Can new McDonald’s Cajun chicken sandwich match Popeyes? Take a look at the taste test

Is a chicken sandwich just a chicken sandwich?

Not when it comes to McDonald’s and Popeyes.

McDonald’s has a new Bacon Cajun Ranch McCrispy sandwich. The fast-food chain launched two new, limited edition chicken sandwiches. We tried them so you don’t have to. But you really should.

The official McDonald’s take is that it’s “inspired by soul food flavors of the South, with a bold, creamy and spicy Cajun ranch sauce, applewood smoked bacon and crisp crinkle cut pickles, all served on a warm toasted potato roll.”

But we had to give it our own taste test.

MORE: McDonald’s adds new chicken sandwiches, but they won’t stick around. What to know

Is the new spicy chicken sandwich good?

The Bacon Cajun Ranch McCrispy and the Bacon Cajun Ranch Deluxe delivered on a few fronts. One without lettuce and tomato and one with all the things you love about the traditional McDonald’s chicken sandwich, but with a touch of Chick-fil-A texture and added pickle. The sauce is billed as a “bold, creamy and spicy Cajun ranch sauce” and that’s mostly true. It’s like Big Mac special sauce, but with a spicy kick.

We gathered a few chicken sandwich connoisseurs to help with the hard work and research needed to draw an objective conclusion. Turns out, it was a hit.

McDonald’s vs. Popeyes

We compared the Bacon Cajun Ranch McCrispies to the Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich that was all the rage a few years ago. We graded the sandwiches on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) on the basis of flavor, spice and texture.