Chick-fil-A is known for serving delicious chicken sandwiches, waffle fries, and other menu items. One distinctive aspect of their sandwiches is the inclusion of dill pickle chips. The tangy crunch of the pickles perfectly complements the hot and juicy chicken. But what exactly are those iconic Chick-fil-A pickles?
Chick-fil-A uses a whole, freshly sliced dill pickle chip on their chicken sandwiches. The chips are thick cut and have a pronounced dill flavor. They are made from cucumbers cured in a brine solution. Chick-fil-A works closely with suppliers to source pickles with the right taste, texture and appearance to meet their specifications.
The History of Pickles at Chick-fil-A
Founder S. Truett Cathy opened the first Chick-fil-A restaurant in 1967 in Atlanta, Georgia. The original Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich consisted of a boneless chicken breast, on a buttered bun, topped with two dill pickle chips.
Cathy chose dill pickles to complement the hot chicken based on his experience working at The Dwarf Grill in Georgia. The Dwarf Grill served fried chicken sandwiches with slices of dill pickle. Cathy liked the flavor and crunch the dill pickles added. When he opened his own restaurant, he knew he wanted pickles on his fried chicken sandwich.
The twin pickle chips became an iconic part of the Chick-fil-A sandwich. Even as the menu expanded over the years, the original chicken sandwich remained unchanged. The simple combination of juicy chicken, soft bun, and tart pickles pleased customers’ palates.
Sourcing the Perfect Pickle Chip
Chick-fil-A goes to great lengths to source just the right pickle for its sandwiches. They work closely with suppliers to achieve pickle chips with the perfect:
- Size – The chips must be thick cut into full rounds.
- Color – A fresh, bright green color is desired.
- Crunch – There should be a satisfying crunch when bitten into.
- Juiciness – The pickle should be juicy without excessive dripping.
- Dill flavor – The dill flavor should be prominent without being overpowering.
- Saltiness – The salt level must enhance other flavors.
- Acidity – A bright acidity is required to balance the chicken.
Chick-fil-A goes through a rigorous process to evaluate pickles against these standards. Suppliers prepare samples for the Chick-fil-A culinary team to review. They examine the pickles in detail, rating metrics like firmness and juiciness on scorecards. This helps them determine if the pickles are acceptable for use in restaurants.
The company works hand-in-hand with suppliers to achieve the desired result. If any batches of pickles fall short, they provide feedback to the supplier. The goal is to get consistently excellent pickles year-round.
How Chick-fil-A Pickles Are Made
Chick-fil-A uses whole dill pickles rather than pickle slices. This provides more surface area for flavor to develop during the curing process. Here are some key steps in how the pickles are made:
Selection of Fresh Cucumbers
The best pickles start with high-quality cucumbers. Growers provide an abundant supply of fresh cucumbers to pickle companies during the summer season. For dill pickles, the preferred variety is the Kirby cucumber. It is shorter, fatter, and bumpier than other types.
The cucumbers destined for Chick-fil-A pickles are evaluated for:
- Freshness
- Size and shape consistency
- Lack of defects or bruises
- Ideal maturity – not overripe with small seeds
Only the freshest, most pristine cucumbers pass inspection to become Chick-fil-A pickles.
Curing in Brine
The cucumbers are submerged into large metal tanks filled with a brine solution. The brine contains salt, vinegar, spices, and other ingredients to infuse flavor. Common spices are dill, garlic, mustard seed, cinnamon, and chili pepper. The exact blend used for Chick-fil-A pickles is proprietary.
Curing takes place over several weeks. As the cucumbers soak in the brine, a fermentation process takes place. Natural bacteria convert sugars into lactic acid, dairy acids, and carbon dioxide. This is what gives pickles their sour, tangy taste.
Throughout the curing process, the characteristics of the brine are carefully monitored. Factors like acidity, salinity, and temperature are controlled to achieve the ideal pickling environment.
Slicing and Packaging
Once cured, the pickles are removed from the brine tanks. They are rinsed, sorted, and sliced into chips. The chips are cut to the thickness specified by Chick-fil-A.
The pickle chips are packed into plastic tubs filled with brine. This helps maintain freshness and texture. The iconic twin pickle slices are assembled into Chick-fil-A sandwiches right from these tubs.
Pickle Pairings Beyond the Chicken Sandwich
While they are essential on the original chicken sandwich, Chick-fil-A pickles also make menu appearances beyond this classic:
- Spicy Chicken Sandwich – Cool, tangy pickles balance the heat.
- Spicy Deluxe Sandwich – Pickles cut through the spice and richness of the fried chicken, cheese, and sauce.
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich – Pickles provide moisture and flavor contrast to the lean grilled chicken.
- Grilled Chicken Club – In this sandwich, pickles complement grilled chicken, smoky bacon, cheese, and tomato.
- Chick-fil-A Wrap – Pickles add tasty bite to grilled or crispy chicken in a baked tortilla.
- Cool Wrap – The pairing of pickles, chicken salad, and lettuce offers a delicious crunch.
- Greek Yogurt Parfait – A surprising pairing where chopped pickles bring a new dimension to the fresh fruit and yogurt layers.
The possibilities are endless when you start with a high-quality dill pickle, like those made for Chick-fil-A. The briny flavors and pleasing crunch enhance all kinds of dishes beyond sandwiches.
Nutrition Facts of Chick-fil-A Pickles
Chick-fil-A pickle nutrition facts (based on two pickle chips):
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 10 |
| Total Fat | 0 g |
| Sodium | 400 mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 2 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Protein | 0 g |
As you can see, Chick-fil-A pickles are very low in calories and fat. They do contain a high amount of sodium, which is typical for a brined and cured pickle product. The sodium content comes from the salt added to the pickling brine, which is necessary to achieve the characteristic pickled flavor.
The small amount of carbohydrates in Chick-fil-A pickles comes from natural sugars in the cucumbers. The lactic acid bacteria convert most of these sugars into sour acidic compounds during curing.
So while the twin pickle chips add a burst of flavor to sandwiches, they make little impact to the overall nutrition totals. But the pleasure they provide is priceless for Chick-fil-A fans!
Available Sizes of Chick-fil-A Pickles
In restaurants, Chick-fil-A uses their signature twin pickle chips on all sandwiches and wraps. Customers can also request additional pickle chips at no charge.
For retail customers, Chick-fil-A offers whole pickles and pickle slices in two convenient sizes:
| Product | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Chick-fil-A Dill Pickle Chips | 16 oz |
| Chick-fil-A Dill Pickle Slices | 16 oz, 30 oz |
The pickle chips are cut slightly thicker than the sandwich slices. The stand-up resealable pouches help keep the pickles fresh.
These retail pickle products allow fans to enjoy the signature Chick-fil-A pickle flavor in their own homes. The slices can be added to sandwiches, burgers, salads and more. The chips make a perfect salty snack.
Where to Buy Chick-fil-A Retail Pickles
Chick-fil-A sells their retail pickles on their online website at https://www.chick-fil-a.com/menu/dill-pickle-chips. They are shipped fresh directly to your door.
Select grocery stores, like Kroger and Publix, also carry Chick-fil-A retail pickles in the refrigerated deli section. Availability varies by location. Check your local store website to see if they offer the Chick-fil-A pickle products.
Some independent retailers purchase Chick-fil-A pickles wholesale and resell them in their stores. BBQ restaurants and burger joints may offer the pickles as an add-on option. Again, local availability varies.
Chick-fil-A pickle lovers seeking out the retail jars and pouches keep the products in high demand. Grab them when you spot them to make that signature flavor a part of your at-home dining experience.
Copycat Chick-fil-A Pickle Recipe
To recreate the Chick-fil-A pickle flavor profile at home, try this recipe:
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds small pickling cucumbers
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons dill seeds
- 4 dill sprigs
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions:
- Wash cucumbers well and trim off ends. Cut any large cucumbers lengthwise into spears.
- Combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a large pot. Bring to a boil to dissolve the salt and sugar.
- Place dill seeds, dill sprigs, garlic, mustard seeds, and red pepper flakes (if using) into 4 sterilized quart jars. Pack cucumbers tightly into jars.
- Pour hot pickling liquid over cucumbers to cover. Reserve any leftover liquid.
- Tap jar lids firmly to remove air bubbles. Make sure cucumbers are fully submerged.
- Refrigerate jars for at least 2 days before serving to allow flavors to develop.
- Store sealed pickles in refrigerator for up to 6 months.
These easy refrigerator pickles will give you the crunchy, tangy, garlicky dill flavor Chick-fil-A fans crave. Serve them up on your homemade chicken sandwiches for the complete experience.
Chick-fil-A Pickle FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Chick-fil-A famous pickles:
Why are Chick-fil-A pickles so good?
Chick-fil-A spends a lot of time perfecting their pickle profile. They use high-quality ingredients and a careful brining process. This results in a pickle with ideal crunch, juiciness, and authentic dill flavor.
Are Chick-fil-A pickles made in house?
No, Chick-fil-A sources their pickles from specialized commercial pickle companies. But they work closely with suppliers to achieve the flavor, texture, and appearance they desire.
What type of cucumbers are used?
Chick-fil-A primarily uses a variety called Kirby cucumbers. They are smaller, rounder cucumbers well-suited for pickling into chips.
Are the pickles kosher dill?
Chick-fil-A has not officially confirmed if their pickles follow kosher food preparation. But they are definitely a kosher dill-style pickle.
Why do they put two pickles on sandwiches?
Two pickles on the original chicken sandwich was the tradition started by founder S. Truett Cathy. The twin pickle chips on top became an iconic part of the Chick-fil-A sandwich.
Can you buy Chick-fil-A pickles in the grocery store?
Yes, Chick-fil-A sells their retail pickles in some grocery stores and online. They offer both whole pickle chips and sliced pickles.
Do Chick-fil-A pickles have preservatives?
Chick-fil-A has not provided details about preservatives. However, refrigerator pickles typically do not contain added preservatives.
Conclusion
The famous Chick-fil-A dill pickle chips add signature tang and crunch to their famous chicken sandwiches. Sourced from top suppliers, cold-brined, and slice into chips, they are perfectly shaped to sit atop a juicy fillet on a soft bun. Chick-fil-A leverages their expert pickle-procuring abilities to enhance flavors across their menu. Fans can even buy the store product to enjoy at home. With a passion for pickle perfection, it’s no wonder Chick-fil-A runs through an astonishing 300 million pickles per year!