TikTok Can't Stop Making Chick-Fil-A Spicy Mac And Cheese Bowls
Between skewering nugget boxes with straws and crafting spicy mac and cheese concoctions, TikTok is overloaded with Chick-fil-A hacks. Once upon a time, there was even a Franken-crunch wrap supreme floating around. It was filled with chopped Chick-fil-A nuggets, french fries, and mac and cheese before being neatly wrapped in a hexagon-shaped tortilla. It was as exciting as those nostalgic crossover episodes between our favorite shows, except with the chicken mini giant and Taco Bell. Now, if only we could find a way to get those breakfast burritos after 10:30 a.m.
However, as exciting as these trends were, many of them were more myths than they were facts. Does anyone remember the rumor about a $5 Chick-fil-A box lunch complete with fries, nuggets, mac and cheese, ice cream, and a drink? How about the "budget Cobb salad," where you could add any extras to a side salad for free? Unfortunately, many restaurants now only offer the kale crunch side salad, which comes with roasted almonds as a standalone freebie. And the beloved nugget box (revealed to be just a kid's meal) has tragically increased to nearly $7.
But despite many of these Chick-fil-A hacks having fallen short, one has remained at the top of the food chain: the spicy mac and cheese bowl.
This spicy mac and cheese bowl is Chick-fil-A's sweetest hack
A few years ago, Jenee Suggs had a craving for buffalo mac and cheese. While this usually wouldn't have been a problem, the year was 2020, and locations that sold this spicy comfort food were few and far in between. So, Suggs went on a journey to create her own. "I'm a 'foodie' so I love foods that excite my taste buds," she told It's A Southern Thing. "Since the pandemic, I haven't been able to get to any restaurants that serve items like Buffalo mac and cheese so since I had the time I decided to finally do it."
Suggs uploaded a (since-deleted) photo on Facebook showcasing her version of buffalo mac and cheese from Chick-fil-A. She didn't expect the attention it would receive. "I posted it and took a nap for work. When I woke up, it was at 4,000 shares. Now it's up to 28,000 shares, and I'm still in disbelief."
Since then, the spicy mac and cheese bowl has become an off-menu game-changer for TikTok fans and Chick-fil-A employees. Starting with an empty salad bowl, dump in your crispy nuggets, waffle fries, and a side order of mac and cheese. Then, drizzle on some classic Chick-fil-A and Zesty Buffalo sauces (or sriracha and garden herb ranch) before placing the lid on top. Shake it up and enjoy.
It can also be made into sandwiches and burritos
Along with TikTok, Reddit users in the Chick-fil-A subreddit can't get enough of the spicy mac and cheese bowl. However, it's recommended that the meal be downsized as portions can be too large for some. "Seems like a lot having the fries in there too," commented Reddit user @Jfra73. "I get an 8 piece grilled nuggets and cut them up to mix in with the mac & cheese with a pack of Buffalo sauce. Usually I'll add a little extra hot sauce too."
There have been many variations of the bowl, with one of the most popular becoming an entirely new sandwich. TikTok account @grubspot recommends ordering a regular or spicy chicken sandwich and mac and cheese. But instead of taking out the entire sandwich from the paper bag, remove only the bread and pickles and leave the chicken patty in. Then, dump in your favorite spicy sauces, shake the bag, and set the evenly coated fried chicken back on the bread. Lastly, add the small bowl of mac and cheese, drizzle on some buffalo sauce, replace the top bun, and smush.
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The bowl can also be made into a burrito, referred to as the "chic-tortilla." To make this, grab a tortilla and layer it with mac and cheese. Break it apart, add the chicken patty, and top it off with some fries and sauce. Wrap it up and toast on a pan over medium heat until lightly browned.