When it comes to McDonald's, most people have a favourite. But if that's the Chicken Big Mac you may well be sorely disappointed after the fast food giant pulled the burger off the menu once again.
It caused a frenzy on its debut launch last February - leading to it selling out in days - and was just as popular when it returned in March.
As a twist on the classic Big Mac, which has been a staple of the menu for years, the Chicken Big Mac features a triple layered bun, two 100% chicken breast patties in a crispy coating, a slice of cheese, lettuce, pickles, and is finished with McDonald's classic Big Mac sauce.
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Following its disappearance earlier this month, and with households cutting back amid the cost of living crisis, I decided to create my own using products from Iceland.
They had everything I needed to make the meals, with the pack of eight crispy chicken breast steaks the perfect size to make four of the burgers and the pack of frozen buns more than enough to create the triple layer.
The items may not have been exactly the same as McDonald's, but the Hellman's Chunky Burger sauce is pretty similar to what you find on a Big Mac. I'd argue mine were even tastier - especially second time around when I remembered to toast the buns slightly to warm them.
They looked similar to the real deal too, although mine were much taller, which did make them slightly tricky to eat, but we managed it.
Altogether it cost £15.70 - or £3.92 a meal - and that was with the fries and drinks too. And there was stuff left over - some buns, fries, lettuce, cheese and of course gherkins and sauce.
Four of the £7.69 Chicken Big Mac meals would have set me back £30.76, a difference of £15.06 and almost double the price.
They were so easy to make too - and the big bonus was I didn't need to queue, I could leave off the bits my kids didn't want (hello gherkins) and as I was in my own kitchen, there was no chance of getting the 'order' wrong. That's what you call a happy meal.
Shopping list
Chicken breast steaks (8-pack) £3.75
Burger buns (12-pack) £2
Gherkins 670g £1.50
Cheese slices (10-pack) £1
Iceberg lettuce 95p
Hellman's Chunky Burger sauce (250ml) £2
French fries (1.5kg) £2
Diet Coke (2L) £2.50
Total - £15.70
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