A certain fast-food chain, beloved for its fried chicken, recently released a sandwich version of its crispy tenders, and people went crazy.

Literally, lines at drive-throughs snaked around blocks, the chain sold out of sandwiches, photos of the thing were being posted all over social media, all the time.

Funny thing is, the sandwich is basically a few of the restaurant’s chicken tenders slapped on a bun with some pickles.

Readers, I’m here to tell you that there’s much better than that out there. Locally made, with care, crispy/juicy chicken sandwiches. And every time I thought I was done with this list, I’d hear about another one that I just had to try, so it took a little while to get this to you.

While I believe fast food has its place (say, on a road trip), if you’re going to wait for a chicken sandwich, I suggest it be one of these.

Revival

This, to me, is the pinnacle of chicken sandwiches. Juicy chicken thigh, fried until the perfect crispness, served with a generous swipe of mayo, crisp lettuce and a little tang from house-made pickles on a pillowy bun. The plain is everything that chain restaurant wishes it was, and the Tennessee hot is the sandwich of this spice-lover’s dreams.

$12 (sides not included); 525 Selby Ave., St. Paul, 651-340-2355; 4257 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-345-4516; revivalfriedchicken.com

Grand Catch

It’s the dirty-good buttermilk pickle sauce that really takes this tasty, crispy sandwich from award-winning chef Sameh Wadi to the next level. Of course, expertly fried chicken, a pile of actual pickles, crisp lettuce and a bun that holds up but is still soft doesn’t hurt the situation.

$11 (sides not included); 1672 Grand Ave, St. Paul; 651-348-8541; grandcatchmn.com

Just/US

This newly relocated chef’s collective restaurant has eschewed the prix fixe model to focus on upscale bar food, and the ultra flavorful chicken sandwich is a really great example of what they’re doing. Juicy chicken is breaded and fried until deep golden, slathered in a deeply spiced, slightly sweet harissa honey sauce that pairs shockingly well with some aged cheddar and house-made pickles and served on a soft, almost crumbly bun. It’s served with some house-cut, worth-the-calories fries, too.

$14 (includes fries); 275 E. 4th St., St. Paul; justusmn.com

Bap and Chicken

Speaking of flavor bombs, the twice-fried, tempura battered, tender chicken thigh on this sandwich is topped with a bright and light cabbage-cucumber slaw that almost upstages the chicken. Almost. It’s finished off with a super-tasty spicy mayo.

$10 (sides not included); 1328 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-333-0929; bapandchicken.com

Urban Growler Brewing

This chicken-tenders-made-sandwich is maybe closest to the fast-food version, but still better by a mile. Those super crisp tenders are paired with a sweet barbecue sauce and a zippy honey mustard as well as crisp pickles and slaw on a good, squishy bun.

$13.50 (includes fries); 2325 Endicott St., St. Paul; 651-340-5793; urbangrowlerbrewing.com

Surly Brewing

This is not the first chicken sandwich to grace this brewery’s ever-changing menu, but it is possibly the best. A schnitzel-fied chicken cutlet is dipped in a Tennessee hot sauce that is spicy, but not overly so, and topped with wonderfully dilly pickles and an herby, tangy house-made ranch. It’s a delightful mashup that I hope finds a permanent place on the menu.

$14 (includes fries); 520 Malcolm Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 763-999-4040; surlybrewing.com

Brunson’s Pub

Have I mentioned how much I love Brunson’s Pub? Every menu item is solid, the drinks are great and inexpensive for what they are, and the service is so friendly that it’s impossible to leave grumpy. This sandwich starts with crispy chicken and tops it with tangy swiss, a sweet honey dijon aioli, house-made pickles, tomatoes and lettuce, all on a Breadsmith pretzel bun.

$11 (includes house-made chips); 956 Payne Ave., St. Paul; 651-447-2483; brunsonspub.com

Alary’s

Chef Mik German is turning out some first-rate bar food at this longtime bar in downtown St. Paul, and the fried chicken sandwich is no exception. German marinates the chicken in buttermilk before frying it until golden and crisp. It’s served with an herb-spiked mayo and lots of crisp pickles on a really nice brioche bun.

$11 (includes chips or slaw); 139 E. 7th St., St. Paul; 651-224-7717; alarys.com

Cook St. Paul

This very lightly breaded sandwich exceeded all expectations with its bright, spicy, creamy contrasts. The flavors of nuoc cham, the delicious fish-sauce-based Vietnamese dipping sauce, are replicated with a spice dusting on the chicken, some vinegary cucumbers and a “spicy umami slaw” that I could eat a bowl full of. Get it with the Japanese furikake fries for an extra dose of yum.

$11 (includes Koritos, upgrade to fries for $2 or furikake fries for $4); 1124 Payne Ave.; 651-756-1787; cookstp.com