In the last year, a staggering number of fried chicken sandwiches have made their debut at eateries in the U.S. But it looks like operators around the world are also feeding the craving, according to Technomic’s Global Foodservice Navigator Program.
The program’s Spring 2021 report on Global Menu Innovation showcases no fewer than eight riffs of the ubiquitous fried chicken sandwich on restaurant menus in other countries. Some of the variations reflect the cuisine of that culture, while others take cues from trending flavors and combinations in the States. Here’s how chicken sandwiches are taking on the world.
Deniro Hamburgueseria in Argentina launched the SoS Pollo, adding it to its core menu. The premium chicken sandwich combines fried leg and thigh meat with queso fresco, cabbage and a honey glaze.
Giraffas in Brazil is running a “Crunchy Chicken Festival” featuring two sandwich variations. There’s the Crunchy Chicken Sandwich and the Junior Crunchy Chicken Sandwich, both topped with red cabbage slaw.
The Epic Chicken Fillet is Tarragona’s contribution to the trend. The concept, based in Chile, introduced a sandwich composed of a crispy chicken fillet on brioche bread with pickles, its new Maxi sauce and cheddar cheese.
Another sandwich debuted in Chile at Streat Burger. The Streat Chicken comes in both original and spicy versions. The Original features crispy chicken layered with coleslaw, escarole, sweet pickles and seasoned mayonnaise, while the Spicy is topped with pickles and smoky pepper sauce.
Chicken is just one of the proteins in this Creamy Croquette Sandwich at KFC in Japan. The crispy chicken fillet is topped with a fried croquette made by cooking shrimp enrobed in a creamy sauce in a crunchy batter. The two patties are layered on a rye bun with shrimp sauce and lettuce.
The chicken sandwich at Dunkin’ in South Korea takes it cue form all-American Nashville hot chicken. The Nashville Hot Chicken Burger is a spicy fried chicken patty topped with coleslaw in a sandwich described on the website as “in the Southern Nashville style of the United States.”
The McChicken Teriyaki boasts a fried chicken patty that is 50% bigger, topped with a new, limited-edition flavor—teriyaki sauce. The sandwich comes on a sesame seed bun and includes lettuce and mayo.
Leon returned a popular LTO that infuses the fried chicken sandwich with Korean flavors. The build on the Crispy Chicken Korean Burger includes crispy chicken nuggets, kimchi slaw and tangy Korean mayonnaise, all piled on a toasted sourdough bun.
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