The Caesar Salad is a classic that returns to prominence every 20 years or so. The dish was invented by Italian migrants (Alex and Caesar Cardini) in Tijuana, Mexico as a tableside preparation in the early 1920s and came to fame in the late-20s and early 30s in Los Angeles amongst the Hollywood elite. It eventually became a mainstay of 1950s dinner parties, popping back up in the 70s/80s and enjoying an early aughts recalibration (remember the Spicy Caesar!?).
Well, it’s been about another 20 years and it’s high time the Caesar salad made one more roaring comeback.
As with any “famous” dish, there are a lot of variations and a lot of disappointing ones, at that. The thing is, the Caesar salad isn’t exactly simple. It’s not hard, but it does take a little doing. The dressing is an emulsification of egg yolk, lemon, mustard, anchovy, garlic, olive oil, parmesan cheese, and Worcestershire, plus a little salt and pepper.
That leaves a lot of space for a lot of corners to be cut. I’ve seen people use Salad Creme with parmesan in it and call it “Caesar Salad Dressing.” Seriously, people really take liberties with this one.
Also, you have to have a little skill in whisking the egg and oil — similar to making your own mayonnaise. But that’s what is kind of great about learning this recipe. If you can master this, then mastering your own aioli or mayo is the next step in your skillset. We’re also going to make some nice croutons today, another easy skill we all should have.
I can’t over-emphasize: If you buy shit ingredients, your food will taste shitty. Buy good eggs, quality anchovy filets, nice olive oil for eating not cooking, a serious wedge of parm, and so forth. The better your base ingredients, the better your end product.
Zach Johnston
For the croutons:
Day-old baguette
Two garlic cloves
Handful fresh parsley
Handful fresh basil
1/4 cup good olive oil
Sea salt
Zach Johnston
What You’ll Need:
Large salad mixing bowl
Small mixing bowl
Whisk
Cutting board
Kitchen knife
Garlic crusher
Measuring cup with a spout
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Method:
Zach Johnston
For the croutons:
Pre-heat an oven to 350F/175C.
Crush the garlic.
Finely chop the parsley and basil.
Cut about 1/2 of a day-old baguette into one-inch cubes.
Add the bread cubes, herbs, oil, and garlic to a large mixing bowl.
Toss to coat all the bread cubes.
Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Liberally sprinkle with sea salt. (I also like to hit the bread cubes with another drizzle of olive oil).
Place in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until toasted and dry, making sure to flip after ten minutes for an even toast.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool on the baking sheet.
Quick tip: Use your senses. You’ll smell when the croutons are ready. Your kitchen should fill the smell of toasty garlic bread.
Zach Johnston
For the Caesar Salad dressing:
On a cutting board, mince the anchovy filets until as small as possible.
Crush the garlic over the anchovies, add a large pinch of salt, and start smashing the garlic and anchovy together with the broadside of the kitchen knife until a paste forms (alternatively use a mortar and pestle).
Add the egg yolk, mustard, and lemon juice to a small mixing bowl. Whisk until fully emulsified and just starting to froth.
Using a small measuring cup with a spout, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the yolk mix while continuously whisking. Don’t stop whisking until the yolk mixture and oil are fully emulsified creating something similar to a thin mayo.
Add anchovy/garlic paste, parmesan, a large pinch of white pepper, and fish sauce to the dressing and whisk until fully incorporated.
Zach Johnston
Put everything together:
Roughly chop two romaine lettuce heads. Place in a large salad mixing bowl.
Drizzle the dressing over the lettuce and add a handful of croutons. Toss until everything is fully coated.
Plate the salad and top with freshly sliced parmesan and more croutons.
Serve immediately.
Bottom Line:
Zach Johnston
This makes enough for two, meal-sized Caesar Salads (perfect for two lunches or date night). I actually don’t really care for a protein on my Caesar as it gets to be a bit much. But throw a chicken breast, salmon filet, or grilled prawns on if you want. Still, this is a big enough meal that you really don’t need it.
As for the salad, “bright” is the word that comes to mind. It’s so light, full of serious umami, sharp garlic, tart lemon, and velvet vibes that it’s hard not to love. I demolished this plate. The extra cheese slices (I used leftover pecorino in the end) with the crunch of the croutons are the perfect counterpoint to all that tang, umami, and velvetiness.
If you already have some croutons, this really isn’t that labor-intensive either. It took maybe ten minutes from start to finish to make the actual salad. That’s a very worthwhile ten minutes for something this tasty.
Right now, the biggest names in modern footwear are not the athletes that the sneakers are designed for. Don’t get us wrong, Jordan is still the biggest name in footwear, and considering how fire a fresh pair of Jordans still looks to this day, we don’t imagine another name is going to surpass it anytime soon. But big names are coming close, and none of them are known for their skills on a court — you’ve got people like Kanye West, who has now realized his dream of making a pivot from the hottest rapper in the game to the hottest sneaker and streetwear designer with his Yeezy Brand, Pharrel Williams, who has been toiling away at Adidas for a minute now with his Hu line, J Cole who seems to be constantly pumping out Pumas, and Beyonce who seems to be making tremendous leaps with each drop of her Ivy Park line.
The most exciting sneakers to drop right now are coming from hip-hop and no name is more exciting than La Flame — yes, we’re talking about Mr. Cactus Jack himself, Travis Scott. Together in partnership with Helmut Lang, Nike, and Jordan Brand, Scott has been dropping some of the most hyped sneaker releases of our modern era of streetwear, offering remixed designs of the aforementioned brand’s most popular silhouettes draped in Scott’s signature aesthetic and vibe.
Over the last three years, Scott has dropped 14 sneakers and today we’re here to rank every single one of them from worst to best. Let’s dive in.
14. Travis Scott Jordan XXXIII Army Olive
GOAT
Amongst fans of Scott’s sneaker collaborations, these are absolutely hated. Some people feel that hate is overkill, arguing that these are slept on but they still deserve their spot at the bottom of this list. It’s not simply that they’re bad — this army olive mesh upper and brown suede heel panel is a pretty solid design for the XXXIIIs — but it’s just so boring in comparison to everything else Scott has done with Nike.
It feels mean to place any Scott shoe dead last, but it’s hard to argue that this is better than any of the other shoes on this list.
Find the Travis Scott Jordan XXXIII Army Olive at GOAT.
13. Travis Scott x Playstation Nike Dunk Low
Nike
Originally, we ranked this one last. It’s a the threeway collaboration which coincided with the release of the Playstation 5, whuch just felt like tacky branded overkill. But the more we look at the design, which is actually kind of dope and borrows from the OG Playstation’s look for its colorway, the more it grows on us. We really don’t like the Sony branding on the heel (Playstation logo can stay) but we can’t sit here and pretend that the Jordan XXXIII is somehow better than this sail and light blue upper, with its charcoal grey reverse swoosh and embroidered branding.
Find the Travis Scott x Playstation Nike Dunk Low at StockX.
12. Travis Scott x Helmut Lang Low Top
END
Before Travis Scott started lending his aesthetic to classic Nike and Jordan silhouettes, he linked up with Italian designer Helmut Lang for a sleek all-black high-top and low-top sneaker. Featuring a nylon upper with leather and velcro straps across the heel and upper, the Travis Scott x Helmut Lang was made in Italy and features graphic bull imagery on the tongue and Helmut Lang branding on the heel tab.
It’s… okay, definitely a step up from the XXXIII and Playstation Dunk.
The Travis Scott x Helmut Lang Low Top is currently unavailable on the aftermarket.
11. Travis Scott Nike Air Max 270 React Cactus Trails
GOAT
You’ll notice that Scott has a definite preference for Nike’s more retro silhouettes, so the Air Max 270 Cactus Trails is unique in that this is one of the most futuristic-looking Cactus Jack sneakers released yet, thanks to the aerodynamic design of the 270. It’s ironic that it’s also the most aged, with a yellowed midsole and a messy mix of textile, nubuck, and TPU Overlays over a dirty cream colorway.
It really earns its moniker “Cactus Trails,” this is a grimy, dusty mess of a design.
Find the Travis Scott Nike Air Max 270 React Cactus Trails at GOAT.
10. Travis Scott Nike Air Force 1 Low White
StockX
Travis Scott’s long and fruitful collaboration with Nike begins with this take on the Air Force 1. Released in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the silhouette, this white canvas take on the AF-1 dropped at ComplexCon 2017 and featured interchangeable removable swooshes that were meant to evoke Scott’s trademark grill. The laces have a Cactus Jack logo covering them and the whole thing sits atop a contrasting gum sole.
It looks so different than the designs that would come to define Scott’s work with Nike.
Find the Travis Scott Nike Air Force 1 Low White at StockX.
9. Travis Scott x Helmut Lang High Top
END
The High Top version of Scott’s Helmut Lang sneaker is a massive improvement over the low. Featuring the same nylon upper with leather paneling and straps, the Helmut Lang high tops are super sleek, militaristic, and represent a Travis Scott era that feels like a distant memory. Not much to say about these that we haven’t said already with the low tops, this is just all-around a better design.
The Travis Scott x Helmut Lang High Top is currently unavailable on the aftermarket.
8. Travis Scott Nike Air Force 1 Low Cactus Jack
GOAT
The Cactus Jack Air Force 1 has always had a Sean Wotherspoon vibe to us. We know what you’re thinking, “WHY BECAUSE IT HAS CORDUROY” Yup, that’s exactly why. Do you really think this zipped corduroy lace shroud would exist without Wotherspoon’s Air Max 97, which dropped two years earlier? You’re tripping.
The AF1 Cactus Jack features a graphic canvas upper, a brown swoosh on the outer, a black swoosh on the inner, and sits atop a gum outsole. It’s a dope design, but it’s just a little too busy. A comfortable mid-tier release by Scott.
Find the Travis Scott Nike Air Force 1 Low Cactus Jack at GOAT.
7. Travis Scott Jordan 1 Retro Low Mocha
StockX
This low-top version of the Jordan I borrows the design of the more iconic high-top version with a mocha and black nubuck leather upper and that polarizing backward swoosh on the lateral side. The backward swoosh actually looks bigger here (it’s not) making the sneaker look unlike a Jordan I, that’s kind of cool. The medial side panel features Cactus Jack lining in university red, making another appearance on the tongue, with the Air Jordan Wings on the heel tab.
Find the Travis Scott Jordan 1 Retro Low Mocha at GOAT.
6. Travis Scott Nike Air Force 1 Low Sail
GOAT
This Sail colorway of the Air Force 1 was Scott’s second release with Nike and built upon the all-white colorway that preceded it. The canvas upper and removable shiny swoosh is still here, but this Sail colorway just works so much better with the gum outsole and canvas construction. It feels like a true transitional sneaker between Scott’s first Nike drop to the more earthy and worn designs that would come to define the Cactus Jack aesthetic.
Find the Travis Scott Nike Air Force 1 Low Sail at GOAT.
5. Travis Scott Jordan 4 Retro Purple (Friends and Family Release)
StockX
We considered not even including this sneaker, as it’s a close friend and family-only release and never had a retail release, but it’s just too clean to ignore. It’s also currently available at StockX, which means someone isn’t being a good friend (we wouldn’t have done you like that, Travis!). This moody Jordan IV features a suede upper in a deep purple with black accents and a grey lace cage.
It’s easily one of the best colorways we’ve ever seen of the Jordan IV period, it’s almost cruel this wasn’t released to the public. Scott has a few more friends and family colorways, but none reach this level of perfection.
Find the Travis Scott Jordan 4 Retro Purple Suede at StockX.
4. Travis Scott Nike SB Dunk Low Cactus Jack
GOAT
This is a totally personal take, but this pair brings up a lot of nostalgia for me. The bandana-inspired paisley overlays capture so much of the imagery of growing up in and around East LA. This sneaker looks like my childhood, filtered down into a shoe. The SB Dunk Low Cactus Jack is significant because it’s Scott’s first skate sneaker, utilizing Nike’s ridiculously popular silhouette, dressing it in a tan leather base with plaid quarter panels, paisley overlays, and canvas that tears away to reveal an earthy camo pattern that kind of resembles Nike’s elephant print (but isn’t quite that).
The design is rounded out by thick rope laces, the whole thing really captures Scott’s Cactus Jack aesthetic — muted, yet psychedelic.
Find the Travis Scott Nike SB Dunk Low Premium QS at GOAT.
3. Travis Scott Jordan 6 Retro
StockX
Released fairly recently at the end of 2019, the Jordan VI features an almost militaristic olive green nubuck and suede upper with a little stash snap pocket on the outer collar. At the time of release, it felt like this was the perfect music festival sneaker to hide your stash in. Now the idea of going to a concert seems novel. Scott rocked this colorway at the Super Bowl 53 halftime show, leading to its coveted status amongst sneakerheads and Travis Scott fans alike.
The design is rounded out by a glow-in-the-dark translucent outsole with sail and university red accent work. Scott has yet to drop something that tops this design since its debut release.
There were several times I came close to ranking this as the number one pick, and while ultimately I contend that it’s probably (probably!) not the best Travis Scott sneaker out there, it is my personal favorite. This use of Nike’s university red and blue here is just beautiful, with its blue Durabuck leather upper and a red collar and insole. Inspired by the Houston Oilers, Scott’s hometown team, the Cactus Jack Jordan IV’s are rounded out by a core black lace cage and heel panel with university blue speckles, and feature Cactus Jack and Jumpman branding on the left and right heel respectively.
I’m already regretting not giving it the number one slot.
Find the Travis Scott Jordan 4 Retro Cactus Jack at GOAT.
1. Travis Scott Jordan 1 Retro High Mocha
GOAT
It feels almost cliche to rank the Mocha Jordan I Retro High as Scott’s best, but this sneaker release has managed to become emblematic of Cactus Jack as a fashion entity now three years after its original release. The large over-sized backward swoosh looks very gimmicky by today’s standards (though we don’t know that it didn’t always) but that mix of mocha suede paneling again a sail leather upper with university red accents is still one of the silhouette’s best colorways.
Since this insanely popular drop, Nike has since borrowed this same exact color scheme for a stock Air Jordan I, which we actually prefer, since it doesn’t have the backward swoosh. But hey, that’s just us.
Find the at Travis Scott Jordan 1 Retro High at GOAT.
As the GOP continues its collective freakout over Dr. Seuss books, the Muppets, and genderless potato toys, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has waded into the discourse to remind everyone that the Republican Party doesn’t have a leg to stand on when it comes to “cancel culture.” In a body-dropping tweet on Thursday, Clinton reminded everyone about the post-9/11 days when Republicans demanded that French fries be renamed in the congressional cafeteria after France opposed to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It became a whole thing across the country as conservatives refused to even see the word “French,” which makes their recent concern over “banning” items ring hollow. (Note: None of the things the GOP is mad about are actually banned.)
“The party of “Freedom Fries” would like you to know that “cancel culture” is a very serious problem,” Clinton tweeted, which was enough to get “Freedom Fries” trending on Twitter as folks piled on the GOP for its blatant hypocrisy.
— em is back in town (@emisbackintown7) March 4, 2021
The Party that held you for interrogation for hours over 4 dead in Benghazi didn’t bother to interrogate Trump for 6 dead from our very own historic Capitol Building
Remember when they wanted to ban SpongeBob for promoting tolerance or the Teletubbies because they might be Gay?
— Lord of Kerry, Ocular Nervosa (@ocularnervosa) March 4, 2021
Clinton’s tweet arrives shortly after conservative commentator Tomi Lahren proposed a solution to “cancel culture.” More canceling! Or whatever it is she proposed on Tuesday. Honestly, the whole thing is hard to follow like most of Lahren’s opinions. “It’s time we start fighting back,” Lahren fumed to Fox News. “It’s time we start canceling the companies that cancel other people, that cancel other ideas and say, ‘Hey listen, we don’t like how radical you’re being with your cancel culture so we’re not going to shop there.’”
So cancel culture for some, super double cancel culture for others? Let’s go with that.
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (Paramount+ movie) — Look for Keanu Reeves’ cameo in this irreverent animated adventure, which follows SpongeBob and Patrick, his starfish pal, looking to vindicate Mr. Krabs after he’s been framed for heisting King Neptune’s crown. In doing so, they must leave their Bikini Bottom refuge and make their way to Shell City in journey that illuminates the power of friendship. In addition to the actual movie goodness, check out our “Rapid Fire” video with rapper 2KBaby as he looks to beat the buzzer in a quiz.
Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years: Season 1 (Paramount+ series) — This accompanying prequel series (which is landing on the Paramount+ launch day) follows 10-year-old Spongebob at his summer Kamp Koral, which really shakes up the kelp forest as underwater campfires are all the rage near Lake Yuckymuck.
Mr. Mercedes: Season 3 (Peacock series) — The crime-thriller series that’s based upon Stephen King’s best-selling Bill Hodges Trilogy continues from executive producer David E. Kelley and director Jack Bender. Viewers know that this series brings us a very different Holly Gibney (as portrayed by Justine Lupe) than the one we witnessed on HBO’s The Outsider (as played by Cynthia Erivo), and this season was co-written by Kelley and King. Settle in as the murder of a beloved local author (and American icon) becomes the focus of Hodges, Holly, and Jerome, who find that this case is much more complex than mere cold-blooded killing.
Pacific Rim: The Black (Netflix series) — This animated series is as bonkers as the live action-ish films. There’s massive robots and Kaiju overrunning Australia, which renders the whole continent inhabitable. Amid the mayhem, two siblings search for their missing parents and basically embark upon their search by piloting a Jaeger, which is their only shot at survival.
Persona: The Dark Truth Behind Personality Tests (HBO Max documentary) — Personality tests can be insightful, sure, but they can also reflect into doing more harm than good when they’re essentially applied out of context, despite a gut feeling that these things are the object of American obsession.
The Unicorn (CBS, 9:30pm EST) — Wade and Shannon are living too far apart and might not be able to make it work, so Wade starts thinking about the future. Meanwhile, Forrest is struggling with insomnia.
Clarice (CBS, 10:00pm EST) — The Silence of the Lambs franchise sees Clarice Starling investigated (along with the VICAP) after the assassination of a suspect.
The Hustler (ABC, 10:00pm EST) — Host Craig Ferguson stands by while contestants compete for money, and “The Hustler” among them keeps doing his or her secretive and enigmatic thing.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Sacha Baron Cohen, Wesley Snipes, Charlotte Lawrence
The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Tracy Morgan, Sam Heughan, Pete Lee
The Late Late Show With James Corden — Daisy Ridley, Caroline Polachek
Late Night With Seth Meyers — Ike Barinholtz, Lilly Singh
In case you missed this recent pick:
Punky Brewster: Season 1 (Peacock reboot series) — Hear me out here on this one. Reboot madness won’t stop (no matter what we do), and after NBCU’s streaming service did the Saved By The Bell thing (which is already renewed for a second season), the progression toward Punky Power shouldn’t be too surprising. In this series, Punky’s a single mom who finds herself inspired by meeting a young orphan who possesses of all her old spunk. Both Soleil Moon Frye and Cherie Johnson reprise their roles, and Freddie Prinze Jr. plays Punky’s ex-husband. Did she go by “Punky” or “Penelope” while taking wedding vows? I kind-of need to know.
On Thursday, a 2013 internal investigation by LSU into alleged inappropriate interactions former head football coach (and current Kansas coach) Les Miles had with female students was released to USA Today following a lawsuit after the school fought to keep the investigation private.
The investigation findings, which can be read in their entirety (with redactions) here, include texting with female students, taking them to his condo alone, and making them feel “uncomfortable,” along with one alleging he kissed her twice in his car. While the investigation found Miles did not have sexual relations with any of the women, the school banned him from being alone with students and he had to attend eight sessions with an attorney as a result.
Miles, through his attorney, denied the allegation that he kissed a student to USA Today and also denied the incident in the investigation. The student’s account of the incident from the investigation reads as such:
Ultimately, Student No. 2 met XXX off campus; got into his vehicle; and the two of them rode around talking. Student No. 2 contends that XXX suggested that they go to a hotel together and mentioned his condo as another meeting place. He also complimented her on her appearance and said he was attracted to her. Student No. 2 says that XXX drove his vehicle behind the Athletic Complex, parked the car, REDACTED, and kissed her twice.
Miles denied wrongdoing and insisted he was mentoring students and nothing inappropriate was discussed, but the investigation found a number of other instances, including that he wanted student employees in the department to “have a certain ‘look’ (attractive, blonde, fit). He also made their supervisors feel that existing student employees who did not fit this criteria should be given fewer hours or terminated.”
According to USA Today, the upcoming audit into LSU’s handling of sexual misconduct cases will include further details into Miles’ tenure as coach.
Despite working with a more modern crop of collaborators recently, it seems Nas hasn’t completely shaken his old-head views. Nas recently collaborated with some of today’s rappers, including Big Sean, Don Toliver, and Lil Durk, on his 2020 album King’s Disease, but that didn’t stop him from sharing his frankly unsurprising opinion with Financial Times during an interview discussing his impressive investment portfolio.
“I appreciate what’s out there, but there’s no one keeping me up at night,” he told the magazine. “I hear a new rap record and think it’s great, but I don’t listen to it the next week.” I guess Hit-Boy was the one making sure Nas stayed up-to-date on his new album.
Hip-hop’s generation gap is a well-worn topic for the Queensbridge veteran. While his outlook today is a far cry from “hip-hop is dead,” the sentiment after which he titled his eighth album in 2016, it seems that this attitude is born more of low awareness than an actual problem with hip-hop. For instance, it seems his attention seems pretty focused on New York — he name-checks Pop Smoke as one rapper who impressed him.
“We were happy to see that young king come up,” he says of the slain Brooklyn rapper, who will make his posthumous acting debut this Friday in Eddie Huang’s basketball movie Boogie. “He was a breath of fresh air.”
You can read the full interview here and learn more about modern hip-hop — of which there is plenty of great, memorable stuff being done — here.
The first reviews for Coming 2 America are in, and so far, critics are having a good time enjoying the very long-awaited sequel to the 1988 comedy classic starring Eddie Murphy. While there’s definitely some debate over how well the film lives up to the original along with some concerns over the final act, for the most part, the consensus is that Coming 2 America is filled with enough fun that the comedy sequel should entertain audiences when it arrives on Amazon later this week. Adding to that fun are the elaborate costume designs and dance numbers, which almost every critic praised in their review. Not to mention, it’s been a while since Murphy had a chance to show off his comedic chops in an all-out comedy, and Coming 2 America seemingly does it best to remind everyone why Murphy is still the king.
You can check out what the critics are saying about Coming 2 America below:
It’s as much a musical costume party extravaganza as it is movie. It didn’t always make me laugh (though I laughed plenty) but it always made me smile. Above all, everyone seems to be having fun, and not in a needy way. Even when it’s not laugh-out-loud funny Coming 2 America is still fun to look at.
The inevitable third-act wobbliness gives way to a boisterous final blowout that will leave fans giddy. Will Coming 2 America have the legacy of the first film? Probably not. But unlike tying one’s own shoes, it is not an overrated experience.
Much of the film’s fun, though, stems from the celebrity cameos. … There are also visual delights to spare, from the lavish palace setting (actually the Georgia mansion of rapper Rick Ross) to the gorgeously eye-popping costumes by Oscar-winner Ruth E. Carter (Black Panther) to the elaborately choreographed dance numbers.
Even with the retreads and overabundance of nostalgia, there’s a lot of joy in seeing so many beloved characters back together. Murphy and Arsenio Hall, who should work far more than he does, are still magic as the My-T-Sharp barbershop guys, the band Sexual Chocolate and the sensual preacher.
It’s a colourful, likeable re-spinning, replete with big dance sequences (one bizarrely to Prince’s 1991 banger ‘Gett Off’), a string of cameos, obvious messaging (walk your own path, kids) and gentle skewering of the Black experience, from gentrification to eschewing ideas around primitivism.
Brash, lovable, and doused in irony at every turn, [Eddie Murphy’s] outsized persona remains a singular figure in American comedy, evidently still capable of dominating the screen. “Coming 2 America” doesn’t have to be perfect to succeed at putting him centerstage. All hail the King.
Coming 2 America starts streaming March 5 on Amazon.
When BRS Kash released his debut project Kash Only at the top of the year, one of the standout joints turned out to be the Mulatto-featuring, Cash Money Records-aping “Kash App.” The track was so popular that fans of the “Throat Baby” rapper wondered why he didn’t put the controversial XXL Freshman on the remix of his biggest hit to date.
Judging from the video for “Kash App” that BRS Kash put out today, it was so his and Mulatto’s collaboration could get its proper due. Rather than simply remixing an existing hit, this gives him a chance to promote his second potential hit, and given the video’s replay value, he’s off to a great start.
The video’s plot, such as it is, is simple and familiar: Kash is in town to promote a wild house party and offers to pay a few fans’ bills in the interim — which he does, naturally, via that instantly recognizable green screen (which displays some frankly unrealistic totals). It all culminates in a homebound twerk-fest that cops show up to shut down before being inevitably pulled in by the gratuitous booty on display.
Meanwhile, this may well be one of the last times Mulatto is listed as a guest feature on another rapper’s record. The Atlanta star isn’t going anywhere, she’s just been hard at work changing her stage name after drawing fire for promoting colorism with her controversial moniker.
Charli XCX hasn’t exactly been resting on her laurels since the pandemic began, last year she set a goal for herself of completing an album during lockdown and how i’m feeling now is arguably the best full-length she’s ever released. Well, there’s no time like the present to keep releasing new music, and today Charli has done just that by dropping a new collaboration with No Rome and The 1975. After teasing the track last week by declaring her collaboration with these two other pop songwriters was a “supergroup,” the glitchy pop song “Spinning” is officially here.
v excited to be forming a supergroup with @no_rome and @the1975…
Does her supergroup distinction mean that “Spinning” is simply one of many tracks the trio has worked on together? Maybe! But for now all we know is that Matt Healy of The 1975 and Charli are both huge fans of No Rome, a pop songwriter based in London who is signed to the label Dirty Hit, which you may have heard of because The 1975 are also signed to it. Sonically, the track is much more in line with where Charli has gone in the past than Healy, though some of the song’s more pure pop elements definitely invoke the band’s early work. Listen to the new track above.
Right now it feels like the entire fast food industry is in a race to see who can make the best fried chicken sandwich. In a world that has been long dominated by the drive-thru cheeseburger, the fried chicken sandwich feels like a fast-food innovation — a culinary curiosity different enough to give the illusion that you’re ordering something outside of the norm but familiar enough that it satisfies the craving everyone gets for cheap and easy handheld foods. Plus, it’s a dish that’s not too complicated and can be transcendent when done right.
In our search for the best fast-food fried chicken sandwich, we quickly realized that there are a lot of them out there and a good share of them are offensive to the genre. But in the interest of being comprehensive, we tested them all again and ranked every fried chicken sandwich that we had access to across the entire fast-food universe. As with everything in the last twelve months, COVID-19 made this task more difficult than we’d hoped. Being located in California meant I didn’t have access to a Culvers, Zaxbys, Bojangles, or Whataburger — four chains that are known for being able to hold their own in the fried chicken game. Rather than exclude those beloved establishments and hear about it in the comments, we had Uproxx’s Josh Kurp, a true fast-food lover, try three of them (Bojangles remains our white whale) and share his thoughts.
Along with Buc-ee’s, Willie Nelson, and incompetent politicians, Whataburger (please do not pronounce it “Water-burger”) is a Texas institution. But does the Whatachick’n Sandwich belong among such Lone Star food staples as brisket?
In short… maybe! In long: the brioche bun is sturdy, the WhataSauce is plentiful but not overwhelming, and the breast is juicy, but that’s only a half-compliment. It tastes too similar to Whataburger’s grilled chicken sandwich. There’s almost no crunch to the Whatachick’n — so it’s not worth the extra calories and saturated fat.
If you’re going to order a chicken sandwich from Whataburger, don’t. Get the patty melt on — what else? — Texas toast instead. Everything’s bigger in Texas; everything’s better on Texas toast.
A perfectly serviceable sandwich, but there’s a reason it’s called WhataBURGER. — Josh Kurp
Zaxby’s — Signature Sandwich
Zaxbys
Calories: 1110
This was my maiden voyage to Zaxby’s, so I honestly didn’t know what to expect. Would I be blown away, or would I be annoyed about all the Wendy’s I could have gone to instead?
Folks, let me tell you: it will not be 30-plus years (a gentleman never tells) before I return to Zaxby’s. The Signature Sandwich is big and crunchy and delicious. My quibbles are minor: the much-hyped “famous Zax Sauce” doesn’t add much flavor and it could use a vegetable to compliment the bun and breast. But otherwise, this is a damn fine double-hand breaded fried chicken sandwich (shout out to the crispiness around the edges of this massive sandwich, too).
It’s not quite on the level of Popeye’s, but if there’s a Zaxby’s near you (there are over 900 locations across the country), I would suggest making your maiden voyage, too.
One of the best fast-food fried chicken sandwiches, but make sure you’re hungry. It’s a lot. — Josh Kurp
Culver’s — Chicken Sandwich
Culvers
Calories: 460
Culver’s website guarantees that their chicken sandwich will be “crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside.” The promise is half-right: the inside is juicy and tender, but the outside only technically counts as “crispy,” in that it’s crispier than, say, a slice of American cheese. The Culver’s chicken sandwich could use some melted cheese, actually, if only to offset the pickles.
As a pickle skeptic (fancy word for “hater”), I should have asked to hold the dill chips, but I forgot. That’s on me. I could taste the pickles with every bite, even after removing them. But this could still be a better-than-average sandwich if there was sauce slathered on the chicken. There isn’t. Without any zestiness or sweetness or mayo-ness, this is a subpar chicken sandwich.
Oof — that’s the sound you make after you bite into a Dairy Queen chicken sandwich. This sandwich is brutal. It’s simply the worst fast-food chicken patty I’ve ever had — overly processed and blandly seasoned yet consciously… brown. Served with mayo, lettuce, and tomato, I have no kind words for this attempt at food.
Stick to ice cream and French fries Dairy Queen.!
Order your ice cream at your local Dairy Queen here.
The Bottom Line
Offensive to food.
15. Sonic Classic Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Sonic
Calories: 570
So it turns out that Sonic is not the place to go if you want even a decent chicken sandwich. Jalapeño poppers, chili cheese fries, and hot dogs? Sure. But chicken sandwiches? Never.
Served on a Brioche Bun with lettuce and mayo, this over-processed chicken patty is spongey and porous which, we agree, is a disgusting way to describe meat. The mayo does nothing for it. Ig you buy one, douse it In Sonic BBQ sauce… then light it on fire.
Find your nearest Sonic here and get the mozzarella sticks.
How is it that an establishment that has such good chicken tenders could have such bad chicken sandwiches? Carl’s Jr/Hardee’s Crispy Chicken Fillet sandwich is among fast-food’s worst. It’s spongey and overly processed, served on a single lettuce leaf atop an overly dense white bun, with thick watery tomatoes. The swiss is a nice twist and the bacon helps to make the thing edible, but ultimately, this one is just gross.
The seasoned batter on this chicken is surprisingly tasty, with a nice spicy kick to it. But that’s just the batter. The chicken inside is almost inedible.
This photo is false advertisement. Anytime I eat at Burger King I feel so sad — here is a fast-food chain that enjoys legendary status, but where are its fans? What is it known for? Charbroiled burgers? Please.
This sandwich has some good qualities, but they are weighed down by its bad qualities. The BK Crispy Chicken Sandwich is served on a soft and light potato bun, which is good, because each bite never feels too bready, which allows you to focus on the chicken. Unfortunately, that chicken isn’t good. It doesn’t suffer from the spongey quality of some of the lower-tier chickens on this list, but the meat is chunky — flaking off from itself in weird sections as if the breast filet wasn’t cut properly from the bone.
Sure, it’s a weird thing to notice about a sandwich. But the fact that such a thing is noticeable is ironclad proof that it’s bad.
12. Jack in the Box — Homestyle Ranch Chicken Club/Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Jack in the Box
Calories: 630
Jack in the Box has a few iterations of their chicken sandwich but it doesn’t get more exciting than the Homestyle Ranch Chicken Club. The chicken here is a bit hit or miss. If it was consistently good we’d bump it up a few spots on flavor alone, but I’ve had Jack in the Box from several establishments in multiple cities (sad to admit) and this sandwich is bad more often than it’s good.
Let’s talk about what’s good. The bun is soft and spongey, the bacon adds a lot of good smokey flavor to an otherwise bland but sufficiently crunchy chicken filet, and it’s all complimented nicely by the Buttermilk Ranch sauce spread on the top bun. Unfortunately, the cheese is a missed opportunity. It tastes like white American to us, never a good combo with chicken, the lettuce is pathetic, which sounds mean but there really is no other way to describe it (maybe wilted?). The chicken breast filets offer a bland blend of black pepper and garlic powder and it often tastes more like grease than it does fried chicken.
Ask for the Homestyle Ranch Chicken Club with the Spicy chicken patty and the sandwich becomes significantly better thanks to a blend of garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and Jack in the Box’s crispy spicy batter.
McDonald’s crispy chicken sandwich comes in three form factors: The Crispy, which consists of little more than a fried chicken filet and thick-cut pickles, the Spicy, which is built the same as the Crispy but features a spicy cayenne pepper spread, and the Deluxe, which ditches the pickles for tomatoes and lettuce. Gun to our head, we’re picking the Spicy every time.
The chicken has a decent and flavorful crispy coating but the texture of the meat is seriously lacking, suffering from the dreaded flakey break-off that a lot of these frozen breast filets suffer from. McDonald’s knocked it out of the park with their cayenne-based pepper sauce — it produces a lingering peppery aftertaste that begs for follow-up bites — but they still haven’t quite nailed a fast-food chicken patty that can hold its own against their biggest competitors.
Arby’s has some pretty wild sandwich options to choose from — Smokehouse Brisket, Roast Beef Gyro, f*cking Corned Beef! — making their chicken sandwiches seem tame by comparison. We think it’s safe to say if you’re coming to Arby’s, you don’t want a chicken sandwich, your want a meat pile. You’re at Arby’s baby!
Still, Arby’s has several fried chicken sandwiches to choose from. You can order it with bread, mayo, and tomato (worst option), with crispy Arby’s bacon and Swiss cheese (a good option) or doused in spicy buffalo sauce (an… option) but Arby’s is one of the only fast food locations we’re going to suggest you go ahead and opt for the roasted version of these two sandwiches instead. The flavors work harmoniously in the roast chicken — Arby’s knows how to roast — but the fried options taste like they’re missing something.
These entries aren’t trash, but it’s almost like they exist solely because it’s what the consumer expects.
You know the saying, “when in Arby’s stuff yourself with meat until you explode!” Stay focused on those meats, but if you need to order this, consider it functional.
9. Rally’s/Checkers — Classic Mother Cruncher
Rally
Calories: 690
Everything about this sandwich is funny. The name, the use of the word “classic” so close to the combination “mother cruncher,” the fact that it uses a signature “squawk sauce” spread on a toasted bun… it’s just ridiculous. In a fun way.
People love Rally’s/Checkers but I just don’t get the hype. This chicken sandwich is merely okay, it has a good crunchy well seasoned breading to it, and the thousand islands-like Squak Sauce is pretty tasty but we can’t see it being anyone’s favorite Rally’s choice. We suggest you order the chicken bites, which are smaller and more dippable.
Order it simply to say the words “Give me the Classic Mother Cruncher please.”
8. KFC Crispy Colonel Sandwich
KFC
Calories: 470-540
There really is no excuse for KFC not having a better chicken sandwich. Their first mistake is using a crispy style breading for their breast filet. Use Original Recipe KFC, that’s what you’re known for! The breast filet just doesn’t taste very good, it’s hard to understand how KFC could’ve screwed this up.
The Crispy Colonel Sandwich is available in four forms, extra crispy, honey BBQ, Buffalo Hot, and Nashville Hot, each served with pickles and mayo on an unremarkable bun. Our favorite is the Nashville Hot version which is doused in a vinegar heavy Nashville hot chicken sauce. It’s not as spicy as we’d like it to be, but it covers up the flavor of the bland breast filet.
Chick-fil-A has a lot of different versions of their chicken sandwich but for this list, we’re going with the best. Forget the non-spicy version or the grilled bird, at Chick-fil-A, the Spicy Deluxe reigns supreme. The Spicy Deluxe features crinkle cut pickles, a bed of green leaf lettuce, two succulent tomato slices, a spicy breaded chicken breast full of pepper, paprika — and, we want to say cayenne? — topped with pepper jack cheese. The non-spicy deluxe swaps out the chicken for Chick-fil-A’s more bland version and replaces the pepper jack with American cheese which is just offensive.
This is still one of fast food’s best chicken sandwiches but the days of it easily taking the number one spot are thankfully behind us. Chick-fil-A uses peanut oil which helps to give this sandwich a nice crunch but the chicken is just a little too pressed for our liking. It’s incredibly dense and always uneven. If Chick-fil-A went the extra mile and pounded out this chicken before breading it, it would easily bump it up a few spots, but for now, it’s simply good to great.
The standard by which you should measure all fast food chicken sandwiches. If it’s not as good as the Spicy Deluxe, it’s probably not worth eating.
6. Raising Cane’s — Chicken Finger Sandwich
Raising Canes
Calories:
Raising Cane’s could have one of the best chicken sandwiches in the game but they’ve decided that all they make is chicken tenders, and that’s all they’ll ever make. Raising Canes uses fresh never frozen chicken brined in salty lemon water, hand breaded, and fried to perfection, their chicken is delicious and juicy and it practically melts in your mouth. But chicken tenders are a stupid way to build a sandwich.
This thing comes served on a toasted bun spread with Cane’s sauce, and as soon as you bite into it the whole thing starts to fall apart because it consists of loose chicken strips. Just make a f*cking chicken filet Raising Canes please, why are you getting in your own way like this?
The said part is, this isn’t even the best sandwich at Raising Canes. For a real delicious experience, order two Texas toasts BOB style (buttered on both sides) spread the Cane’s sauce and stick a tender between it. That right there is a better sandwich and I don’t even work there.
5. Wendy’s — Spicy Chicken Sandwich/Asiago Ranch Chicken Club
Wendy
Calories: 630
All of Wendy’s chicken sandwiches are delicious, but my favorite is the Asiago Ranch Chicken Club which is served up with Asiago cheese and bacon. When I set out to make this ranking I was ready to give this sandwich the number one spot, it was only after tasting each sandwich that I had to recognize that while this sandwich is good, and is sometimes my favorite, it’s a good distance away from being the best.
Wendy’s spicy chicken filet (also available in Homestyle and grilled) has a great flavor, it’s legitimately spicy with a cayenne and black pepper-heavy batter that brings some nice lingering heat into the after taste, but it’s a little over-processed. It’s far from the spongey mystery meat of some of the lesser sandwiches on this list, but its noticeably of lower quality than something like what you’d find at Chick-fil-A.
In fact, I go back and forth on whether this is truly better than Chick-fil-A all the time. For now, I think it is.
One of the best fast food chicken sandwiches but you could do better.
4. Jollibee — Chicken Sandwich Classic/Deluxe
Jolibee
Calories: 550
Filipino chicken spot Jollibee is seriously underrated. Their unique chicken marinade and batter tastes unlike any other fast food chicken on the market, it’s this interesting mix of garlic, pepper, salt, onion powder and maybe some dried parsley? It’s battered in cornstarch, giving it this crispy airy quality that keeps the chicken crunchy but incredibly juicy inside and we’d really really like to rank it higher, but it just tastes like it’s missing something.
Served on a buttery brioche bun with garlic aioli sauce, lettuce, and tomatoes, a deluxe version of the sandwich which includes lettuce and tomato but that doesn’t quite get it to where we need it to be. We’re not sure what this sandwich is missing, but it doesn’t linger in our memories or inspire cravings like what is ranked above it.
Ridiculously delicious and best of all, this one doesn’t feel like it looked to Popeyes for inspiration. It’s in its own lane.
3. Church’s — Chicken Sandwich
Church
Calories: 360
Clearly inspired by Popeyes chicken sandwich, Church’s chicken sandwich comes incredibly close to the real thing. The sandwich is served up on a brioche bun that is brushed in the same honey-butter Church’s uses on their delicious biscuits, accompanied by your choice of regular or spicy mayo (go for the spicy), thick dill pickle chips, and a juicy hand-breaded filet. The breast filet here is massive and juicy, with a great peppery batter that supplies a lot of crunch without throwing the meat to breading ratio out of whack.
Whether you prefer this to Popeyes is going to come down to which chicken batter you prefer. For some that’s going to be Church’s, but for me, it’s Popeyes, no contest.
Just as good as Popeyes chicken sandwich with half the hype. Could easily be someone’s number 1 pick.
2. Shake Shack — Chick’n Shack
Shake Shack
Calories 590
Honestly, between Shake Shack’s Chick’n Shack and our number one pick (which you probably called at the start of this article), it’s a toss-up. Shake Shack has quietly been offering up one of the best fast food fried chicken sandwiches in the game and they’ve been doing it for years. The Chick n Shack is thick and juicy, with an addictive flakey buttermilk batter that absorbs sauce beautifully and provides a pleasing audible crunch to every bite. Served up with pickles, mayo with herbs, and lettuce on a buttery brioche bun, this sandwich is made even better with the inclusion of Choi’s kimchi and Shake Shack’s gochujang sauce, which is available for a limited time.
I’ve never had a bad chicken sandwich at Shake Shack, they’re remarkably consistent, but it’s hard to make the case for why you should order this over a Double Shack Burger.
Delicious, juicy, and crispy, but it’s lacking the decadence of our number one pick.
1. Popeyes — Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Popeyes
Calories: 700
Popeyes Spicy Chicken Sandwich is the predictable number one choice, and I really fought with myself over giving it our number one spot but pretending otherwise is just kind of silly. There is a reason this chicken sandwich inspired the ridiculous hype that followed its release in 2019. Yes, part of that is due to excellent marketing, it’s not like this is the greatest chicken sandwich in the world (we’re positive we can make a better one, also if Howlin Rays was a chain, it would get the number one spot) but it is definitely in a class above the rest.
Popeyes also sells a non-spicy version with mayo, it’s good but not great.
It’s not worth robbing a Popeyes over, it’s not something that should be sold on an aftermarket like a coveted pair of sneakers, hell it’s not even worth waiting in line for longer than 20 minutes, but it’s juicy, crispy, and the spicy cajun mayo sauce it’s served with is Popeyes greatest contribution to fast food. It’s a little bland, offering nothing more than a few pickles and the sauce on an unremarkable bun, but the chicken is so juicy and flavorful that we’re willing to overlook that the bread is really just a delivery system for this delicious chicken and sauce combination. Our only gripe is it has the flavor of all the other Popeyes products it is fried with, which would be awful if everything from Popeyes wasn’t so damn good.
It truly is the best in the game for now, and we look forward to the chain that inevitably knocks it off its thrown.
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