Saucy Nuggets in five flavors arrive at KFC locations Monday, giving nugget lovers three brand-new sauce options along with two returning favorites.
The three new sauces tap into several current flavor trends:
Honey Sriracha embraces the sweet-heat or “swicy” trend with its blend of red chili peppers, garlic and honey.Korean BBQ is all about umami, with sweet-savory notes derived from soy sauce, garlic, sugar and sesame.
Sticky Chicky Sweet ‘n Sour balances sweet and tangy flavors with a combo of pineapple, garlic, vinegar and chili.
Returning by popular demand—propelled by fans’ petitions on social media—are Nashville Hot, a smoky, spicy sauce giving equal play to heat, flavor and smokiness; and Georgia Gold, a milder honey-mustard sauce made with vinegar, honey and savory seasonings.
In-store guests can purchase 10 new Saucy Nuggets for $5.99, coated with one of the five flavors. Customers who place digital orders through KFC.com or the KFC app can get a free 10-piece Saucy Nuggets when they spend $10 or more.
Louisville, Kentucky-based KFC introduced its crispy white meat chicken nuggets a year ago, accompanied by KFC’s standard sauces: KFC Sauce, Honey BBQ, Classic Ranch, Honey Mustard or Buffalo Ranch. Those sauces were packaged to serve on the side as nugget dips, but the new Saucy Nuggets come “dripping in sauce.”
“KFC has never been so finger lickin’ good—literally,” said Nick Chavez, CMO of KFC U.S. in a statement. “We’ve entered the sauce chat. Our KFC Nuggets—made from 100% white meat chicken and hand-breaded with KFC’s secret recipe of 11 herbs & spices—dripping with these sauces create an unmatched flavor experience, with something for every palate.”
That “sauce chat” seems to be getting louder, as the competition for distinctive sauces heats up in chains. Indeed, 34% of consumers consider what sauces and condiments are available when deciding which restaurant to visit, according to Restaurant Business sister company Technomic.
KFC's nugget-size dessert, Apple Pie Poppers, also launches Monday.
KFC’s nuggets were doing pretty well on their own, with 100 million sold in eight weeks after their 2023 debut and becoming “a crowd-pleaser,” according to the chain. Bolder, more complex sauce flavors should keep the momentum going.
There's also a nugget-size dessert launching Monday: Apple Pie Poppers. Each bite-sized sweet snack is filled with warm apple pie filling and wrapped in a buttery and flaky crust. Four Apple Pie Poppers go for $2.49.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.