Burger King's Spicy Chicken Sandwich Has Reappeared Under A New Name

It was in 2014 that Burger King first introduced a kicked-up version of its Original Chicken Sandwich, dubbed the Spicy Chicken Sandwich, according to a press release. The new menu item may have been a response to McDonald's Hot 'n Spicy McChicken, which Brand Eating notes debuted the year before. In 2014, following BK's entry into the spicy chicken sandwich game, Brand Eating's review preferred the Spicy Chicken Sandwich to the burger chain's Original Chicken Sandwich, noting that BK's heat was a bit more moderate than McDonald's spicy option.

Limited-release spicy versions of regular menu items are clearly part of the fast food playbook. For Halloween 2022, Burger King introduced a Ghost Pepper Whopper, and for 2023, it has also added a Mexican version of its Original Chicken Sandwich, featuring spicy queso and crispy jalapenos. BK's strategy is likely a wise one, perhaps designed in part to capitalize on its appeal to a younger audience, given NPD's research that reveals that Gen Z consumers prefer fast casual dining, and in particular, prefer chicken sandwiches "with value price points or a spicy profile." Just today, Burger King made the news again for a spicy item on its menu.

On January 4, 2023, Brand Eating reported a new entry on Burger King's menu — the Fiery Original Chicken Sandwich, available only in select locations. The sandwich, described on the Burger King website as "Lightly breaded chicken topped with crisp lettuce and creamy mayonnaise on a sesame seed bun," appears to be similar to the Spicy Chicken Sandwich, described in Burger King's 2014 press release as, "premium white meat chicken fillet lightly breaded and seasoned with a unique blend of cayenne and black pepper topped with a simple combination of shredded lettuce and creamy mayonnaise on a sesame seed bun." It's not entirely clear if the Fiery Original Chicken Sandwich is a new menu item or simply a new name for an old favorite.

BK has had menu items with the "fiery" appellation that were hotter than ones merely called "spicy," like the 2015 introduction of Fiery Chicken Fries, described in the fast food chain's press release as "spicy as $#*!" And YouTuber The Fat Hipster posted a review of a Chicago-area limited release of Fiery Nuggets in November of 2022, which are billed as having a "triple pepper spicy glaze." It sounds like the curious among us may just need to find a location offering the new (or newly-named) sandwich and try it for ourselves.