I sat there with anticipation to begin the quest of finding the best chicken nuggets out of the major fast food chains. I watched as the worker set down my order of six nuggets. The smell of juicy, crispy chicken caused my stomach to grumble. With my adrenaline pumping and a burning hunger, I took the first bite of many, determined to find the best fast food chicken nugget.

The guidelines on rating the nuggets were broken down into six basic categories: texture, flavor, crispness, dipping compatibility, and moisture level. Each category was assigned a score out of ten, except the moisture level, which was based solely on description. Each nugget was tasted first without dipping sauce, and then again dipped into ketchup to assess drippage.

McDonald’s

The praised McDonald’s nuggets had arrived. When I opened the box, I got a fresh whiff of deliciousness. They were golden brown on the outside; the boot-shaped chicken nuggets were easy to dip into sauce. As I took a bite, I heard a sharp crunch sound, and the taste of the white chicken hit my taste buds. It was satisfying but lacked flavor. Perhaps my expectations were too high, as I was left wanting more. This was not tender, juicy chicken, and the flavor was bland. As enjoyable as the nuggets were, there wasn’t much to them. That said, when dipped into ketchup, it improved the taste of the nugget considerably.

Wendy’s

The Wendy’s chicken nuggets were delicious. The scent wasn’t as strong as the previous nuggets but was still prominent. When I set them on the tray, the nuggets weren’t too appealing to the eye. As I picked the nugget and took my first bite, I didn’t know what to expect. The seasoning of pepper and spices brought the chicken nuggets to life. While there wasn’t as much crispiness as with McDonald’s, the chicken itself was tender and immediately satisfying. The second bite was as gratifying as the first. When dipped into ketchup, there was little drippage, but some did hit the tray. The sauce complemented the nugget, not by overpowering it, but by adding a new dimension of flavor.

Chick-Fil-A

Although the Chick-fil-A nuggets are small, they were big on flavor. The nuggets are bite-size, which is not the most convenient for experiencing or measuring taste. However, when I bit down on the breaded chicken, I found myself in for a surprise. It was the perfect combination of juicy and crunchy; of sweet and salty. It was a flavor explosion in my mouth, and the texture of the nugget itself was great. It lacked an overall crunch, with uneven breading that was crispy in some places and mushy in others. These small, irregularly=shaped nuggets are difficult to dip into and hold onto the sauce. Even so, there were minimal drips.

Burger King

Next was the king of burgers. But did they make good chicken nuggets? As Burger King does not offer a six-piece deal, I had to settle for eight pieces. Immediately upon delivery, there was a waft of chicken scent, and my stomach started begging for them. When I opened the bag and pulled them out, however, they did not look appetizing. They were dark brown yet crispy-looking. I was dubious about the taste. I took a bite. The chicken was not succulent, and it lacked flavor. There was crispness present, but the breading was burnt over the surface of almost the entire nugget. When dipped into ketchup, these nuggets tasted much better. There were only a few drips of sauce. Relying on the sauce in this way is not ideal, but admittedly it is rare that people eat chicken nuggets plain. Although the nuggets were unappealing, the service was quick, and I had a good time rating them.

Value

Getting six chicken nuggets from a fast food restaurant should be relatively cheap. For McDonald’s, a six-nugget combo costs $3.91, for Wendy’s: $3.61, Chick-fil-A: $3.45, and lastly Burger King at $2.25. Though most prices vary by only a few cents, Burger King was a whole dollar less. If you are conservative with your money and just looking for food, Burger King is a great option, but the other options provide more taste for still affordable prices.

Rankings

Winner

Taking in all of the categories and value, the winner of this experiment was Chick-fil-A! This chicken stood out from the crowd; it tasted like fresh, sit-down restaurant chicken, straight off the stove. There was a sweet and salty taste that I could not get enough of. The experience displayed how much small changes in breading and seasoning impact nuggets. Even though Chick-fil-A came out on top, every restaurant has room to improve and every is entitled to their own opinion. I’m glad to  have the opportunity to share my opinion and had a great time taste testing. What’s your favorite out of these? Vote in the poll below.