The Ultimate Post-Finals Treat Yourself

Author: Isabella Sturgis

Photographer: Rhedintza Audryna

Searching for my next heavily caloric adventure, I recently stumbled upon Do-Rite Donuts’ secret spicy chicken sandwich. Obviously I had to try it for myself--only upon arriving, I realized it’s not so secret anymore. At Do-Rite’s Streeterville location (chicken is only served at their West Loop and Streeterville outposts), the menu on the wall offers the option to make any chicken sandwich “spicy” or “on a donut” for a dollar extra--essentially giving you the previously “secret” menu item.

It comes as no surprise that Do-Rite couldn’t keep the chicken-donut-behemoth a secret. I expected to be regrettably stuffed after just one bite, but the sandwich was surprisingly manageable (granted, I split it with a friend). The chicken was spicy enough to compete with the sweetness of the donut, but not too spicy to take over the entire taste profile. The donut was light and fluffy, and while making my fingers stickier than a regular bun, it was really a perfect texture against the chicken’s crunch. There’s a modest addition of mayo, lettuce, and pickles, adding some more welcome saltiness to the donut bun. And while made up of notorious drunk foods, this sandwich doesn’t require inebriation. It may seem like a product of the “more is more” food trend we all recognize from our Instagram feeds, but it achieves a balance that somehow makes fried chicken and a donut seem like a reasonable combination.

Besides the crown jewel of gluttony, Do-Rite offers over a dozen other donuts from $1.95-3.50. I sampled a meager twelve of what they had that day, though they rotate their menu occasionally. My personal favorites were the Pistachio Meyer Lemon, a subtly lemon cake donut with sweet lemon glaze topped with toasted  pistachios; the Buttermilk Old Fashioned, a remarkably moist cake donut with a crunchy glazed exterior; the Coconut, a cake donut filled with cream and topped with a generous helping of shredded coconut; and theVanilla Birthday Cake, another perfectly chewy cake donut--coincidentally gluten free-- topped with classic sprinkles The only slightly disappointing flavors were the two vegan donuts--the Spiced Maple Chai and the Double Chocolate--which were denser than the others and slightly drier. Admittedly, I haven’t tasted many vegan donuts so maybe these are better than the standard.

If you haven’t tapped out by now, wash it all down with a Hazelnut Coffee made with Nutella. The iced version is more like chocolate milkshake than coffee, but hey--why stop now!