KFC is no stranger to stunt sandwiching. But the Kentucky Fried Chicken & Donuts Sandwich, the fast food favorite’s latest creation, is its most gluttonous offering since the Double Down. The combination of an extra crispy fillet wedged between two rings of glazed, yeasty indulgence is essentially a middle chicken finger to the keto/paleo/Whole30 movement.
But is the extreme carb overload actually worth it?
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The sandwich officially rolls out nationwide Monday (Feb. 24), but KFC offered an early taste of its sinful union Saturday in Los Angeles at The Colonel’s (Chicken &) Donut Shop. The one-day-only pop-up attracted plenty of hungry fans and curiosity seekers, yours truly among them.
While previous KFC promotions such as Nashville Hot Chicken and Chicken & Waffles had built-in mainstream appeal, the fried chicken and doughnut combo has been more of a cult sensation, never truly rising to full-fledged phenomena. And there’s a good reason for that.
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Let’s start with the big positive: the doughnuts deliver. Hot from the oven (each location will be preparing them fresh in-house), they’re pillowy soft, with a sweet, melty glaze that is indeed finger lickin’ good.
But to marry these beauties with a meaty slab of fried chicken—to quote an ever-popular meme, “Y tho.”
Though there are a number of tasty oddball sweet and savory food pairings—chocolate-dipped bacon, cheddar-topped apple pie, chili-spiced mango—this is not among them. The aggressive sweetness of a doughnut, let alone two, simply overwhelms the chicken (there is no sauce or other accoutrements). Even when you get a balanced bite of salt and saccharine, it just doesn’t mesh. (Think of it as the food equivalent of a Lemmy-Jojo Siwa mash-up.) But, hey, if pizza and ranch dressing has its fans, this will likely garner a following too. Still, I wouldn’t expect Popeye’s Chicken Sandwich level pandemonium.
Thankfully, the sandwich isn’t the only way to enjoy a KFC doughnut. They’ll be offered as a side in a pair of value meals and they’ll be available to order individually during the promotion which will be offered through March 14.
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