Before the chicken tender became the most popular fast food must-have, there was the humble and savory chicken nugget.
Its small size made it the perfect side dish, after-work snack, or, as millennials will remember, the perfect drunchie.
One way fast food brands are trying to capitalize on chicken’s popularity, especially among the population Gen Z Dinners, is by adding (or upgrading) chicken nuggets to their menus.
Most recently, on September 1, Burger King has released an updated version of the classic chicken nugget in response to customer feedback that the originals were “rubbery”, “dry” and “disappointing”. The same day also saw the return of McDonald’s Spicy Chicken McNuggetswhich will only be available for a limited time.
Here’s how six fast-food chain chicken nuggets ranked, from worst to best.
My least favorite nuggets came from Wendy’s.
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Costs: $7.49 – before tax and tip – for a 10-piece serving at Wendy’s in New York City.
All prices listed here may vary by market.
The chicken nugget was crispy, but instead of juicy, the chicken tasted a bit chewy.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Like Burger King and McDonald’s, Wendy’s is primarily a hamburger chain. So it should come as no surprise that the chicken nuggets are quite unremarkable in my opinion.
They were decently seasoned and the breadcrumbs had a lot of flavor, but they were also quite small. Wendy’s nuggets definitely act more as a side dish than as a reason to go to the chain.
KFC’s nuggets were a bit bald.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Costs: $7.31 – before tax and tip – for a 10-piece serving at a KFC in New York City.
KFC’s nuggets were the least breaded of the ones I tried.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
They were a bit bland, but I thought the chicken itself tasted higher quality than the nuggets from Wendy’s, Burger King and McDonald’s. It was better shredded and paired well with the chain’s comeback sauce, but I would have liked more breadcrumbs to give it that crunch.
I would probably recommend the chain’s chicken tenders or fried chicken with nuggets.
McDonald’s nuggets were a classic.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Costs: $2.39 – before tax and tip – for a four-piece serving at a McDonald’s in New York City, or $5.79 for a 10-piece serving.
McDonald’s nuggets were predictably good.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
McDonald’s chicken nuggets are legendary. They’ve been around since the early 80’s, and there’s something about the tempura style fried chicken nuggets that keep me coming back for more.
They’re always crunchy, always salty and always consistent – I know what to expect from a McDonald’s nugget. That said, I found them a bit too salty.
Burger King recently upgraded its chicken nuggets.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Costs: $5.19 – before tax and tip – for 10 pieces at a Burger King in New York City.
The nuggets were crispy and paired well with the chain’s sauces.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The new chicken nuggets, released September 1, are crispier than the original nuggets and have been updated with a more flavorful marinade and new packaging, Burger King said.
I thought the nuggets had just the right amount of crunch and flavor, and held their own as a standalone entree on the Burger King menu.
Although they looked very similar to McDonald’s nuggets, they were slightly cheaper, which gave them an edge.
Chick-fil-A
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Costs: $9.19 – before tax and tip – for an eight-piece serving at a local Chick-fil-A in New York City.
The nuggets were flavorful and moist, with just the right amount of spice in the breadcrumbs.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
While some of the other nuggets leaned toward the drier side, these nuggets were moist and would probably go well with just about any dipping sauce.
Each nugget was on the small side – despite being the most expensive I tried – but packed a lot of flavor into a small bite.
The outside felt hard. However, when I bit into it, the chicken was extremely juicy and flavorful.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
These chicken nuggets, coated with a mix of breadcrumbs and crispy tortilla chipsdistinguished themselves from the competition by their balanced taste.
They were salty, with a subtle corn flavor from the breading of tortilla chips. They reminded me more of a boneless wing than a chicken nugget.
Paired with the chain’s Hidden Valley Fire Ranch sauce, a standard creamy ranch sauce with a slight hint of heat, and jalapeño honey mustard, an unusual combination of spicy mustard and a strong but balanced jalapeño flavor, these nuggets blew me away.
The nuggets were initially rolled out as a limited-time offering, but Taco Bell continued to bring them back in 2025 and 2026 as it expanded its offerings. crispy chicken menu.
Let’s hope they’ll be back soon.
