KFC Is Bringing The Thunder With Two New Chicken Sandwiches

The fast food fried chicken sandwich competition continues. KFC is introducing two new versions of its chicken sandwich this month, being released and tested first in Florida's Tampa Bay Area. Both are heftier versions of the company's chicken sandwich released in 2021.

Perhaps consumers did not mind the paltry, er, poultry, sandwiches, coming from most chains in the last decade — the tiny, breaded chicken filets on a bun or in a wrap, small or thin, that often fit adorably in the palm of your hand. That is until Popeyes released its hearty chicken sandwich in 2019, designed, no doubt, to compete with the ever-popular Chick-fil-A sandwich.

Ever since, the fast-food market has steadily become more robust in the chicken sandwich category. That includes KFC. Does anyone remember KFC's fried-chicken-as-bread Double Down (introduced in 2010) and the ambitious Chicken and Donut campaign of 2019? KFC is now exploring other versions of its chicken filet that debuted two years ago, simply named the KFC Chicken Sandwich. It is a quarter-pound of white meat chicken, double-breaded and fried, topped with pickles and mayo or spicy sauce, all on a brioche bun. It is a respectable competitor in the ever-growing chicken sandwich market that gave birth to two new versions this month.

KFC's latest sandwiches, the Ultimate BBQ KFC Chicken Sandwich and the Spicy Slaw Chicken Sandwich, are built on an extra crispy chicken filet atop a brioche bun. The Ultimate BBQ is topped with honey BBQ sauce, crispy fried onions, hickory-smoked bacon, melted cheese, and pickles. The Spicy Slaw includes coleslaw, spicy mayo, and pickles. Still in the testing stages, both are available in the Tampa Bay area only. At the moment, there is no date for the nationwide rollout.

In the meantime, a smaller version of KFC's chicken sammie is debuting at KFC locations nationwide this month. The Classic KFC Chicken Wrap is an extra crispy chicken tender, with pickles, and mayo, lounging in a tortilla. Its sister snack, the Spicy Slaw KFC Chicken Wrap, also has a tender with coleslaw, spicy sauce, and pickles. Similar to McDonald's chicken snack wraps, the KFC version aims to attract a younger clientele with a quick bite that's lighter and less expensive, according to Nation's Restaurant News.

Other KFC menu items will be sacrificed in the name of simplicity, Brittany Wilson, KFC's director in the United States, told Parade magazine. Popcorn chicken, chicken wings, Nashville hot sauce, and strawberry lemonade, are some of the items departing to make room for KFC's chicken newcomers, as well as returning items like Chizza, a combination of pizza and fried chicken.