Who would’ve thought that eating spicy food causes our body to release happy hormones like serotonin? Believe it or not, spicy food can actually be addictive. The more you try, the more you feel compelled to have more. No wonder they’re so popular.
When it comes to fast food, there’s no shortage of options to choose from to give you that spicy kick you’re looking for. So we rounded up items in a list to help you give an idea of what to get.
I must warn you though, these spicy fast food items are NOT for the faint of heart. If you’re cool with your mouth feeling like you just ate the sun, then you’ll love this list. From burgers and chicken to tacos and sandwiches, here are 12 spicy fast food picks for the fearless.
12. El Diablo Thickburger – Carl’s Jr.
There’s a reason why this burger is called “The Devil” and that reason is because of all the heat stuffed into this meaty monster. It has jalapeño poppers, habanero sauce, pepper jack cheese, and (as if the poppers weren’t enough) sliced jalapeños on top of a Black Angus beef patty. It truly lives up to its name and sets the bar high for what will follow on this list.
11. Cajun Style Fries – Five Guys
Don’t let its appearance and status as a side dish fool you. The Cajun Style Fries pack a punch. Their Cajun spice blend is kind of like a ninja, it’s pretty stealthy and unassuming at first. Then the aftertaste hits you and you’ll understand why this made the list.
10. Spicy Sriracha Burger – Jack in the Box
For those craving something with sriracha, this is the perfect spicy menu item for you. Jack in the Box’s Spicy Sriracha Burger contains Sriracha sauce, jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, and a beef patty sandwiched between two pieces of toasted buns. The spiciness of this burger will be tough to ignore but the creamy texture of the Sriracha sauce will make sure that it all goes down smoothly. This fiery burger will definitely put your taste buds to work.
9. Diablo Dare Chicken Sandwich – Arby’s
Arby’s may be known for their meaty sandwiches but they have one item on their menu that will make your mouth feel like it’s in a fiery inferno. The Diablo Dare Chicken Sandwich will demand your respect. With ghost pepper jack cheese, hot seasoning, hot sauce, sliced jalapeños, habanero sauce, and a red chipotle bun, you can see why they call this the sandwich from hell. Get ready for a mouth-searing experience.
8. Spicy BBQ Glazed Tenders – McDonald’s
McDonald’s may be known for their child-friendly menu items and you don’t usually think about them when you’re looking for something spicy. But that all went out the window when they came out with their Spicy BBQ Glazed Tenders. Now this meal isn’t all spice; the BBQ sauce glaze perfectly balances out the spiciness with something sweet. Instead of an in-your-face level of spiciness, this one is more of a slow burn. A single bite won’t give you that extreme heat you’re looking for. But as you keep on eating, the gradual spiciness will creep up on you, and pretty soon, you just might be asking for a milkshake to soothe your mouth.
7. Fiery Ultimate Chicken Sandwich – Sonic Drive-in
Fiery Ultimate Chicken Sandwich. With a name like that, you bet that Sonic went out of their way to make this sandwich as spicy as possible. It contains jalapeños, chipotle sauce, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. But the real star of the show is the spicy chicken patty. Coated in a crispy ghost pepper batter, it’s guaranteed to give you a scorching hot sandwich experience. This is the perfect way to demonstrate how they can take their comfort food and turn it into something with a spicy kick.
6. Ghost Pepper Ranch Chicken Sandwich – Wendy’s
Wendy’s isn’t one to be left out when it comes to spicy fast food items. They really did their best to stuff as much ghost peppers as they can on each key ingredient for this sandwich. The american cheese, the crispy onions, and the ranch sauce all contain or were seasoned with ghost peppers. It has a heat level that’s pretty hard to beat. At least, not until you get through the next 5 items.
5. Nashville Hot Chicken – KFC
Get ready for a blazing hot twist on a Southern classic. Nashville Hot Chicken has a spicy kick that made it a game-changer for KFC. These pieces of fried chicken are essentially bathed in cayenne pepper oil, which will leave a feeling of lingering heat in your mouth. It’s not surprising since cayenne pepper has a Scoville heat unit of 50,000.
4. Spicy Deluxe Sandwich – Chick-fil-A
With all the spicy food so far, now is the time to take a break. Chick-fil-A’s Spicy Deluxe Sandwich is a little mild compared to the last entry but don’t underestimate its spice level. The Spicy Deluxe Sandwich has a great blend of peppers in its flavor that gives it that satisfying kick. It’s not a face melter by any means and is more of a slow burn like the Spicy BBQ Glazed Tenders from McDonald’s.
3. Volcano Taco – Taco Bell
Things are heating up again with Taco Bell’s legendary Volcano Taco. The red shell is more for show, but the inside of this taco is what will set your mouth on fire. They didn’t call this the Volcano Taco for nothing. Taco Bell’s notorious Lava Sauce contains red serrano chiles and cayenne pepper, making it extremely spicy. Add in the thick nacho cheese infused with jalapeño peppers, this fast food item will make you feel like there’s a volcano erupting inside your mouth.
2. Ghost Pepper Wings – Popeyes
Popeyes really proved they weren’t messing around when they came out with the Ghost Pepper Wings. Ghost peppers are extremely HOT. So, imagine chicken wings completely covered with a batter made with one of the spiciest chilies on the planet. These crispy, juicy chicken wings will definitely put you through the wringer and will push the boundaries of your spice limit.
1. Angriest Whopper – Burger King
Like the Volcano Taco, the red-colored buns of the Angriest Whopper from Burger King are just for show. But that should be a not-so-subtle indicator that this burger is going to burn your tastebuds off. The habanero-infused patty and the slices of jalapeño are enough to prove to you that this burger means business. It’s the kind of fast food experience that will leave you changed forever.