KFC are about to launch a new Cheetos-topped fried chicken sandwich

Chicken and Cheetos might not sound like a likely combination. While some food franchises have been dusting radioactive Cheeto crumbs around their menus for a while, most have fallen short of adding whole puffed cornmeal pieces directly into the equation. However, sometimes all it takes is one pioneer to take a small step, before everyone decides that we’ve actually been missing out for years.

Hoping to be the first to take that step, KFC have announced a brand new sandwich for 2019. The sandwich in question comes complete with signature recipe chicken and mayonnaise, as well as a handful of crispy, cheesy original Cheetos and a special Cheetos sauce. It is probably the world’s cheesiest sandwich that doesn’t contain any real cheese.

According to an official release provided by KFC, the sandwich will only be available for a four week period, and will be limited to the United States. In a statement, the company said, “After an overwhelmingly successful test earlier this year, Kentucky Fried Chicken and fan-favourite Cheetos are giving fans nationwide access to the sought-after Cheetos Sandwich.” In addition to the main release, the business are also planning a special event in New York where customers will be able to get their hands on Cheetos-fried KFC Hot Wings, Cheetos Loaded Fries and the KFC Mac & Cheetos Bowl. It all adds up to an exciting summer for cheese and chicken fanatics.

While the new item will undoubtedly cause a stir among lurid fast food fan groups, its introduction is actually much more significant than it first appears. According to Business Insider, the limited release is part of a new marketing plan for KFC, which will see the brand launch more new dishes in 2019 than in the previous five years put together.

In an interview with Insider, president of KFC’s US business, Kevin Hochman, revealed that, “There’s a foot in this old world of core chicken and sides … But if we really want to attract a younger customer it can’t just be about fun advertising and fun stunts. That’s really why we said we’re going to double down on innovation and try to figure out how we bring some new recipes to the restaurant.” What this approach means for future releases is not completely clear. However, there’s little doubt that customers can look forward to enjoying some extremely unorthodox dishes over the coming months.