Exciting Poultry-Based Offerings from Foodservice Operators
Foodservice operators are getting creative with their menus by introducing a variety of poultry-based offerings to entice customers.
One example is Taco Bell, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, which is building on the success of its chicken nuggets by introducing the crispy chicken crunchwrap slider. This limited-time item features all-white meat nuggets wrapped in a tortilla with a three-cheese blend, pico de gallo, and your choice of chipotle or jalapeño honey mustard sauce. Taco Bell is also expanding its cantina chicken menu with a new permanent item, the cantina chicken rolled quesadilla.
Liz Matthews, global chief food innovation officer at Taco Bell, commented on the company’s innovative approach, stating, “The response to crispy chicken nuggets and cantina chicken showed us just how ready fans are for us to keep innovating. So we’re having fun with it, playing with form, flavor, and texture to bring new energy into the formats our fans already love.”
Carl’s Jr., a part of CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc., has introduced the western bacon chicken sandwich. This menu item features a lightly breaded chicken filet topped with two strips of bacon, onion strings, American cheese, and barbecue sauce. The western bacon chicken sandwich is available for a limited time through May 12.
Paz Romero, vice president of brand marketing at Carl’s Jr., emphasized the importance of flavor in the current chicken wars, stating, “Everyone is fighting the chicken wars, but they forgot to bring the flavor. We’re reminding people that Carl’s Jr. is the only destination for those who are tired of bland sandwiches and crave layers of flavor with our crispy, juicy, hand-breaded chicken.”
On the fast-casual front, Sweetgreen has launched a Korean barbecue chicken menu for a limited time. This globally inspired menu features chicken coated in a savory, umami-forward glaze with a balanced heat, accompanied by cucumber kimchi and apple kimchi sauce. Options include the Korean barbecue chicken bowl and the Korean barbecue chicken plate.
Zipporah Allen, chief commercial officer at Sweetgreen, highlighted the bold flavors of the Korean barbecue chicken, stating, “KBBQ chicken taps into bold heat, rich sauce, and strong contrast in flavor. By pairing our antibiotic-free roasted chicken with bright elements and a savory glaze, we’re bringing a globally inspired flavor to the menu in a way that feels fresh and distinctly Sweetgreen.”