KANSAS CITY, MO. — Crispy chicken is trending among new restaurant offerings. Many foodservice chains are pairing poultry with sauces ranging from sweet to spicy.
Boston Market is adding two new crispy chicken sandwiches to its menu, marking the first time the brand has offered a crispy chicken sandwich in its 30-year history.
The Nashville Hot Crispy Chicken Sandwich features a crispy chicken breast in a Nashville Hot sauce that blends cayenne pepper, chili powder, sugar, garlic and spices. The chicken is topped with pickles and ranch dressing and served on a toasted brioche bun.
The Crispy Chicken BLT Sandwich includes a crispy chicken breast topped with bacon, lettuce, tomato and ranch dressing on a toasted brioche bun.
“2020 is behind us, and so are the chicken sandwich wars,” said Randy Miller, president of Boston Market. “We’ve been bringing the heat in our rotisserie ovens for more than 30 years, and our new Nashville Hot Crispy Chicken Sandwich proves that there’s only room for one chicken expert in this country. Boston Market is and always will be king. With this new menu, we wanted to introduce Music City’s legendary hot sauce flavor to all of our guests across the country, and there’s no better way to do that than alongside our legendary rotisserie chicken and a crispy chicken sandwich that will quickly become the best thing our guests (and probably our competitors) will have ever tasted. Our Nashville Hot Crispy Chicken Sandwich is no doubt the best sandwich out there today, and we challenge everyone to put it to the taste — a taste test, of course.”
Crispy chicken meets sweet heat in the new General Tso’s Boneless Wings from Zaxby’s. The crispy chicken wings are tossed in a sauce made with ginger, soy, sesame, red peppers, habanero peppers, garlic and onion.
“General Tso's is Far-Eastern flavor with a kick from down South,” said Joel Bulger, chief marketing officer for Zaxby’s. “Zaxby’s has experimented with Asian-inspired cuisine and had huge success with our guests, who look to us for adventurous flavors and surprising combinations.”
Del Taco is debuting Honey Mango Crispy Chicken, which stars in three new menu items.
The Honey Mango Crispy Chicken Taco includes a crispy chicken strip, honey mango sauce, lettuce and grated cheddar cheese wrapped in a warm flour tortilla.
The Honey Mango Crispy Chicken & Churros Box contains three crispy chicken strips paired with mini churros sprinkled with cinnamon sugar all drizzled with honey mango sauce.
The Epic Honey Mango Crispy Chicken & Bacon Burrito features crispy chicken strips, bacon, crinkle cut fries, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream and honey mango sauce wrapped in a warm, oversized flour tortilla.
“Our new honey mango sauce will remind crispy chicken fans of that sweet and sour sauce they grew up with, but with a Del Taco flavor twist,” said Tim Hackbardt, chief marketing officer at Del Taco. “For crispy chicken lovers, our honey mango is a must try flavor whether it’s on a Crispy Chicken Taco for only a dollar, drizzled over chicken and churros, or devoured in an Epic Crispy Chicken Burrito full of bacon, sour cream and our famous crinkle cut fries.”
The Habit Burger Grill is now serving Double-Breaded Crispy Chicken Bites. The fried chicken breast nuggets feature “cridges” — extra pieces of fried batter — and come with a choice of smoky barbecue sauce or ranch dressing for dipping.
Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s are launching a new Fiery Sauce, which is served alongside crispy chicken tenders.
Sweetgreen is offering a better-for-you take on the crispy chicken trend with its new Crispy Chicken Salad. The dish features a double serving of crispy rice, romaine lettuce, baby spinach, blackened chicken, raw carrots, shredded cabbage, tomatoes, pickles and remoulade dressing.
“We introduced our new sustainable crispy rice to our menu last year, and it quickly became a favorite as the perfect way to add a healthy crunch to any dish,” said Nicolas Jammet, co-founder and chief concept officer of Sweetgreen. “We’re excited to launch our newest salad that spotlights the versatility of this ingredient, and delivers craveable, indulgent flavors to our guests in a dish they can still feel good eating.”
