Whataburger Introducing Its Own Spicy Chicken Sandwich

The world is a much different place than it was when we collectively lost our minds over Popeye’s chicken sandwich. In the year since, many fast food chains have attempted to step up and offer their own take on poultry placed between two buns in the hopes of dethroning Popeyes, with none quite generating the same amount of chaotic enthusiasm.

Now, there’s yet another new front in the chicken sandwich wars: Texas.

That’s because Lone Star state fast food staple has entered the fray with its very own spicy chicken sandwich. Comprising a spicy chicken filet alongside lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mayo, this particular entrant into the proverbial chicken sandwich battle would seem to rely on an unnamed blend of spices present in the chicken itself in order to bring the heat.

Courtesy Whataburger

According to My San Antonio, Whataburger (note: NOT Whatachickensandwich) took their time before entering the fowl fray. As company VP of Marketing and Innovation Rich Scheffler puts it, that meant “meticulously crafting” the recipe first, which hopefully means that the taste of the central ingredient is just right.

Despite getting into the ring with other chicken sandwich makers like Popeye’s and Chick-fil-A’s more recent southern-themed pimento cheese option, they’ve also got a new burger in the mix as well. The Hatch Green Chile Bacon Burger. Built around the New Mexico-style hot chile, this burger also incorporates Monterey Jack cheese (as well as American cheese, bacon, and mayo) to bring the heat for those who’d rather stick with beef.

For now, the chicken sandwich is a limited-time offering, though it’s entirely possible that Whataburger will extend its release window if enough Texans go crazy for it. So if you’re planning a road trip through the south and you want to see how a Texas chicken sandwich compares to its Louisiana-style counterpart, get going.