KFC adds Saucy Nuggets to menu. Here’s how they taste
We’ve got good news and bad news from Kentucky Fried Chicken.
First the bad news — Chizza is gone. The fried chicken, pizza mashup that actually was chicken parmesan had its limited-time run end March 31. The Chizza can only hope at some point to claim cult status and annually return to the menu like McDonald’s McRib.
Of course, when one item leaves, something has to replace it. KFC decided to get a little saucy.
KFC’s Saucy Nuggets dropped Monday to replace the Chizza.
What are KFC Saucy Nuggets?
KFC took their nuggets and — in this case — instead of giving out packets of sauces, they are putting the nuggets in a bowl and saucing them. If you think it’s like boneless chicken wings, you’re not far off. A better description would be a sweet-and-sour chicken at a Chinese restaurant and not getting any rice.
Customers have five sauces to choose from:
● Honey Siracha: A sweet heat sauce using a blend of red chili peppers, garlic and honey
● Korean BBQ: A sweet and savory umami sauce with soy sauce, garlic, sugar and sesame
● Sticky Chicky Sweet ‘n Sour
Sauce: A balanced combination of sweet and tangy flavors including pineapple, garlic, vinegar and chili
● Nashville Hot: Smoky, spicy and crispy, with an even ratio of flavor and smokiness to heat that brings balance
● Georgia Gold: A honey mustardstyle BBQ sauce made with vinegar, honey and savory seasoning
The Georgia Gold and Nashville Hot are both flavors KFC has used in the past. The other three are new.
The Saucy Nuggets are available in a 10-piece entrée for $5.99, or as part of a combo meal with a medium drink and Secret Recipe Fries for $9.99, according to KFC.
How do the new KFC Saucy Nuggets flavors taste?
It’s important to note that the strength of the flavor may depend on the person saucing the nuggets. If you have a small to medium amount of sauce and the nuggets aren’t mixed heavily, you’re going to taste the nugget more than the sauce. If the nuggets have a large amount of sauce and are thoroughly mixed, you’ll have a much heavier sauce flavor.
Sticky Chicky: KFC hits all the right flavor notes on the sweet-and-sour sauce. It blends well with the chicken. The pineapple flavor is most prominent. If you had some rice you could easily take these home and have a nice meal.
Korean BBQ: This is a very nice mix of flavors and it compliments the chicken. This sauce works best when it’s not overwhelming the chicken because the flavors work nicely together. It would be wise for KFC to introduce this as a dipping sauce.
Honey Siracha: Out of the three new sauces, this is the best. You have a touch of heat that doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable. The sweetness of the honey adds a nice balance to the heat of the Siracha. The best part is that it doesn’t matter if the nugget is coated or drizzled, the sauce-nugget combination works.
Overall, the Saucy Nuggets are a solid fast-food attempt at a version of boneless wings.
Are Saucy Nuggets good car food?
They are KFC nuggets, so they’re small, easy to eat and seemingly conducive to eating while driving. However, the sauces are incredibly sticky and messy. Your steering wheel and gearshift handle will be easier to hang on to in a not-so-nice way. Plus, there’s always the potential for dropping a nugget and the sauce getting on your clothes, car set or anywhere in the front seat.
If you’re driving and get KFC, get a sandwich, plain nuggets, tenders or another combo. While doable, the potential for a mess makes Saucy Nuggets a better dine-in or at-home option.
KFC adds Apple Pie Poppers
But wait, there’s more! KFC is adding a new dessert to its menu — Apple Pie Poppers.
One look at the promotional image makes you think of the old McDonald’s apple pies with the crispy fried crust and the filling that was hotter than lava. Sadly, the Apple Pie Poppers aren’t that.
The crust does have a slight crunch to them, but slightly resembles the flavor of a fried dough you’d get at the county fair. The apple cinnamon filling is good. It’s not the best fast-food apple pie, but it’s a fun treat to have on a spring and summer day. The poppers come in a bag of four for $2.49.