Food & Beverage

KFC tests '20%' bigger chicken filet sandwich

And they're off ... in this case, in this year's chicken sandwich wars ,as KFC debuts its new bigger chicken sandwich in an Orlando-based test. (Photo: Provided)

May 26, 2020

Kentucky Fried Chicken is testing what it calls a "more premium" fried chicken sandwich in several Orlando, Florida-area stores for a limited time, a news release said. The brand said the new test item is bigger and — in its words — "better" than its current offering. 

"We knew an upgrade was necessary, so we painstakingly selected each ingredient to create a bigger, better and more premium sandwich than ever," KFC U.S. CMO Andrea Zahumensky said in the release. "I think we've unlocked a chicken sandwich that won't just compete — it'll win with fried chicken lovers everywhere."

Compared to its current sandwich, the new rendition is 20% larger and features a double-breaded Extra Crispy filet on a brioche bun with what the brand said are "thicker" pickles and real mayonnaise.

"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," said Zahumensky. "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."

Customers in Orlando can buy the sandwich alone for $3.99, or as a combo meal for $6.99. The Louisville-based KFC has more than 24,000 locations in more than 145 nations and territories worldwide.

A smaller KFC competitor also launched a new bigger chicken sandwich this week, though this one is being carried systemwide as a permanent menu item at Golden Chick, with its new Big & Golden.