Chick-fil-A has achieved an incredible (and surprising) level of dominance when it comes to American fried chicken.
It’s left KFC so thoroughly in the dust that it’s kind of embarrassing.
To counter them, everyone’s been stepping up their fried chicken game.
And let’s face it –
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There’s a lot of good fried chicken out there today.
And several national chains have really stepped up their game.
Including a few that I think will surprise you…
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I wanted to dive specifically into chicken nuggets, because they provide a good apples-to-apples comparison.
I’m counting anything made of fried chicken that’s bite-sized and doesn’t have a bone in it as a chicken nugget.
So chicken tenders aren’t nuggets.
Neither are chicken wings.
In some cases, boneless wings can be – depending on their size.
Same with “chicken bites.”
Make sense?
Great, let’s dive right in, starting with an old competitor…
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Where they’re located: KFC is everywhere, in every state, and in a ton of countries too.
All about the nuggets: Crispy and delicious, KFC’s nuggets have that perfect “breading to meat” ratio for a great crunch and plenty of room for sauce, too.
Sauce pairing: Definitely the Comeback sauce.
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Where they’re located: The golden arches are basically everywhere – McDonald’s is one of the few chains that’s as ubiquitous as KFC!
All about the nuggets: Ok, I know the nuggets are “supposed” to be terrible, but there’s just something about the way they’re fried that has always stood out to me. If you’re getting McDonald’s nuggets, you know that they’re going to be just a little different from anything else.
Sauce pairing: BBQ sauce, for sure. It’s so sweet!
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Where they’re located: Again, every state – with over 8,000 locations!
All about the nuggets: Listen, I know most people don’t go to Taco Bell for the nuggets. But they’re weirdly very good. The breading is on the thicker side (it includes tortilla chips), and the meat is quite juicy.
Sauce pairing: Definitely get them with the jalapeno honey mustard.
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Where they’re located: Whataburger started out in Texas but has expanded throughout the Midwest and out to the East and West coasts.
All about the nuggets: “Technically” they’re boneless wings, but – come on. It’s the same thing. Get them flavored with honey butter or buffalo.
Sauce pairing: Honey mustard again, or jalapeno ranch if they’re not hot enough for you.
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Where they’re located: Sonic is in 47 states and near every major city. (And has over 900 locations in Texas alone.)
All about the nuggets: Technically they call them “premium chicken bites” but – come on. Those are nuggets. The breading is thin but well-seasoned – so you’re not going to get a huge “crunch” but rather a blending of flavors when you bite in.
Sauce pairing: BBQ sauce, for sure.
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Where they’re located: Everywhere, of course.
All about the nuggets: I’m talking specifically about the spicy chicken nuggets, which are absolutely fantastic. If you know, you know. (And if you don’t know, you should find out. They’re that good.)
Sauce pairing: Get them with the buttermilk ranch to cool them down, or sweet & sour if you want a fun contrast.
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Where they’re located: 18 states, predominantly in the South and Midwest (almost 1,000 locations!).
All about the nuggets: Technically they’re boneless wings, but again – those count as nuggets if they’re small enough. At Zaxby’s you can pick eight sauces for them to be tossed in – my vote is buffalo garlic blaze or tongue torch (both medium sauces).
Sauce pairing: Get the eponymous Zax sauce, or the spicy Zax sauce if you need more heat.
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Ok, I couldn’t leave without giving Chick-fil-A its due. After all, its nuggets are legendary!
Where they’re located: Chick-fil-A has over 3,000 locations and is in every state but Vermont and Alaska.
All about the nuggets: The grilled nuggets are just ok – although they’re a fine vehicle for sauce – the real action is in their fried chicken nuggets, which are excellent.
Sauce pairing: Get the Chick-fil-A or Polynesian sauce.
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So there you have it – seven fast-food chicken nuggets that have a claim to being better than Chick-fil-A’s.
(Sorry Burger King – you can’t compete here.)
Certainly each has fans who would argue that they’re there.
But the real question is…
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What do YOU think?
Does Chick-fil-A have the best nuggets?
Or has one of these competitors finally caught up and surpassed them?
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