1: Chick’n Shack at Shake Shack
This was not even close. Shake Shack's offering had the crackliest crust, the juiciest meat and the best toppings. I especially loved the Martin's potato roll, which is certainly the softest bun around. Instead of a basic mayonnaise, this gets a buttermilk and herb mayonnaise, which lends a tangy freshness to each bite. Shake Shack also understands the importance of pickles, adding extra crunchy thick-cut versions. The catch? Shake Shack doesn't have nearly as many Chicagoland locations as the rest of these competing chains. $6.79 (Nick Kindelsperger/Chicago Tribune)
2: Fried Chicken Sandwich at Popeyes
The chicken in Popeye’s sandwich crunches audibly when you bite in, with all those nooks and crannies on the surface shattering into a thousand delicious pieces. This makes for an exciting contrast to the soft bun. The chicken itself is also juicy and well-seasoned, without tasting wildly over-salted like the fried-chicken sandwiches at McDonald’s. $3.99 (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)
3: Chicken Sandwich at Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A knows what it's doing. The white meat chicken is always tender and juicy, and the bun is always steamed until soft and pillowy. While the pickles are small, the sandwich is blessedly free of mayonnaise and iceberg lettuce. The only real criticism, and it's a big one, is that the crust on the chicken is not very crisp. $4.15 (Nick Kindelsperger/Chicago Tribune)
4: Sandwich Combo at Raising Cane’s
Raising Cane's serves chicken tenders and not a lot else, so the chicken sandwich here is really just a bun with a few tenders tossed on. But guess what? Those tenders are breaded and fried in-house, so they have a crackly crust that shatters as you dig in. Plus, instead of boring mayo, the sandwich gets a liberal drizzle of Cane's sauce, the restaurant's own tangy, spicy concoction. $6.79 (Nick Kindelsperger/Chicago Tribune)
4: Sandwich Combo at Raising Cane’s
Raising Cane's serves chicken tenders and not a lot else, so the chicken sandwich here is really just a bun with a few tenders tossed on. But guess what? Those tenders are breaded and fried in-house, so they have a crackly crust that shatters as you dig in. Plus, instead of boring mayo, the sandwich gets a liberal drizzle of Cane's sauce, the restaurant's own tangy, spicy concoction. $6.79 (Nick Kindelsperger/Chicago Tribune)
5: Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich at Arby’s
Of all the chains that use frozen chicken fillets, Arby's came out on top. That's mostly due to the extra-crispy crust of the chicken. All the other elements worked well too. The soft bun houses the chicken without getting in the way. The lettuce and tomato also didn't taste as if they'd been left in the cooler for a couple weeks. $4.99 (Nick Kindelsperger/Chicago Tribune)
6: Big Chicken Fillet Sandwich at Hardee’s
This solid option also starts with a frozen chicken fillet. Fortunately, it's moist and seasoned with lots of black pepper. Instead of a jumble of chopped lettuce, it's placed on top of a crisp iceberg lettuce leaf. $5.29 (Nick Kindelsperger/Chicago Tribune)
7: Spicy Chicken Sandwich at Wendy’s
Of all the spicy fried chicken sandwiches I tried, none came anywhere near the spice level of Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich. I'd still call this more of a medium heat, but the warm glow helps add some actual excitement to each bite. $5.59 (Nick Kindelsperger/Chicago Tribune)
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