Chick-fil-A Is Changing Its Original Chicken Sandwich for the First Time Ever

Chick-fil-A’s Original Chicken Sandwich has been beloved since its inception nearly 60 years ago. From the secret recipe down to the buttery, pillowy bun, and two dill pickles, Chick-fil-A has its sandwich down to a science. 

While it has introduced new chicken sandwiches over the years—like the Spicy Deluxe Sandwich and the Maple Pepper Bacon Sandwich—Chick-fil-A has never dared touch the basically perfect Original Chicken Sandwich. Until now.

Chick-fil-A Launching Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich

For the first time ever, Chick-fil-A is switching up the OG by giving customers an “original take on an original.” For a limited time, beginning August 28, Chick-fil-A is selling its brand-new Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich.

As the name suggests, the sandwich will include pimento cheese, honey, and pickled jalapeños, all atop the famous Original Chicken Sandwich.

“We wanted to create a standout sandwich that would deliver a unique spin for our guests, without losing the classic taste of the Original Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich. The Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich uses ingredients and flavors our guests have never experienced at Chick-fil-A before, balancing savory, sweet, and spicy elements using the highest quality ingredients,” said Chick-fil-A chef and the creator behind the new innovation, Stuart Tracy.

The star of this sandwich is truly the custom-made, melty Chick-fil-A pimento cheese that features Cheddar, green chiles, and red pimentos. And, a pro-tip from the Chick-fil-A team, the pimento cheese will be available to order in a cup (similar to its Cheese Sauce), so you can use it for dipping—or maybe even eating with a spoon; we won’t judge.

This new sandwich may look slightly familiar to some Chick-fil-A customers as it was part of a 2020 test in Asheville, North Carolina, and upstate South Carolina. During the test, customers rated it on par with the Original Chicken Sandwich, which made the Chick-fil-A team want to bring it on as a seasonal offering.

Chick-fil-A Launching Caramel Crumble Milkshake

Along with the new sandwich, Chick-fil-A is also introducing a new seasonal fall milkshake, which was tested in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2021. The Caramel Crumble Milkshake (known as the Butterscotch Crumble Milkshake during the test) features butterscotch caramel flavors swirled with Chick-fil-A Icedream and blondie crumbles and is topped with whipped cream and a cherry. Its flavor is meant to mimic the crispy caramelized pieces at the bottom of a blondie pan, giving it slight fall vibes without hitting you over the head with cinnamon and nutmeg flavors—like last year’s fall shake.

Both the Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich and Caramel Crumble Milkshake are set to run through the beginning of December, but will really depend on how long supplies last.

We Tried Chick-fil-A's New Seasonal Items

I received a first taste of the new menu items, and when I heard what they were, I couldn’t stop my mouth from watering.

Considering that this sandwich is five years in the making, I figured it had to be delicious—and I was right. Honey and spicy together are having a moment, but adding pimento cheese truly is a game changer.

Because the jalapeños are pickled, it cuts the heat immensely—so I’d say this sandwich is even milder than Chick-fil-A’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich. But the jalapeños and honey do work together well to compliment the pimento cheese—which is absolutely the star here. The pimento cheese is so tasty, I only wish that there was more of it—which means I’ll probably be ordering that side cup anyway.

Onto dessert, I still think about the Caramel Crumble Milkshake, and I will be first in line on August 28 for another one. It’s just reminiscent of the season enough that I’d feel okay drinking it every day leading up to fall and every day after.

The shake is lightly caramel-flavored, but it gives off more of a butterscotch taste, with the caramel coming from the caramelization of the blondie pieces. Those cookie pieces are an explosion of sweet flavor, but they don’t overpower and make the shake so sweet that you can’t finish it.

Overall, Chick-fil-A’s new fall menu is a slam dunk and one that’s worth trying early so you can enjoy it again and again before it’s too late.