KFC's Double Down: Double Delicious & Double Trouble

Kentucky Fried Chicken released its new chicken sandwich, the "Double Down," in early April—taking a bold stand for fast food chains and stirring up a hornet's nest of controversy across the nation. Health advocates are outraged, websites such as thisiswhyyourefat.com are paying homage to it, and foodies either love it or hate it.

Just what is all the fuss about? The Double Down, available now at the KFC on South Avenue just outside Fanwood, features two strips of bacon, a mayonnaise-based "special sauce," and a blend of Monterey jack and pepper jack cheese sandwiched between two breaded, fried chicken breasts. The entire, bunless magilla is encased in a paper wrapper.

According to KFC, the Double Down contains 540 calories, 32 grams of total fat, and 1,380 milligrams of sodium. While nutritionists and laymen alike find it hard to believe all that fried food only weighs in at 540 calories, there's no arguing the Double Down's off-the-charts sodium intake which is more than half the FDA's recommended daily allowance per day.

In a country known to tip the scales as one of the unhealthiest, fattest in the world, where celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has personally battled against processed foods in the public school lunch program, KFC has done the unthinkable: brazenly and proudly put out a sandwich that people know they shouldn't eat. But they do, and they do it for one reason. Quite simply, the Double Down tastes pretty darn good.

Without a doubt, the best part of fried chicken is its crunchy, coating—and double the chicken means four sides of finger-lickin' fried goodness. Combine that with melty cheese, a zesty, spicy sauce, and you've got yourself a heck of a tasty treat. If there's one thing KFC has mastered since Colonel Harland Sanders first took up his frying pan in 1930, it's their fried chicken, and the star attraction definitely shines in this embarrassment of riches.

Was it the best-tasting sandwich I should never have eaten? Not by a long shot. The Double Down has flaws, including its two sad, limp pieces of bacon that brought little taste or texture to the table. And it was only two bites in that the bunless novelty wore off. Eating the Double Down straight out of a greasy wrapper was not an appealing or easy experience. I actually think the packaging brought even more attention to the fact that I was inhaling a truly unhealthy mess.

KFC does offer a grilled version of its Double Down, which clocks in at fewer calories (460) and fat (23 grams) but higher levels of sodium (1,430 milligrams). Taste-wise, though, it's no contest. The grilled sandwich is a double-dose of dry, cardboard-tasting chicken, and no concoction of cheese, sauce, or equally dry bacon can save it.

KFC might have blazed the trail with its unprecedented Double Down monstrosity, but its competition is catching up in a hurry. Burger King also announced in April that they will start selling Whoppers during morning hours, as well as non-alcoholic mimosas containing orange juice and Sprite in targeted regions—all of which will no doubt cause heartburn for health-conscious advocates and child obesity prevention groups.

Is there a saving grace in the Double Down? Indulgers may find some comfort in the fact that the double-delicious sandwich is actually much smaller than the tv photos and print ads make it appear. Plus, there are other fast food items currently on the market that may not look as outrageously unhealthy but are. Besides, you can always wash the Double Down down with a Diet Coke if it'll make you feel better.