Does Chick-Fil-A Use Pickle Juice In Its Chicken Batter?

It's no secret that Chick-fil-A is all about all things chicken. One of Chick-fil-A's most-ordered items is the chicken sandwich, after all. But the chain's love of chicken isn't the only thing that has helped it stand out against all the other burger-focused fast food joints; It's also about how the chain makes its chicken.

Eager fans and home cooks have tried to crack Chick-fil-A's chicken-making code for years, with many claiming pickle juice in the fried chicken batter is what gives it its signature taste. Unfortunately, this is widely considered to be a myth since Chick-fil-A has never confirmed it. That said, the chicken is indeed soaked in a salt and sugar brine. There is also one ingredient that is definitely present in both the chicken seasoning and coating: monosodium glutamate (MSG).

That's right, the ingredient famous for its contribution to long-standing myths about Chinese food is what makes Chick-fil-A's chicken so tasty. Combined with Chick-fil-A's unique method of cooking chicken, this is how the chain creates a flavor profile like no other. While it's not exactly the full recipe, knowing a portion of it is half the battle.

The reason so many believe that Chick-fil-A uses pickle juice in its chicken batter is largely due to the internet. The company's lack of a statement regarding these rumors means the idea was never fully shut down. It also didn't help that former employees encouraged the rumor.

One former Chick-fil-A manager claimed online that the chicken was marinated in pickle juice, then dipped in buttermilk before it was breaded and cooked. Other former employees from as far back as the '90s claimed on Reddit that the chicken arrived at stores, pre-brined in pickle juice. But some have also claimed that these statements are strictly urban legend and that they have never witnessed the use of pickle juice for chicken at any location.

The strange thing about this claim is that while Chick-fil-A's chicken definitely has a distinct tang to it, there's nothing about the ingredients list on Chick-fil-A's website that indicates the presence of pickle juice. For home cooks, though, a pickle juice marinade can work in place of MSG. Those who can't get their hands on MSG, or simply don't want to use it, can find ways to achieve the same tangy flavor with the help of — yep — pickle juice.