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 chickens current popularity, especially among Gen Z diners, is by starting small and introducing nuggets to their menus.
Taco Bell, best known for its Mexican-inspired tacos and burritos, brought back its chicken nuggets for a limited time starting on April 24. The company plans to make crispy chicken permanent by 2026.
To see how the brand’s new nuggets stack up against chains that have been serving them for decades, we tried and compared chicken nuggets from six well-known chains.
Heres how the six fast-food chain chicken nuggets ranked, from our least favorite to most favorite.
Cost: $3. 89 — excluding tax and tip — for an eight-piece pack at a Burger King in New York City.
To both kids and adults, chicken nuggets are a favorite fast food item. They are a great snack or meal because they are crispy on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside. But not all chicken nuggets are created equal. The quality can vary greatly depending on the restaurant.
To find out who really has the best chicken nuggets, we tried chicken nuggets from all the major fast food chains and ranked them to see who really does have the best nuggets.
Methodology
To find out who has the best fast food chicken nuggets, we ordered nuggets from the top fast food chains across the country. We tried nuggets from the following 8 restaurants:
- McDonald’s
- Burger King
- Wendy’s
- KFC
- Chick-fil-A
- Popeyes
- Taco Bell
- Jack in the Box
We evaluated each order of nuggets based on the following criteria
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Breading – The ideal breading strikes a balance between providing a crispy exterior while not overpowering the chicken flavor. It should have seasoning but not be too salty.
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Chicken – The chicken itself should be moist and flavorful. It should shred easily rather than being rubbery.
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Shape – While shape is not the most important factor, uniform nugget shapes do tend to correlate with higher quality.
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Value: Which nuggets give you the most for your money when you look at the prices and portions?
Now let’s get ranking, from worst to best fast food chicken nuggets!
8. Jack in the Box
Jack in the Box is unfortunately at the bottom of our list of chicken nugget restaurants. The chicken nuggets were very soft and didn’t taste like chicken at all. The breading was also bland and soggy.
While Jack in the Box may be known for their tacos and late night munchies, their chicken nuggets are a miss. Don’t bother with these nuggets next time you’re in the drive-thru.
7. Burger King
Up next is Burger King. Their nuggets weren’t bad per se, but they didn’t stand out much either.
The breading was nicely seasoned but overly thick, creating an imbalanced flavor profile. The chicken itself was a little on the rubbery side.
Burger King does well when it comes to burgers and fries, but they fall short with their chicken nuggets. You’re better off ordering one of their sandwiches if you want some chicken.
6. Wendy’s
Wendy’s lands in the middle of the pack. Their nuggets have a crispy exterior and are well-seasoned. But the interior chicken is a bit chewy.
They work fine as a side to your burger or fries. However, Wendy’s nuggets aren’t anything to write home about on their own.
5. McDonald’s
Now we get into the iconic chicken nuggets from McDonald’s. The original McNuggets have a distinctly McDonald’s flavor profile that many have nostalgia for.
The tempura batter provides a satisfying crunch. They always manage to be perfectly salty.
However, the processed chicken interior leaves something to be desired in terms of flavor and texture. Still, you can’t go wrong with picking up a box of McNuggets when the craving hits.
4. Popeyes
Popeyes climbs into the top half of our ranking with their chicken nuggets. Popeyes does fried chicken well, and that skill translates over to their nuggets.
They use white meat chicken and achieve a crisp exterior. The chicken has a great flavor.
The main drawback is the breading doesn’t provide much in the way of seasoning or spice. But overall these are solid nuggets, especially when paired with one of Popeyes’ signature sauces.
3. Chick-fil-A
Now we get into the top contenders for best fast food chicken nuggets. It’s no surprise that Chick-fil-A, the chain known for its chicken, has great nuggets.
Their nuggets feature tender white meat chicken with that signature Chick-fil-A seasoning. The breading provides a pleasing crunch. And you can’t beat the Chick-fil-A sauce for dipping.
The only thing keeping them out of the top two is the nuggets are on the smaller side. But in terms of flavor and quality, Chick-fil-A nuggets deliver the goods.
2. KFC
KFC’s Extra Crispy chicken nuggets earn second place in our ranking. They use whole muscle chicken breast so the meat has great texture and flavor.
The breading packs robust seasoning, including a heavy dose of black pepper that sets it apart. And the crispness lives up to the Extra Crispy name.
The nuggets could be slightly bigger in size, but the excellent breading and chicken quality push these nuggets near the top of the list.
1. Taco Bell
Our top pick for best fast food chicken nuggets goes to Taco Bell! Their new Crispy Chicken Nuggets were a pleasant surprise.
The exterior crispy tortilla chip breading provides a seriously crunchy and flavorful exterior that stays crispy long after you get your order.
Meanwhile, the all white meat chicken is juicy and tender. The unique breading and high quality chicken come together to make Taco Bell’s nuggets our top choice.
Adding to the appeal, their new dipping sauces like the jalapeño honey mustard and fire ranch pair so well with the nuggets.
So if you want to enjoy the best fast food chicken nuggets, look no further than Taco Bell. Their Crispy Chicken Nuggets exceeded our expectations to take the crown for #1 best chicken nuggets.
Key Takeaways for the Best Fast Food Chicken Nuggets
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Prioritize high quality chicken – The best nuggets use whole muscle breast meat rather than processed chicken bits.
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Watch out for heavy breading – Thick breading can overpower the chicken flavor and texture.
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Crispiness is key – Look for an exterior breading or batter that provides a satisfying crunch.
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Seasoning balances flavor – The right blend of spices in the coating makes a big difference.
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Signature sauces enhance the experience – The top contenders have great dipping sauces to complement their nuggets.
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Value can make a good nugget great – Getting the perfect nugget for a fair price is the goal.
So there you have it – a definitive ranking of who does chicken nuggets best among fast food chains. Taco Bell comes out on top, but Chick-fil-A and KFC also impressed. Just stay away from the rubbery, flavorless nuggets towards the bottom of our list.
The next time you’re craving some chicken nugget goodness, you’ll know exactly which fast food restaurant to visit to get the best nuggets based on this exhaustive research. Everyone has their personal preference, but following these key factors will lead you to chicken nugget nirvana.
The nuggets were flavorful and juicy, with just the right amount of seasoning in the breading.
Erin: Some of the other nuggets were a bit dry, but these were juicy and would probably go well with just about 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 Bells chicken nuggets, Chick-fil-As bite-sized chunks were my go-to. Ive had them on multiple occasions, and theyve always tasted consistently good. When eaten fresh out of the box, theyre satisfyingly crunchy, and the chicken is perfectly juicy.
While theyre 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.
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 in December, so we received complimentary tastings of the nuggets.
The chicken nugget was crispy, but instead of being juicy, the chicken tasted a little chewy.
Erin: Like Burger King and McDonalds, Wendys 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. Wendys nuggets definitely act more as a side dish than a reason to go to the chain.
Priyanka: Id heard great reviews about Wendys 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.
Wendy’s does a great job with the tasty and crispy coating on the nuggets, but it doesn’t bring out the best part: 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.
Cost: $4. 90 — excluding tax and tip — for a five-piece pack at a KFC in New York City.
Who Has the Best Chicken Nuggets
FAQ
What are the best fast food chicken nuggets?
The best fast food chicken nuggets are the classic bite-sized pieces of breaded and fried chicken, the crispy chicken strips, and the tasty chicken that isn’t breaded. Chicken nuggets are a staple of any fast food restaurant and beloved by children everywhere but not all fast food chicken nuggets are created equal.
Are all fast food chicken nuggets the same?
Chicken nuggets are a staple of any fast food restaurant and beloved by children everywhere but not all fast food chicken nuggets are created equal. Which top fast food restaurants have the best chicken nuggets?.
What are the most popular fast food Nuggets?
We tasted and ranked the most popular fast-food nuggets from soggy to standout. Chicken nuggets have been on the menu of almost every fast food chain at some point. People love them because they come with dips and are easy to eat in bite-sized pieces.
Are chicken nuggets for the kids?
Chicken nuggets from fast food restaurants are said to be for kids, but many Americans still enjoy them as adults. And why not? These fun little bites are perfect for our “grab-and-go” drive-thru culture, and they also have a lot of protein that makes you feel full in a way that a lot of other fast food doesn’t.
Which fast food chicken nuggets make the most lasting impression?
With the internet being…well, the internet, customers don’t hold back in sharing their opinions. Based on taste, this is the latest roundup of fast food chicken nuggets that make the largest lasting impression. We start with the worst to the number one very best. At the bottom of the roundup is Burger King.
Why are chicken nuggets so popular?
But this is higher in the ranking because the nugget imparts superior chicken flavors, plain and simple. It’s one of the chicken-ier nuggets in fast food, and in a sea of nuggets, that stands out.
What place has the best chicken nuggets?
- 8th Place: Sonic Premium Chicken Bites.
- 7th Place: Burger King Nuggets.
- 6th Place: Wendy’s Crispy Chicken Nuggets.
- 5th Place: Shake Shack Chicken Bites.
- 4th Place: McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets.
- 3rd Place: Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Nuggets.
- 2nd Place: Chick-fil-A Nuggets.
Which fast food restaurant has the healthiest chicken nuggets?
KFC (19 points) and McDonald’s (18 points) offer the least unhealthy nuggets. Notably, both the saturated fat and sugar levels of KFC’s new “100% white meat” nuggets are zero. However, beware that dipping sauces can boost a typical nuggets-based meal’s sodium and sugar levels.
What frozen chicken nuggets are closest to McDonald’s?
Redditors in the frozen dinners subreddit agree that Country Pride tempura style chicken nuggets are delicious and a “near perfect approximation of McDonald’s McNuggets.” The Reddit users also agree that air-frying or deep-frying them will produce results closest to McDonald’s nuggets.
What are the best chicken nuggets to buy at the grocery store?
- 365 Whole Foods Market Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets.
- Applegate Naturals Chicken Nuggets.
- Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Bites.
- Banquet Chicken Breast Nuggets.
- Bell & Evans Frozen Chicken Nuggets.
- Good & Gather Chicken Breast Nuggets.
- Foster Farms Chicken Breast Nuggets.