After multiple tries, Burger King is once again throwing its paper crown into the spicy nugget ring. Will it finally strike while the iron is hot, or will it flame out again?
Spicy chicken is nothing new for BK, but I feel it has always lagged behind the other behemoths in that category. Its spicy nuggets came and went with zero fanfare, the sandwiches never made much noise, and while I like hot Chicken Fries just fine, BK definitely has some catching up to do.
Those countless feeble attempts are actually what intrigued me about BK’s new Fiery Nuggets. I just assumed they were a re-branding of the previous spicy nugget, but they turned out to be much more. The innovators of the chicken fry have created something familiar but new here – chunks of chicken that exist between a standard nugget and a boneless buffalo wing.
“MEHHHH, boneless wings ARE just saucy nuggets.” – You. That’s you, right now.
You’re partially right when it comes to Fiery Nuggets, but I still think these are unique.
They may look like a redder version of BK’s traditional chicken nuggets, but they’re coated with “an irresistible spicy glaze” that contains cayenne pepper, bird’s eye chili pepper, and black pepper. Those flavors combine to give these a mildly sweet and spicy flavor unlike anything on the menu.
The nuggets are somehow both dry and super greasy. The coating isn’t quite a dusting, but also not quite a sauce. They feel a little slimy but still hold a slight crispiness. I don’t know how they landed in the middle of everything here, but they did.
The flavor is all over the place, but it’s… excellent? I’m still not sure what’s going on. The sweet into heat reminded me of teriyaki on some bites, but honey BBQ on others. It almost tasted like a Lay’s Flamin’ Hot BBQ. They ride the line between spicy, sweet, and salty really well. That grease though…
They’re so greasy! It’s definitely to their detriment. The bag was dripping. I devoured the eight nuggets and didn’t feel great about it. That being said, they went down pretty easy in the heat department. I saw some rumblings that this might be the hottest chicken in fast food, but I think I had spicier chicken at Wendy’s and Chick-fil-A during recent visits.
Your mileage may vary on BK nuggets. I like ’em, but I can see how someone might say they taste like an old yoga mat. I think Fiery Nuggets are a hit despite the sickening amount of grease. If they had the dry, crispier structure of McNuggets, I might’ve flirted with a perfect score.
I don’t know if I can say they’re better than the old reliable Wendy’s spicy nuggets just yet, but I have them above Spicy Chicken McNuggets.
I like to think BK dropped these in honor of the Heat-Nuggets NBA Finals, but the truth is they put them out for me. These are for me and people like me, and I appreciate it. Try ’em. They’re only three bucks.
Long live The King.
Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 8 pieces
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 530 calories, 39 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 1220 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 19 grams of protein.
