The Latest Chicken Sandwich Competitor: Jimmy John's Smokin' Kickin' Chicken

While I'm not going to categorize this as a direct salvo into the fried chicken fray, we do have a new challenger entering the arena: Jimmy John's Smokin' Kickin' Chicken sandwich. It features "juicy seasoned chicken, creole chili pepper sauce, Jimmy peppers, provolone cheese, avocado, onions, lettuce, oil, vinegar and mayo on your choice of fresh-baked bread," according to a press release. This actually sounds pretty good!

This sandwich promises to be a little punchier than the rest of the menu's mainstays of ham, turkey, roast beef, and Italian sub meats. Jimmy John's doesn't do a bunch of limited-time-only offerings, so this is sort of a standout move. We were fans of the last specialty item, the Frenchie, a minimalist butter and meat baguette-style sandwich.

Jimmy John's will officially be dropping the word on Super Bowl Sunday with this new commercial, which is actually pretty great:

If you're wondering why the commercial is so cinematic, it's because it was directed by Australian film director Craig Gillespie, who directed I, Tonya (2017) and Lars and the Real Girl (2007). Brad Garrett stars as Tony Bolognavich, whose name feels like a dig at what I had for lunch yesterday, and it's got sort of Goodfellas sort of vibe to it, but involving deli meats. Pretty slick, and a little more subtle than some dude shouting "Freaky fast" a bunch of times.

The new sandwich is actually out now, and will stick around until March 21, or while supplies last. Jimmy John's promises that this is just the first of a few new sandwiches headed our way throughout the year.