Just as there has been a yearslong "chicken sandwich wars," fast-food chains keep trying to find new ways to serve customers the beloved chicken nugget.
While the pieces of breaded white chicken meat are for many still synonymous with McDonald's (MCD), almost every major fast-food chain has given the nugget its own spin — from spicy to extra-crispy to shaped as something signature to the brand.
DON'T MISS: Burger King Tries New Take on a McDonald's, Wendy's
In the case of Restaurant Brands International (QSR)-owned Burger King, the chicken nugget has been a permanent menu staple for decades. The chain most known for the "Whopper" first introduced its own breaded chunks of chicken meat when, in the 1980s, rival McDonald's was working hard to promote and sell the McNugget.
Burger King
You Have Two Months To Taste The Fiery Chicken Nuggets
While Burger King tried to carve out a signature niche with a larger sauce selection than its competitors (the six regulars are barbecue, buffalo, honey mustard, ranch, zesty and sweet chili), the chain has also experimented with different nuggets as well — die-hard fans will remember the "Dirty Vegan" nuggets and dill pickle nuggets of years past.
This summer, Burger King is bringing back another reinvented favorite from its past product vault — coated in a spicy glaze of cayenne pepper, bird's eye chili and black pepper, the new Fiery Chicken Nuggets are similar to the Ghost Pepper Nuggets launched in 2021 and the Fiery Nuggets that the chain tested in the Chicago area in 2022. The key difference, the chain says in its promotional content, is that these will top the spice chart.
Released as part of a "Fire And Ice" promotion for the summer, the Fiery Chicken Nuggets also come out alongside a new Frozen Fanta Kickin' Mango drink meant to cool down the heat with tastes of mango and citrus. The Fanta brand is owned by the Coca-Cola Company (KO) and available at most Burger King locations.
"The Fiery Nuggets needed an equally tasty companion, so we're excited to introduce this (combo) that simultaneously cools and kicks up the heat," Dane Callis, senior brand manager for Fanta North America, said in a statement.
The Frozen Fanta Kickin' Mango will sell for $1 while the nuggets will set one back $2.49 for an eight-piece orders. Both will hit menus on June 19 (some locations in Denver and Miami will be able to buy them earlier) and be available until August 17.
Here's Why Chains Keep Fighting Over The Spicy Chicken Nugget
In honor of what meteorologists often call the "Hottest Day of the Year," those who join or are already members of Burger King's loyalty program will be able to get one small Frozen Fanta Kickin' Mango drink for free on July 26.
For several years now, spicy chicken nuggets have been in the spotlight after a Wendy's tweet promising to bring them back to the menu if it was liked two million times went viral in 2019.
Similarly to the chicken sandwich wars following the viral fame of fellow RBI chain Popeyes, other chains then started jumping on the bandwagon by saying "look, we do spicy chicken nuggets too."
Even McDonald's introduced a spicy take on its signature McNuggets in 2020 and, in 2023, brought them back again as a limited-time promotion in several international markets.
