daytime menu (either at 10:30 a.m. or 1:00 p.m.). 11 a.m.). Other than “at participating locations, while supplies last,” a spokesperson for McDonald's Chowhound couldn't say anything else about the shelf life of the sandwich on the menu.

I was pleased to find that the Chicken Big Mac cost exactly the same as the classic Big Mac: $6.19 for the sandwich or $10.49 for a medium meal at my New York City location. The McDonald's spokesperson said prices vary by location. (A large meal at my store cost $11.29.)

Nutritional Information

Whenever you add breading – or in this case, a batter – you're adding a few calories. The Chicken Big Mac has 530 calories (compared to 493 for the classic Big Mac). However, the Chicken Big Mac has less fat, including saturated fat (20 grams and 4.2 grams, respectively) compared to the Big Mac (24 grams and 8.8 grams). It also contains slightly more fiber (3.7 grams versus 3.3), about the same amount of protein (25 grams versus 26), and more carbohydrates (61 grams versus 42). Both sandwiches have the same amount of salt.

A medium-sized meal can contain around 1,020 to 1,290 calories (based on the drink), according to McDonald's estimates, while a large meal has between 1,180 and 1,560 calories total. If you're looking for the healthiest thing at McDonald's, the Chicken Big Mac obviously isn't it. But then again, everyone's diet is different and so I don't want to say it's good or bad for you; Rather, I simply wanted to convey some of the key nutritional information about the sandwich, especially in comparison to its namesake.

Chicken Big Mac Taste Test

Ok, the “boring” stuff is out of the way. How does the Chicken Big Mac taste? Well, I was pretty happy with it. I found the new chicken meatballs in tempura batter to be very crispy and juicy, despite being (relatively) thin. The taste and texture of the patty paired perfectly with everything in the sandwich – special sauce, cheese and pickles included. I also liked that the crispy patties provided an extra dose of crunch that previously only the shredded lettuce offered.

Things I didn't like included the look (simple, it's a very brown sandwich; nothing really “pops”) and it was pretty messy. I'm not sure if it was just the construction of my particular sandwich or if the chicken patties are more slippery than the beef patties, but this was a mess to eat. However, if that's my biggest complaint, then I'd say it's a pretty good sandwich.

When comparing the taste with the McChicken, I found that the new patties were much crispier thanks to the tempura batter, but also that the coating was a little less flavorful. That means if McDonald's had used the McChicken patty with the Big Mac, it may not have also complemented the existing flavor components. And as for the McCrispy, that patty would be way too big to hold two patties. All in all, it's a tasty, filling sandwich that needed the addition of the McNugget-style chicken patties to make its impact.

Is it worth it?

And here we get to the heart of the story: Is the Chicken Big Mac worth it? Yes, of couse. As I said, I found the sandwich tasty and filling – two of the most important aspects of a meal. But does it beat the classic Big Mac? I'm not so sure. We eat with our eyes first, and as mentioned, I don't like the very brown color of the sandwich as much as the Big Mac, whose beef patties stand out between the layers of bread. If you like chicken or chicken sandwiches, definitely give it a try. If you're a McDonald's or Big Mac fan, you should give it a try.

But do I think this is ultimately a game-changer for McDonald's and that the Chicken Big Mac is here to stay? Not necessarily. I could see this becoming a McRib-esque dish that pops up on the menu every now and then to satisfy die-hard fans. If you're craving a chicken sandwich, this is it. However, I don't think it's worth going to McDonald's and ordering if you haven't been there in, say, five years and aren't really keeping up with the chain's business. In short, I would eat the Chicken Big Mac again without a doubt. Even though all I could think after eating was, “It’s been a while since I last had a Big Mac. I have to get that one next.”

Read the original article on Chowhound.