California fast-food favorite dethrones Chick-fil-A in spicy chicken showdown

Coq-fight!

California is at or near the top of a lot of lists lately, but usually for things like being too expensive to survive in, or places that people can’t wait to leave, or places where everything seems like it’s going wrong, all of the time.

Every once in awhile, however, the Golden State is still #1 for good reasons — or even delicious reasons, even if for slightly unexpected reasons, like it was this week, when Jack in the Box turned out to be the hero we all needed.

In a stunning cluck you! to one of America’s trendiest restaurant chains, the San Diego-founded fast foodery — beloved of late night munchie runs statewide — managed to best Chick-fil-A in a feather-flapping new ranking of America’s best fast food spicy chicken sandwiches.

And not just any ranking, but one from the food experts at Tasting Table, who tried and ranked the offerings from nine different popular chains — with Jack’s Spicy Chicken offering going home with the blue ribbon.

Astonishingly, the outlet said the savory sando, made from 100% all white meat, fileted, battered, fried and served up with tomato, lettuce & mayo on a toasted buttered bun, was more comparable to a dish you might find at a proper sit-down restaurant — rather than a quick-service counter joint.

“The portion of chicken was large, tender, and tasty — this savory flavor came through the strongest,” the outlet said of Jack’s Spicy. “The buns were big and fluffy, not dry, and it was stacked high with a team of toppings.”

Tasting Table noted that the sandwich is a tad expensive for a drive-thru bite, but promised it’s worth the cost.

At a Jack in the Box near the California Post’s Los Angeles newsroom, the sandwich was currently selling for $7.69 — and rings in at a reasonable 550 calories.

Chick-fil-A wasn’t far behind with their famed spicy chicken — that one came in second on the list.

The outlet praised the sandwich for its “succulent, tender” chicken, but blasted its buns for being “dry and tasteless.”

“Although the sandwich is probably enough to curb an appetite, I would consider it to be more of a value menu item — except without the low price,” Tasting Table wrote.

Fast food fans seemed excited by the ranking.

“Surprised at the number 1 choice. I might have to check it out,” one wrote on Reddit.

“I’ve been saying Jack has the best spicy chicken sandwich,” another commenter trumpeted.

“The fact that CFA’s spicy chicken is actually a spicy piece of chicken and not a regular chicken sandwich with a spicy mayo/hot sauce on it is why I enjoy it so much. I want the chicken to be marinated in hot spices so every bite has heat to it and I can still add my preferred sauces like bbq.” a third explained.

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KFC, Popeyes, and McDonald’s rounded out the top 5 — with Texas favorite Whataburger, Wendy’s, BurgerKing, and Church’s Texas Chicken also making the list.