Why Chick-fil-A grilled chicken tastes so good (2024)

FAQs

Why Chick-fil-A grilled chicken tastes so good? ›

Chick-fil-A wanted to serve a grilled chicken breast filet that tastes like it came off a backyard grill, but the technology simply didn't exist at the time. So, the Chick-fil-A engineering team invented it. The patented high-tech grill cooks the chicken quickly and keeps it moist by locking in flavour.

Chick-fil-A sources real, whole, boneless breast of chicken with no added fillers, steroids or hormones, so its natural flavor shines. We're committed to serving chicken with No Antibiotics Important to Human Medicine (NAIHM).

Grilled chicken typically provides a nice char, which gives the poultry more flavor and texture compared to baking or sauteing. It's especially nice during the warmer months because you get some fresh air — and the technique prevents the house from being overwhelmed with cooking odors.

✓ Grilled Chicken Sandwich

The grilled chicken sandwich delivers 380 calories, 11g fat, 2g saturated fat, 44g carbohydrates, 28g protein, and 755mg sodium. With a marinated boneless chicken breast, lettuce, and tomato, served on a multigrain bun, this sandwich is the most nutritious menu option overall.

“To maintain supply of the high-quality chicken you expect from us, Chick-fil-A will shift from No Antibiotics Ever to No Antibiotics Important to Human Medicine starting in the Spring of 2024,” the company said in a statement.

Bite-sized pieces of freshly marinated boneless breast of chicken, grilled for a tender and juicy backyard-smoky taste. Available with guest's choice of dipping sauce.

Before the chicken is grilled though, it is seasoned and marinated. But finding the perfect recipe wasn't easy. In fact, it took several years for the Chick-fil-A culinary team to test 1,200-plus seasoning combinations.

Chicken is a healthy food (as long as it's poached, baked or grilled), but that doesn't mean you should eat it every single day. As both dietitians have explained, eating a wide variety of foods is the best way to give your body the nutrients it needs.

A: The science behind BBQ is the combination of heat, smoke, and the Maillard reaction. Heat helps to break down the proteins and fats in the meat, while smoke adds flavor and aroma. The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that creates the delicious flavor and aroma of BBQ.

In fact, reporting from Fast Company found that Chick-fil-a is the only fast food restaurant that grills their chicken in-house. Often, these products go through a machine called a rotary brander which -- as the name implies -- brands cutlets with high heat grill marks before they are frozen and shipped off.

What's the healthiest thing to eat at Chick-fil-A? ›

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

If you want to keep things healthy while ordering at Chick-fil-A, one trick is to “go grilled.” “It's made with a boneless breast of chicken, marinated in a blend of seasonings and grilled for a tender and juicy backyard-grilled taste,” said Mohr.

"The Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese is one of the worst choices on the menu," says Amanda Lane, MS, RD, CDCES, founder of Healthful Lane Nutrition. Remember that a side dish is a complement to a meal, and this one adds an entire 450 calories, 16 grams of saturated fat, and 1,190 milligrams of sodium.

Is Chick-Fil-A healthier than McDonald's? Since “healthy” is a subjective term, picking the healthiest option can be tough. But, in general, since Chick-Fil-A focuses on chicken, which is lower in calories, fat, and cholesterol than beef, we'll give the “healthier” title to Chick-Fil-A over McDonald's.

Does Chick-fil-A use hormones or antibiotics in your chicken? All our chicken is real breast meat with no fillers or added hormones or steroids – in fact, no artificial or added hormones are allowed in the production of any poultry in the United States.

It's hand crafted: Not only is the chicken sandwich made from 100 percent all-natural breast meat, with no fillers or additives, but it's also hand breaded from scratch daily inside the kitchen at each and every one of our restaurants.

But don't just take it from me — this is the (not-so-secret) secret that's fueled the love affair so many people have with Chick-fil-A. It's the pickle brine! Well before being fried to perfection, the chicken breasts are brined with pickle juice for super-juicy, tender meat.

Our Chicken

Chick-fil-A sources 100% real, whole, boneless breast of chicken that has never been ground or separated, and that contains no fillers or added steroids or hormones*.

The chain has long touted the fact that it only uses whole boneless chicken breasts with no added fillers, steroids, or hormones, which Chick-fil-A says helps preserve the natural flavor of the poultry. However, one key part of Chick-fil-A's chicken quality stance is slated to see a major change very soon.