Why don’t more fast food chains utilize the croissant?
I mean, everyone loves croissants. From the buttery, flaky layers to that rich aftertaste and the feeling of international sophistication you get when rolling the “oi” to create what might pass as a French word, croissants are hard to hate on.
There is, it turns out, a lot of good reasons why croissants get shafted in fast food development. They smoosh easily, they’re incompatible with burgers, and their lineage is much more developed in the deli spectrum.
Perhaps that’s what makes Wendy’s new Bacon Maple Chicken Sandwich so intriguing. Not only does it capitalize on the popularity of the sweet and salty fried chicken applications – pairing a maple glaze with Wendy’s homestyle chicken breast and Applewood smoked bacon – but it also uses a “flaky croissant bun” as the anchor.
Forgetting for a second that the artistic representation of Wendy’s croissant bun looks like the emoji for dog poop (SORRY BUT IT’S TRUE), the bun fails to make the sandwich. More like a spongy brioche than a flaky croissant, it lacks the rich croissant aftertaste or light, airy texture. Perhaps most telling, it doesn’t stand out when paired with the heavy ingredients.
And yeah, those other ingredients are heavy. It’s not that Wendy’s homestyle chicken breast is terrible, it’s that its spice blend, extra crispy texture, and saltiness dominate the sandwich. The bacon and swiss cheese are, as they usually are at Wendy’s, on point as individual ingredients, but as a whole sandwich, they come together in a salty, somewhat meaty, and weirdly sweet way that gives new meaning to ambivalence.
Weirdly sweet is, I think, an apt description for the maple glaze. The sweetness is muted, cut by a bit of butter and a dissatisfying bite of apple cider vinegar. What you’re left with is a viscous fluid that doesn’t know if it wants to be a salad dressing, a baste, or drizzle-on-pancake maple syrup. If a sweet and salty sensation is supposed to awaken your taste buds, this is more like hitting the snooze 4 or 5 times before stumbling out of bed.
Ultimately, Wendy’s misses the mark when it comes to the Bacon Maple Chicken Sandwich. Heavy, salty, and without any relief, it’s not so much a guilty pleasure as it is a slightly underwhelming representation of chicken and waffles. And, let’s be real — a fast food croissant “bun” ain’t no waffle.
Purchased Price: $5.69
Size: N/A
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 680 calories, 34 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 125 milligrams of cholesterol, 1450 milligrams of sodium, 57 grams of carbohydrates, 41grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar, and 38 grams of protein.
When we tried it we had it with spicy chicken and no cheese which allowed the other flavors to shine. I agree with you on the bun though
The cross-section of that bun looks absolutely nothing like croissant dough
I tried this sandwich and am in full agreement with your review. I was expecting a croissant along the lines of what BK offers. I also felt the chicken patty could have been thicker. It seemed more like something you would get in the cafeteria in high school.
Change the bun to a ciabatta roll, add a better quality chicken patty.
that’s too bad. It’d looked really good.
Gotta go with the spicy filet. Something about the spice, cuts the heaviness and creates a perfect harmony of flavors.
I tried this last week and not matter how many times I washed my hands, they would not stop smelling like that horrible sauce until the next day.
Starbucks has a better croissant bun. I didn’t like the sauce.
2 bites and I was done! It’s like eating a tablespoon of sugar and salt at the same time!
It was terrible. I’ve always wondered why no other Fast Food chain has attempted to copy, “The Gold Rush” chicken sandwich from Roy Rogers. Now I see why.
Not bad, but smaller than expected. Very sweet. More of a breakfast sandwich.