You’d probably assume that a fast food chain with the word “chicken” in its name doesn’t necessarily offer the most vegan-friendly menu…and in the case of Kentucky Fried Chicken, you’d be correct.
Since KFC stopped selling the plant-based chicken option they once offered, the vegan menu items are mostly limited to sides. The fried chicken may be finger-lickin’ good, but it simply won’t cut it if you’re vegan or gluten-free.
So what are your options on a plant-based, vegan diet? If you’re ordering vegan at KFC, here’s everything on the menu that’s up for grabs.
Vegan food and drinks available on the KFC menu
With no plant-based or vegetarian protein option available, that means that all of KFC’s main menu items are off the table – and unfortunately many of their sides and desserts don’t qualify as vegan-friendly either. The fast food chain used to have more vegan options when they had a larger menu, such as green beans, baked beans, and even an apple turnover. But in recent years, KFC has homed in on a smaller, simplified menu and no longer offers many of the items it used to.
A sliver of good news, though: KFC’s fries are vegan! Just keep in mind that while the “secret recipe” itself is vegan-friendly and the fries are free of dairy or animal products, they are cooked in a shared fryer and thus fried in the same cooking oil as other items that do contain animal products. So if cross-contamination is a concern at all, that’s something to consider.
Otherwise, below are the handful of vegan-friendly options you’ve got to choose from next time you find yourself rolling through KFC.
| Vegan Homestyle Sides |
| Secret Recipe Fries |
| Sweet Kernel Corn |
| Vegan Sauces + Condiments |
| Ketchup |
| Hot Sauce |
| Vegan Kids Meal Items |
| Applesauce |
| Vegan Beverages |
| All Sodas + Fountain Drinks |
| Iced Tea + Sweet Tea |
| Lemonade |
| Orange Juice |
| Capri Sun |
What happened to KFC’s plant-based chicken?
You’re not imagining it – at one point, KFC did offer a vegan meat option. Back in 2019 and 2020, the fast food chain did some brief testing of plant-based fried chicken in collaboration with Beyond Meat. The menu items, which were plant-based nuggets and boneless wings served with dipping sauce, were offered first in Georgia and then later in North Carolina and Tennessee.
In 2021, KFC announced the upcoming launch of its new plant-based chicken strips, and by January 2022, Beyond Fried Chicken buckets were available nationwide. The chain offered the vegan meat option as either a 6-piece or 12-piece a la carte order, or as part of a combo meal which included fries and a drink.
However, this new vegan-friendly item was very short-lived – it was only available for a month or so, and unfortunately hasn’t returned to the menu since. Currently, KFC has no known plans to bring a vegan or plant-based meat option back to the nationwide menu.
On KFC’s current menu, there are two vegan sauces to choose from: ketchup and hot sauce. All other dipping sauces and condiments contain dairy or honey.
Unfortunately, Beyond Fried Chicken is no longer available on KFC’s nationwide menu. The fast food chain tested and released plant-based chicken nugget options in partnership with Beyond Meat, but the item was only available for a limited time in the US and has not been on the menu since early 2022.
Yes, KFC’s Secret Recipe Fries are technically vegan as they’re free of any dairy or other animal products. However, the fries are cooked using the same oil as KFC’s fried chicken, so it’s up to the individual’s discretion whether they’re comfortable with the cross-contamination.
Leave a Comment