KFC adding an upgraded ‘premium’ chicken sandwich to the menu

Apart from hard seltzer and keto crash dieting, last year was all about the fried chicken sandwich. Once Louisiana-based franchise Popeyes sent the fast-food fandom into total meltdown, the entire industry realised it was missing out. From epic queues to art exhibitions, fried chicken sandwiches were the touchstone of 2019. 

But, just when you thought interest might have faded in poultry burgers, perhaps the biggest name in the game has now decided to stoke the embers. In an announcement that has got fried chicken fans everywhere hot under the collar, internationally popular brand KFC has announced plans for a new and improved sandwich. It’s the tasty sequel we’ve all been waiting for.

In a press release accompanying the announcement, the company revealed that they were disappointed not to have been a bigger part of the original sandwich debate. As KFC U.S.’s chief marketing officer Andrea Zahumensky said in a press release:

“We wanted a chicken sandwich that really lives up to our legacy as the fried chicken experts and, let’s face it, ours wasn’t the one to beat. 

Check out the recipe for Twisted’s Giant Fried Chicken Donut Sandwich:

“We knew an upgrade was necessary, so we painstakingly selected each ingredient to create a bigger, better and more premium sandwich than ever. I think we’ve unlocked a chicken sandwich that won’t just compete — it’ll win with fried chicken lovers everywhere.”

Here’s hoping that the new dish finally fits the bill. 

In order to compete with the likes of Popeyes and Chick-Fil-A, who most fans agree led the pack last year, The Colonel has made some subtle twists to their formula. As Zahumensky revealed:

“Our food innovation team set out to create our best chicken sandwich yet, and to find the perfect combination of ingredients to pair with our world-famous fried chicken. They left no stone unturned. They tested pickles with eight variations of thickness and brines before we landed on our pickle. And for our perfect brioche bun, we collaborated with six different bakeries and tested more than ten formula revisions in order to find the right one to hug the larger-than-ever filet in just the right way.”

While it remains to be seen whether KFC can weigh in on the bigger sandwich battle, it certainly looks like they’re pulling out all the stops.