No-holds-barred review: Does the Sweet Paprika Chicken McCrispy surpass other McCrispy variations?

Better than expected.

Russell Ang | March 29, 2023, 04:33 PM

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McDonald's is launching its new Sweet Paprika Chicken McCrispy tomorrow (Mar. 30).

Joining its menu are also the Watermelon Twist Cone and Calamansi McFizz.

First impressions

As an avid consumer of the Golden Arches, one of my favourite guilty pleasures is munching on a box of Chicken McCrispy.

What can I say? I love me some delicious fried chicken.

Unfortunately, the same simply can’t be said for its other variations (I’m looking at you, Salt and Pepper).

So when I heard that McDonald’s is launching yet another McCrispy variation, I was obviously a bit skeptical.

Despite these concerns, I had the pleasure of trying the new flavour for work.

Here’s how the Sweet Paprika Chicken McCrispy looks:

Photo by Russell Ang

At first glance, it doesn’t look much different from a regular Chicken McCrispy.

But if you squint hard enough, you'll notice a very subtle difference.

Compared to the classic Chicken McCrispy, it's actually a slightly darker shade of orange (not that this matters), in addition to being crispier in texture.

Personally, I prefer fried chicken with a good mix of crispiness and tenderness, which is why I often opt for the classic Chicken McCrispy.

Sweet Paprika Chicken McCrispy

Going in with low expectations, I was pleasantly surprised on the first bite.

My main gripe with other McCrispy variations were their gimmicky flavours, which tend to compromise the item overall.

However, I can safely say the Sweet Paprika has surpassed its predecessors in that department.

The paprika powder was well-seasoned and serves as a good complement to the chicken's crisper-than-usual texture.

Photo by Russell Ang

Despite being on the sweeter side, it manages to retain most of the spicy kick that the classic Chicken McCrispy is known for, although it could do with more paprika.

Overall, I feel this serves as a good substitute to a regular Chicken McCrispy if you're looking to try something new.

While my go-to McCrispy will always be the classic version, I wouldn't mind getting this again if it becomes a seasonal item.

Rating: 4/5

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Top image by Russell Ang