Food Culture

12 Top Chicken Express Secret Menu Items To Try in 2025

Last Updated on October 15, 2025 | 0 Comments
Fried chicken feast served with classic sides

Are you intrigued by the prospect of exploring the Chicken Express secret menu? The Texan chain, celebrated for its mouth-watering fried chicken and comforting sides, has plenty of customers thanks to its regular menu.

However, it's the unique Chicken Express off-menu items that keep fans coming back for more, allowing them to try something new and creative with every visit.

And, with chicken chains outperforming the rest of the dining sector, as reported by The Food Institute, we wouldn't be surprised if more Chicken Express secret menu items appear in the coming years as the brand's customer base grows. 

Interested in learning more about this hidden menu? From unexpected flavor combinations to classic Southern delicacies, read on to uncover the Chicken Express secret menu and make your favorite order even better! 

 

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Does Chicken Express Have a Secret Menu?

While there isn't an official Chicken Express secret menu, fans of the chain have shared custom orders online for years. The most popular off-menu Chicken Express items have become well-known and combine to create an unofficial hidden menu, complete with more than 10 of the best hacks. 

To unlock these Chicken Express secret menu orders, check out our guide, which includes tips on how to get the items in-store. Remember that, as these aren't official menu items, the request may not be fulfilled. No matter what, be polite with the staff and understanding if your desired dishes can't be created. 

There are lots of options on the Chicken Express secret menu
via Chicken Express

The 12 Best Chicken Express Secret Menu Items

1. The Tender and Fish Combo

Enjoy the best of both worlds with this irresistible fusion of signature dishes from this popular chicken fast food chain. This Chicken Express secret menu combo pairs Chicken Express tenders (or any other type of chicken you'd like) with perfectly fried fish filets. 

To order this protein-packed secret menu dish, choose the combo of your choice with either chicken or fish and then request a side of the protein not featured in your chosen meal. It's as easy as that!

How To Order

  • Chicken Combo of Your Choice
  • Fish Filets

or

  • Fish Combo of Your Choice
  • Chicken Tenders
Fried fish and chicken tenders with a bread roll, fries and gravy
via Chicken Express

2. Spicy Loaded Fries

The side menu at Chicken Express already has an abundance of options. So, you may wonder if you need a Chicken Express secret menu side dish. However, having tried these spicy loaded fries, we can say that you absolutely do! 

Starting with a base of fries, you'll then cover them in jalapeño ranch and chopped jalapeños. Need more heat? Add some hot sauce.

We also liked chopped jalapeños paired with hot sauce and regular ranch, so, like with most things on the Chicken Express secret menu, this dish isn't set in stone and can be further customized to your liking. 

How To Order

  • Fries
  • Jalapeños
  • Jalapeño Ranch

3. The Chicken Tender and Liver Combo

For those with a curious palate, the chicken tender and liver combo from the Chicken Express secret menu offers an interesting twist on classic Southern fare.

Sink your teeth into three succulent chicken tenders, accompanied by six savory livers, expertly seasoned and cooked to perfection. To get a taste of this secret Chicken Express meal, choose your favorite chicken combo and ask for some livers to be added.

While finding a Chicken Express secret menu with prices is a little challenging, just remember that this will cost a little more than the standard chicken combo.

How To Order

  • Chicken Combo of Your Choice
  • Livers
A plate with fried chicken, mashed potatoes, a biscuit and gravy
via Chicken Express

4. Vegetarian Sandwich

Chicken Express is definitely not the place to go when looking for the best vegetarian fast food. However, if you don't eat meat and find yourself in a situation where you must order something, the Chicken Express secret menu can help you out.

This hack simply involves getting a bread roll and adding whichever dishes from the Chicken Express menu of sides take your fancy.

We found that cheese sticks were the best substitute for the bulk that meat adds to a sandwich, but you can really add whatever you like, with jalapeño poppers being another tasty primary ingredient.

If you can't decide what to add to your Chicken Express secret menu sandwich, we enjoyed cheese sticks with jalapeño ranch, with the option to add extra jalapeños for more heat.  

How To Order

  • Bread Roll
  • Sides of Your Choice

5. Girl Dinner

With so many side dish options, creating a Girl Dinner order made up of your favorite snacks is a great idea when you can't decide what to get and don't feel like mountains of fried chicken.

This is also another great Chicken Express menu hack for vegetarians who have found themselves somewhat forced to eat at the chain. Best of all, this Chicken Express secret menu order is super customizable. It really just involves picking whatever you're craving in the moment.

From fried pickles, coleslaw and mashed potatoes with gravy to jalapeño poppers, spicy tenders, cheese sticks and fried okra, the possibilities are endless. 

How To Order: Simply choose all your favorite Chicken Express side dishes, plus some tenders or chicken pieces if desired, to create a custom Chicken Express secret menu dinner! 

A selection of side dishes from Chicken Express
via Chicken Express

6. Chicken Sandwich With Gravy

Get a taste of the ultimate comfort food with this mouthwatering Chicken Express meal. Although chicken sandwiches don't feature on the regular menu, you can easily make one thanks to the Chicken Express secret menu. 

Order the secret Chicken Express chicken sandwich with gravy, and you'll get a fried chicken breast, smothered in rich gravy and nestled between toasted bun halves. Each bite delivers a burst of Southern flavor in portable, sandwich form. 

How To Order

  • Bread Roll 
  • Chicken Tenders
  • Gravy

7. Custom Chicken Sandwich 

Like the sound of a chicken sandwich, but don't want gravy? If so, this next Chicken Express secret menu order is for you!

While we love the gravy version, you can create the best fast food chicken sandwich for your tastes by adding any regular menu sides to your sandwich. To customize your Chicken Express meal further, add your favorite Chicken Express sauces as well.

From coleslaw or pickles paired with Chicken Express spicy tenders to mac and cheese with barbecue sauce or jalapeños and jalapeño ranch, the sandwich filling options are only as limited as your imagination. 

How To Order

  • Bread Roll 
  • Regular or Spicy Chicken Tenders
  • Other Fillings and Sauces of Your Choice
You can create a custom chicken sandwich with the Chicken Express secret menu
via Canva

8. Gizzards or Livers

For those wanting a truly unique experience of flavor, livers and gizzards on the Chicken Express secret menu are a must-try. While anyone can enjoy these, this order is an especially great choice for those looking to mix up their usual high-protein fast food order. 

Highly nutrient-rich, these morsels offer a distinctive texture and taste that will give you a taste of something adventurous but satisfying. To sample these unconventional delicacies, inquire with the staff about availability and request one or both as part of your order.

Many locations have them on the regular menu, making ordering a breeze. However, if you don't spot them, asking for them should result in you getting some. 

How To Order: Check the regular menu and if not available, ask the staff for a side of gizzards and/or livers. 

Fried livers on a plate with a bread roll, corn nuggets and gravy
via Chicken Express

9. Spicy Chicken Biscuit Sandwich 

Those who can't get enough of spicy food will want to taste this Chicken Express secret menu order as soon as possible! It's easy to make as well, simply comprising Chicken Express spicy tenders, hot sauce and a biscuit.

You can drizzle the hot sauce inside the sandwich or coat the meat in it to make Nashville fried chicken-style fast food chicken tenders

While this Chicken Express secret menu item is super tasty with just three ingredients, we love upping the spice level with chopped jalapeños. Jalapeño ranch from the Chicken Express sauce menu is also a great addition, either alongside or in place of the hot sauce. 

How To Order

  • Biscuit
  • Spicy Chicken Tenders
  • Hot Sauce
  • Jalapeños (optional)
  • Jalapeño Ranch (optional)

10. Chicken Biscuit Sandwich With Gravy

Those who want even more custom sandwich orders won't want to miss trying this Chicken Express off-menu item. Similar to the version that uses bread rolls, this secret sandwich sees Chicken Express tenders covered with gravy.

The gravy-doused chicken tenders are then served inside a perfectly cooked biscuit instead of a fluffy bread roll. Simple to prepare and delicious to eat, it's a comfort food lover's perfect Chicken Express dish. 

How To Order

  • Biscuit
  • Chicken Tenders
  • Gravy
Chicken sandwich with gravy and biscuits
via Canva

11. Chicken Schnitzel

Is an order of chicken schnitzel at Chicken Express 100% possible? Not really. But can something that mimics the flavors of a chicken schnitzel be created with the Chicken Express secret menu? We think so!

To do it, order a serving of chicken. Chicken breast is the flattest option, and is what is generally used in classic chicken schnitzel. However, it won't be quite as flat as it isn't flattened pre-cooking. 

Next, you'll add mashed potatoes — plus any other Chicken Express menu sides you'd like — and complete the dish by covering it in rich, velvety gravy.

How To Order

  • Chicken Breast
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Gravy
  • Other Sides of Your Choice (optional)

12. DIY Chicken and Waffles

Experience a harmonious fusion of sweet and savory by making chicken and waffles with this next Chicken Express secret menu hack. Anyone constantly on the hunt for the best fast food breakfast will be the first to tell you that Chicken Express doesn't serve breakfast. And, this is true. 

Due to this, chicken and waffles is a Chicken Express secret menu dish that can only partially be made by ordering at the chain. Basically, you get the crispy goodness of Chicken Express chicken (which you will take to go) paired with your favorite waffles.

Whether these are from another chain, made at home or simply the best frozen waffles at the store, the little bit of extra effort involved in this Chicken Express secret menu dish is worth it in our opinion! 

Once the primary components are ready, slather them in syrup and butter (the latter of which can also be ordered at Chicken Express in a convenient single-serve container) and enjoy!

How To Make

  • Chicken Express Fried Chicken
  • Waffles
  • Syrup
  • Butter
Chicken and waffles served with butter and syrup
via Canva

How We Created This Chicken Express Secret Menu Guide

With over a decade of experience in the food industry, the team at Cozymeal is well-versed in the hidden world of fast food secret menus. And, we’ve set out to create helpful guides to the best secret menus, like the one for Chicken Express.

To create this guide to the secret menu at Chicken Express, we started by rounding up our favorite menu hacks that we already turn to when visiting the chain. Next, we undertook research, talking to other foodies and scouring platforms known to share custom order ideas like Reddit, Instagram and TikTok. 

This in-depth process resulted in a guide that outlines all the best Chicken Express special orders, so you can get to what matters most: trying the tastiest secret menu dishes for yourself!

A plate of plain and spicy chicken tenders from Chicken Express
via Chicken Express

The Chicken Express secret menu is a treasure trove of delicious dishes. With this guide to the secret menu at Chicken Express in hand, you can now get a taste of the best custom orders. It may even encourage you to be creative and come up with an off-menu order of your own. 

Whether you try one hack or all of them, uncovering hidden gems on the Chicken Express secret menu will make your dining experience much more interesting.

Remember, the key to unlocking these secret delights lies in your confidence to inquire as well as the willingness of the friendly staff to make the order, so be patient and accept if the dish you like can't be created at the time. 

For even more ways to explore your favorite foods, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.