Food Review: KFC Beyond Fried Chicken

Thomas Kim

The beyond nuggets look identical to iconic fast food chicken nuggets.

Thomas Kim, Page Editor
January 24, 2022

Following the trend of plant-based food taking over fast food chains, KFC presents their new beyond fried chicken for a limited time. Beating their main competitors in the race for a Beyond item, KFC shows great consumer awareness with this timely product.   

The Price

The cost of six beyond nuggets reasonably comes out to $6.99. Compared to competitors, it does have a steep price tag for a mere six nuggets, as 10 piece McNuggets are priced at $4.49. But compared to other KFC menu items, such as the 3 tender meal at $8.39, it appears this exclusive item is seemingly reasonable.

Beyond fried chicken comes in a green, instead of red, box. (Thomas Kim)

The Presentation

At first glance, the beyond nuggets look like regular chicken nuggets. It is packaged in a rectangular box, and opening the box reveals the mouthwatering nuggets and a savory aroma. When torn open, it did not have that stringy pull comparable to a KFC tender, but still looked somewhat similar and appetizing for fast food. 

Combining the nuggets with KFC sauce is a must for that ultimate bite. (Thomas Kim)

The Taste

The most important metric for these Beyond nuggets is the taste. The outside breading has a light, but crispy exterior. Biting into one, first comes the crunch, then the “meat.” It has more of a chew than a chicken nugget, but the texture and flavor is resoundingly similar, especially when paired with the KFC signature sauce.

At first glance, the “meat” could be mistaken for chicken. (Thomas Kim)

Did it fool me?

The first few nuggets I consumed are pleasantly extremely similar to chicken nuggets. After eating a few more, I began to notice more of that chew coming from the beyond meat. While everything else is almost identical, that extra chew gives it away. I knew to expect something different, but this one aspect wasn’t drastic at all. 

 

The Verdict

Overall, KFC did a good job with their beyond nuggets. While they don’t taste exactly like their regular chicken, it is a reasonable substitute for people who don’t consume chicken. Unfortunately for vegans, the nuggets are fried in the same oil as the chicken, which seems counterproductive. Personally, I will stick to their regular chicken, but I wouldn’t mind eating their beyond nuggets from time to time if they decide to keep them on the menu.