Arby’s Testing Strange Chicken Item in Select Restaurants

Arby’s may be known for its roast beef sandwiches, but now the fast food chain is giving a spot on its menu for an unusual chicken sandwich — at least in a few select locations.

Spotted over on Reddit, Arby’s has their new Beer Can Chicken sandwich on the menu in a few locations and according to Food & Wine, the sandwich in the Reddit post is actually one of two varieties of the offering which is being tested at locations in Minneapolis, Augusta, and Tulsa.

The sandwich comes as The Original Beer Can Chicken Sandwich or the Tall Boy Sandwich, which adds pit-smoked ham and a crispy chicken fillet to the Original sandwich. And what’s on that Original Beer Can Chicken Sandwich, you might ask? A spokesperson for Arby’s told Food & Wine that it features “beer-marinated smoked chicken with melted cheddar cheese, crispy onions, pepper bacon, lettuce, tomato and garlic aioli on a toasted specialty roll.” The beer that the chicken is marinated in is none other than Miller High Life, also known as the “Champagne of Beers”.

For those who think that Arby’s may have lost their mind on this one, there is actually a culinary precedent for this fast food offering. Beer can chicken, also known as drunken chicken or chicken on a throne, is generally a barbecue chicken dish that is prepared by cooking a whole chicken with a partially-filled can of beer in the chicken’s cavity. The process of cooking adds moisture to the meat and is believed to impart flavor to the dish. The same technique is used with other beverages as well, including Coca Cola. It’s unknown where the dish originated, though some food historians believe it may have originated in Louisiana.

Arby’s version of the Beer Can Chicken appears to change the method to simply marinating the chicken meat before cooking but it remains a fairly unique offering. In October 2014, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen also offered their take on beer can chicken, though their dish did not utilize any actual beer.

As for how to get your hands on one of this chicken sandwiches, as was mentioned above they are available at test locations in Minneapolis, Augusta, and Tulsa with the Original Beer Can Chicken Sandwich priced at $5.49 with the combo meal available for $7.79. But you’ll want to act fast: Beer Can Chicken Sandwiches will only be available through December 23, 2018.

Are you interested in trying a Beer Can Chicken Sandwich? Have you already tried one? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.