We ranked chicken nuggets from 6 fast-food chains. Taco Bell's new nuggets came out on top.
We tried chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A, KFC, Burger King, Wendy's, McDonald's, and Taco Bell.
Chick-fil-A and KFC's nuggets had a similar texture and size but distinctly different textures.
Taco Bell's crispy chicken nuggets stood out for their crunch and innovative sauce flavors.
Before the chicken tender became the hottest fast-food must-have, there was the humble and hearty chicken nugget.
Its small size made it the perfect side dish, post-work snack, or, as millennials will recall, the perfect drunchie (drunk munchie).
One way that fast-food brands can capitalize on chicken's current popularity — especially among Gen Z diners — is by starting small and introducing nuggets to its menus.
Taco Bell, which is best known for its Mexican-inspired tacos and burritos, tested a chicken nugget launch last year and, until then, did not serve any fried chicken. But this week, the chain officially entered the fried-chicken market with its limited-time crispy chicken nuggets, available nationwide starting November 19.
To test the brand's latest menu drop and see how its nuggets compare to chains that have been serving them for decades, we tried and compared chicken nuggets from six popular chains.
Here's how the six fast-food chain chicken nuggets ranked, from our least to most favorite.
6. Burger King
Cost: $3.89 — excluding tax and tip — for an eight-piece pack at a Burger King in New York City.
Note: All prices listed here may vary in different markets.
The breading was thick and a little bland.
Erin: I thought the nuggets' coating was well-seasoned, but the breading was slightly on the thicker side. While they were a good vehicle for one of the chain's dipping sauces — such as the Zesty sauce, which is a personal favorite — these nuggets work better as an accompaniment to one of the chain's burgers rather than an entrée themselves. Burger King is known for its burgers, after all.
If you're craving chicken the next time you visit a Burger King, I suggest opting for the chain's chicken sandwich or one of its chicken-tender wraps.
Priyanka: When I held the chicken nugget in my hand, I could feel its crisp texture and was excited to try it. However, upon taking my first bite, I found the bread coating, although crunchy, was too thick and overpowered the chicken, leaving a slightly salty aftertaste.
I agree with Erin that the chain's nuggets are a side order, best enjoyed when dipped in some sweet-and-sour sauce.
Business Insider reached out to Burger King for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
5. Wendy's
Cost: $3.36 — excluding tax and tip — for a four-piece pack at a Wendy's in New York City.
The chicken nugget was crispy, but instead of being juicy, the chicken tasted a little chewy.
Erin: Like Burger King and McDonald's, Wendy's is primarily a burger chain. So, it should come as no surprise that its chicken nuggets are pretty unremarkable, in my opinion.
They were well-seasoned, and the breading had a lot of flavor, but they were also pretty small. Wendy's nuggets definitely act more as a side dish than a reason to go to the chain.
Priyanka: I'd heard great reviews about Wendy's chicken nuggets, especially its spicier offering, so when the time came to try them, I was looking forward to becoming a loyal fan, too.
Instead, I found myself yearning for old favorites, like Chick-fil-A.
While Wendy's does a great job with the nuggets' coating, which is both well-seasoned and crispy, it fails to show off the star ingredient: the chicken.
It took some effort on my part to pull apart the chicken, which felt slightly chewy instead of how I usually prefer it: juicy and easy to bite into.
4. KFC
Cost: $4.90 — excluding tax and tip — for a five-piece pack at a KFC in New York City.
KFC's nuggets were the least breaded out of the ones we tried.
Erin: They were a little bland in the flavor department, but I thought the chicken itself tasted higher quality than the nuggets from Wendy's, Burger King, and McDonald's. It was more shreddable and paired well with the chain's new Comeback sauce — launched in October with its new chicken tenders — but I would have liked more breading to give it that crunch.
Speaking of KFC's chicken tenders, I'd probably recommend those over the chain's nuggets.
Priyanka: For a chain that specializes in fried chicken — and one that I usually enjoy eating at — I also felt a bit let down by KFC's chicken nuggets, which were only introduced last year.
In terms of size and texture, KFC's chicken nuggets look pretty similar to Chick-fil-A's, and yet, when it comes to taste, the two are quite different.
While KFC delivers with its succulent chicken, it falls short when it comes to seasoning. I agree with Erin: skip the nuggets for its much nicer tenders instead.
In a comment to Business Insider, KFC said, "Feedback on our nuggets has been overwhelmingly positive, and we sold more than 100 million nuggets in the first eight weeks that they were available. Our fans can enjoy KFC Chicken Nuggets nationwide seven days a week, and we take pride in their quality."
3. McDonald's
Cost: $5.39 — excluding tax and tip — for a four-piece pack at a McDonald's in New York City.
The nuggets from McDonald's were predictably good.
Erin: McDonald's chicken nuggets are the stuff of legend. They've been around since the early '80s, and there's something about the tempura-style-fried chicken nuggets that keep me coming back for more.
They're always crispy, always salty, and always the same — I always know what I'm going to get with a McDonald's nugget.
Priyanka: I'm a big fan of the brand's spicy chicken nuggets, which were introduced for a limited time earlier this year but not so much of its regular recipe.
While they're consistently crunchy, I find them slightly underseasoned, and the salty after-taste a tad bit too overpowering for my liking.
2. Chick-fil-A
Cost: $5.79 — excluding tax and tip — for a five-piece pack at a local Chick-fil-A in New York City.
The nuggets were flavorful and juicy, with just the right amount of seasoning in the breading.
Erin: While some of the other nuggets leaned on the drier side, these nuggets were moist and would likely pair well with practically any dipping sauce. Each nugget was on the smaller side but packed a lot of flavor into a small bite.
Priyanka: Until I tried Taco Bell's chicken nuggets, Chick-fil-A's bite-sized chunks were my go-to. I've had them on multiple occasions, and they've always tasted consistently good. When eaten fresh out of the box, they're satisfyingly crunchy, and the chicken is perfectly juicy.
While they're bite-sized and often thought of as a side dish, I recommend sizing up — I usually opt for the 12-piece pack with a side of waffle fries and Chick-fil-A sauce — and giving them a chance as a main meal.
1. Taco Bell
Cost: $3.99 — excluding tax and tip — for a five-piece order and one dipping sauce.
However, we were invited to taste the new chicken nuggets at an early preview hosted by Taco Bell in New York City, so we received complimentary tastings of the nuggets.
The exterior felt hard — however, when we bit in, the chicken was extremely juicy and flavorful.
Erin: These chicken nuggets, coated in a blend of breadcrumbs and crunchy tortilla chips, stood out from the competition with their well-balanced flavor. They were salty, with a subtle corn taste from the tortilla-chip breading. They reminded me more of a boneless wing than a chicken nugget.
Paired with the chain's new Hidden Valley fire ranch sauce, a standard creamy ranch sauce with a slight hint of heat, and the jalapeño honey mustard, an unusual combination of tangy mustard and strong yet balanced jalapeño flavor, these nuggets truly blew me away.
Priyanka: When it comes to nuggets, the three things that matter the most to me are a crisp exterior, well-seasoned coating, and juicy chicken. Taco Bell's latest offering checked off all three.
At first glance, the nuggets — all in different shapes and sizes — seemed as though they had a tough exterior, but as soon as I took my first bite, I was pleasantly surprised at how easily the chicken tore apart. I also enjoyed the "Taco Bell twist," as one representative called it at the preview, wherein breadcrumbs were combined with crispy tortillas in the coating.
Usually, I pair my chicken bites with regular ketchup or mayonnaise, but since I've tried Taco Bell's jalapeño honey mustard sauce, I've found myself swapping the regulars for this combination instead. The jalapeño adds a subtle yet nice kick, pairing beautifully with the new nuggets.
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