Review: Wendy's - Jalapeno Fresco Spicy Chicken Sandwich

Wendy's Jalapeno Fresco Spicy Chicken Sandwich features a crispy, spicy chicken breast filet, diced fresh jalapenos, ghost pepper sauce, warm cheese sauce, Colby Pepper Jack cheese, and red onion on a toasted bakery-style red jalapeno bun.

It goes for $4.99 in my area but I received this one courtesy of Wendy's.

Oddly, the main source of heat seemed to come from the diced fresh jalapenos rather than the ghost pepper sauce, which were a refreshing change of pace from the more standard pickled ones at a lot of fast food restaurants. They offered a fresh, crisp bell pepper-like texture and jalapeno flavor (which tends to be washed out in the pickled versions by the tanginess).

The ghost pepper sauce was decently spicy with a tangy creaminess. The creamy quality probably blunts the heat level a bit, as does the warm cheese sauce. When I hear "ghost pepper," I think of people crying, choking and guzzling water, but in Fast Food Land, ghost pepper sauces never get anywhere near that level of heat, and Wendy's doesn't buck the trend.

The Colby Pepper Jack cheese came in a fairly thick slice with a slight bit of heat and a mild creaminess.

With all the creamy heat going on, the red onion stood out by contributing a crisp, onion-y bite.

The spicy chicken breast filet didn't manage to hold onto much of its fried crispiness but offered a nice, meaty flavor and moist texture.

The bun reminded me of a heartier version of a King's Hawaiian roll with just a punch of spicy heat from the peppers.

Overall, Wendy's Jalapeno Fresco Spicy Chicken Sandwich packed a good amount of heat for most people but it's probably barely a blip for those of you who really go for spicy stuff. There's nothing here to make your eyes water, although my nose did start to run near the end (I didn't ever find myself reaching for a drink/milk though). Still, it contains a lot of different spicy components and they work well together.

Nutritional Info - Wendy's Jalapeno Fresco Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Calories - 580 (from Fat - 260)
Fat - 29g (Saturated Fat - 9g)
Sodium - 1390mg
Carbs - 51g (Sugar - 6g)
Protein - 32g