Unlike Taco Bell, who is currently dealing with a lawsuit claiming their "meat filling" contains only 36 percent beef, Wendy's newest menu item, the Asiago Ranch Chicken Club, falls under its current advertising slogan, "You know when it's real." Pressure's on, pigtails, don't mess this one up.
The Asiago Ranch Chicken Club sandwich, essentially an enhancement to Wendy's existing chicken sandwiches, is available in three varieties -- Grilled, Homestyle, and Spicy. Each features strips of applewood-smoked bacon, a slice of Asiago cheese, ranch dressing, lettuce, and sliced tomatoes.
Wendy's claims their new Asiago Ranch Chicken Club is the rebel of the "club" (watch out -- dual-meaning cleverness!) and that it's anything but boring. We'll see about that.
The Pros: Overall, I'm a fan of Wendy's chicken breast fillets. They're a good size, tender, and never greasy. The Homestyle sandwich is lightly breaded, as is the Spicy, but with an extra kick (not too much kick, this is Wendy's after all). The Grilled version was my least favorite -- a bit rubbery.
Along with a nice, soft bun, the toppings on the sandwiches are a bonus to the tender chicken. The smoked bacon (the best of any fast-food giant) is solid, the ranch dressing is tangy, and the Asiago cheese is present (but not overpowering) in every bite.
Plus, the three sandwiches are distinctly different from each other in taste (no surprise, the Spicy sandwich was my favorite) and, because of the varying textures and flavors, you can taste each ingredient in every bite.
The Cons: No tomatoes on my sandwiches due to a "freeze in the growing area" (stupid freeze -- always messin' shit up for the tomatoes). I also got a bad batch of my favorite new fries, Wendy's natural-cut fries with sea salt. They were limp and lifeless. Disappointing.
Would Fry Girl Order One Up Again? Yes, the Spicy. At around five bucks and 470-660 calories (depending on the style of chicken), Wendy's Asiago Ranch Chicken Club is a solid new menu item that's worth the green.
What say you, Wendy's chicken chowers? Have you had one of the Asiago Ranch Chicken Club sandwiches? What did you think?
