We had an argument at my office about this today (because why would I be doing work at my job?). Six of us went around the room and rattled off our favorite chicken sandwiches in NYC. What I learned is that everyone has a very different answer to this. And since I care about this more than I care about most humans, let's talk about my feelings.
I am looking for the same thing most people are in a chicken sandwich. I rate this on meat, crust, bun, seasoning, and toppings. So, without further adieu, I give you my hit list:
Shake Shack - I'm not going to make you wait until the end of the article for my number one pick. Shake Shack is the shit, I'd happily wait in line for an hour for this. You may have to, because it is the king of fast(ish) food fried chicken sandwiches. The meat is thick & juicy, the batter is ultra crunchy and the bun is fresh. The toppings are minimal but just right. You'll get some lettuce, pickles, and tartare sauce.
Fuku - This is hit or miss for me. Yes, you get a comically huge piece of chicken that perfect for instagram purposes. But to be honest it's a little gimicky. It is made with dark meat so the sandwich is fatty which is off putting. The seasoning on the chicken is great from being marinated with habaneros. The simple pickle/ssam sauce topping on a Martin's potato roll are a great accompaniment.
Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken - this place is good because they kill it with the toppings. The one below has sweet caramelized pineapple and tomato. You can pile it high with bacon, cheddar, & ranch. Every month they have new seasonal special toppings. The chicken is generally under seasoned and the breading is never crispy. But the insane amounts of toppings make it so you'd never notice.
Hill Country Chicken - The breading is thick and crunchy. The bun is slightly toasted, which adds stability to the sandwich. The kale slaw and chipotle mayo are a nice addition that set this apart from your run-of-the-mill toppings. They serve four kinds of sandwiches: sour pickles only; with bacon, lettuce, tomato and ranch; spiced with chipotle mayo and kale coleslaw; and with spicy honey, red onion, cheddar, and sour pickles. The one below is my favorite
Picture @eater
Delaney - the batter on this chicken is a departure from the other crusted chicken sandwiches. It is similar to a tempura and very crunch. I like the texture but it can be nauseatingly greasy sometime. This is topped with duke's mayo, pickles, and Crystal hot sauce. Other than the grease, this is a solid sandwich option.
Pies & Thighs - The chicken and the breading on this are thin. However, they have some of the best biscuits in the city. Also the honey butter hot sauce is to die for. You can also get this made with a cutlet, bacon, jack cheese, ranch, avocado, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and onion on a toasted bun. But why would you skip the biscuit?
Cheek's Sandwiches - this is hard to eat but damn it's worth it. The chicken is super juicy and moist. A layer of tangy coleslaw & creamy sawmill gravy top this off. The biscuit falls apart as you are eating. But what's the fun of eating if you can get a little dirty?
