It's one of the most requested burgers of all time, and now after years of anticipation it's finally landed.
McDonald's has finally released a Chicken Big Mac.
The brainboxes over at Maccies' HQ have came up with something that has never been seen before on UK shores, and will no doubt lead to curious customers wanting to try out the new offering.
The limited-edition twist on th classic will be available for six weeks - until March 15, and as a self-confessed lover of fast food, I had to get down fast to avoid disappointment and try one.
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The classic double-beef patties have been switched out for a 100% chicken breast alternative, covered in a crispy coating - but that's the only change made, with all of the usual toppings still provided.
I popped along to my local retail park around lunchtime, to see what all the fuss was about and to decide once and for all if the Chicken Big Mac was a thumbs up, or another ridiculous invention never to see the light of day again.
And while I was there stood facing the golden arches, I thought I would try out a couple of other newly released items on the menu too - including the Double Big Mac and highly-rated mozzarella dippers.
Here's what I made of the new menu.
Chicken Big Mac - £4.09 per burger or £5.59 for a medium meal:
I was a little bit nervous with the prospect of a chicken-based Big Mac - I love chicken and I love Big Macs, but the idea of fusing the two together truly baffled me.
The new burger has been a big hit in Australia with rave reviews down under - so the only thing to do was to try one for myself.
And as with all Big Macs, the first thing you taste is that unbelievable signature sauce, which complements the tender chicken breast so well.
Although there wasn't much sauce on the burger I received, it didn't need a great deal as the juicy chicken was so moist and flavoursome.
Coated with all of the relevant toppings to its beef counterpart, something about the sandwich just works. And it left me full for hours after I'd ate it, which is a complete rarity from a Maccies.
My only complaint was the ridiculous amounts of lettuce that staff at McDonald's love showering their products with, leaving me having to pick a little off so it wasn't a chicken salad.
The question stands though, is it better than its beef-based brother? To which my answer is merely, perhaps.
I could swing either way on this one, so I'll leave the verdict to you.
Double Big Mac - £4.39 per burger or £5.69 for a medium meal:
If I had one word to describe the Double Big Mac, it would simply be 'unnecessary'.
Previously introduced as part of the 2020 Christmas menu, they should have left this one in the past.
Usually, the Big Mac is my go to meal, and I was super excited to hear that they would be releasing a bigger and better take on the classic dish. After trying the Grande Big Mac a couple of years ago - which I loved - I couldn't wait to see how they were going to improve on the restaurant classic.
The sheer amount of beef is completely overpowering - you simply don't get all of the other impeccable tastes that come with the normal version. They are there - the sauce, onions, lettuce, cheese and gherkins - but you just can't taste them due to the potency of the four beef patties.
Another note is that it's so messy to eat. I struggled to get my mouth round it for the first bite, and once that initial gnaw had taken place, the burger pretty much collapsed in on itself.
Many think that bigger amounts to better, but in this instance, Maccy Dee's should have kept to their original recipe.
Mozzarella dippers - £1.89 for 3 or £5.09 per box:
I'll keep it short and sweet with this one. The new McDonald's mozzarella dippers are quite frankly nothing to write home about.
On first appearance, they look fantastic - beautifully coated in a golden brown breadcrumb, and once snapped in half they have that classic stringy texture that you vouch for with this type of cheese.
However, the dippers are completely let down by their taste, or lack of so to speak.
Unfortunately, the batch of dippers I received tasted of apple pie - one would assume that they're fried in the same oil as that used to cook the beloved dessert in.
I know that some love the taste of apple and cheese, and I'm not opposed to apple-wood smoked cheddar myself - but it's simply not what you expect from a classic mozzarella based dish.
This wasn't my first rodeo with the dippers over the years eating at McDonald's, however it's fair to say it may be my last.
McDonald's have released a number of different cheese based snacks on their ever changing menus over the years, and the mozzarella dipper has to be by far my least favourite of all.
They simply cannot keep up with the cheese melts last seen over the festive season, nor the nacho cheese bites before that.
The Verdict:
All in all, the chicken spin on the classic Big Mac is a treat in my opinion - and that's coming from someone whose 'go-to' item on the whole menu is a staple large Big Mac meal.
It's so strange taking those first few bites, expecting the classic meaty flavour of the classic burger, only to be greeted with a chicken nugget like taste in your mouth, accompanied by the usual Big Mac condiments.
The fried meat itself is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, everything you could want and more from a chicken sandwich.
The double big mac is obscene though, and I would steer clear of it and vouch for the original burger given the choice.
The overwhelming amount of beef content in the burger itself completely kills off the taste of the signature sauce and dressing, and you may as well be chewing pure mince.
It's also super sloppy, and I found half of mine on the floor while trying to get a good hold on it - all in all, a solid thumbs down from me.
I'd prefer to wait for the Grande Big Mac to make a return, as with that variation you can still get those fragrant flavours which you expect - they've completely missed the mark on this one.
The mozzarella dippers have never been a favourite of mine, I much prefer the cheddar cheese disks when they come around. The dippers themselves do have a good consistency and element of stringy-ness as expected from any good cheese stick, however, they were a little plain for my liking - and I'm not convinced that a tomato salsa dip would have changed that for me.
But that’s just my opinion - why not go and judge it for yourself, as the Chicken Big Mac is now available in 1,300 UK branches.
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