Culver’s took a hard look at its chicken sandwich lineup and the competition out there, and decided they could do better.
When head of culinary Kasey McDonald arrived in January, her goal was to launch a sandwich that elevated the flavor, appearance, texture and overall quality of Culver’s previous version. After 40 rounds of testing and tweaks, the new Crispy Chicken, Spicy Crispy Chicken and Grilled Chicken sandwiches made their debut in June across the 1,000-plus locations of the Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin-based chain.
The R&D journey began with the guest
“Culver’s started this project a couple of years ago, asking guests what they would love in a chicken sandwich, what makes it their favorite,” said McDonald. “And we did a ton of research and then partnered with our suppliers to really start working on changing the formula.”
Several guest requests came through loud and clear: They wanted more flavor, crunchier breading, a whole muscle chicken breast and a good breading-to-breast ratio.
“We wanted to be sure the breading didn’t overwhelm the actual chicken, so it was a delicate balance of really driving home the flavor in the breading without covering up that nice, natural, juicy chicken breast that's inside,” said McDonald. “And in the grilled version, we wanted more flavor overall.”
The first step in the upgrade was to pump up the flavors in the marinade and breading. The marinade for the Grilled Chicken Sandwich is now seasoned with onions, garlic, salt and pepper—amped up from plain salt and pepper. And more marinade is used over a longer time to penetrate deep into the chicken, then the filet is seared to order on the flattop to bring out its natural chicken flavor.
For the Crispy Chicken Sandwich, the homestyle breading is fluffier and flavored with a proprietary seasoning. The chicken filet is double battered and breaded before frying for a thick crunch. “You get those layers of texture and crispy, crunchy pockets,” said McDonald. “For the spicy version, we again do that double batter breading but we add a three-pepper blend. You get a hint of sweetness from the peppers, and then it builds on the heat, driving home that dry heat at the end.”
Both the marinade and breading are applied at the supplier level, before the chicken is frozen and shipped to Culver’s locations. “The restaurants just have to slack the filets and they’re ready to cook,” said McDonald. “This makes it easier to execute, as the marinade takes a long time to soak in.”
The previous sandwich used a whole muscle chicken filet, and Culver’s is sourcing the same one from the same supplier. “We actually had three different suppliers in the mix during testing, and we took the chicken to a controlled location to test it twice,” said McDonald. “We had guests test it blind and tell us which they liked best, and they picked our current supplier.”
Tweaks and add-ons along the way
The R&D process takes place at Culver’s midwestern headquarters in Wisconsin, and “there weren’t a lot of spice lovers in the building, so I think we went a little low at first,” said McDonald. “But then we found people who order spicy and want you to deliver on the spice. So we did ramp it up a bit because you can’t call it a Spicy Crispy Chicken sandwich without some kick.”
But the team also wanted to make sure that the spices were not the first thing a guest tasted. “We definitely wanted people to taste chicken first, and then have the spices be a complement. So anything that was too bold, too overpowering, we pretty much ruled out right away,” she added.
The pickles were another component that got a tweak. To boost the texture, Culver’s opted for a refrigerated pickle instead of one that was heat treated as before. The cold pickling process produces a really crisp, crunchy, bright green pickle. “It really helps with the whole texture and freshness of the sandwich,” said McDonald. “You get that pop of dill and vinegar, a hint of garlic, but it stays really nice and crunchy and brings the sandwich home.”
Culver’s original chicken sandwiches didn’t come with a condiment, “but we found during the consumer test, that most guests wanted some kind of sauce, so we added mayo with the lettuce, tomato and pickles,” she said.
The last part of the sandwich build—the bun—also is new. Originally, Culver’s chicken sandwiches came on a Kaiser roll, the same as one of the burgers, but “we found that people really wanted a special bun for the chicken platform,” McDonald said. In the controlled location test, several different buns were tried out, and the brioche bun came out on top. “It’s soft, pillowy and buttery with a hint of sweetness, so it really complements the crispy, crunchy, savory chicken,” she added.
What’s next?
This year, Culver’s was focused on launching its new chicken sandwich platform, but more elevated touches are in the mix for next year. New sauces are one area of exploration, as are different pairings and toppings. Seasonal, pickled and sun-dried vegetables are possibilities. “I think we’ll come up with some really cool builds for the chicken sandwiches,” said McDonald.
She and the team are also involved in development of additional Pub Burgers—a Culver’s signature. “We usually do a few Pub Burger LTOs a year, and we also have a lot of dessert innovation happening, since our custard is a favorite,” she said. “So we're looking at new platforms for the custard, new mix-ins and toppings, and really looking at what flavors people are dying for. We have a very healthy pipeline for next year.”