McDonald’s debuts new Spicy Chicken McNuggets, first new flavor in nearly 40 years

McDonald’s introduced the Chicken McNugget in 1983, and the recipe hadn’t changed since, until now. On Tuesday, the fast-food giant announced it would be offering a spicy version of its iconic menu item.

Spicy Chicken McNuggets will hit U.S. restaurants on September 16, for a limited time and will be accompanied by a new sauce, called Mighty Hot Sauce. The new McNuggets have a breaded tempura coating of cayenne and chili peppers, according to a press release from the fast food company.

“This is the first time we’ve introduced a new flavor of our classic Chicken McNuggets in the US since they came to menus in 1983,” Linda VanGosen, McDonald’s vice president of menu innovation, said in a statement. “As our customers have been asking for Spicy McNuggets for some time now, we couldn’t think of a better time to bring them to our menus.”

According to Business Insider, the spicy nuggets come at a time when the chicken business is booming in America. While many restaurants saw sales fall during the coronavirus pandemic, chicken chains such as Popeyes and Chick-fil-A have experienced a significant amount of growth.

In addition to the spicy nuggets, McDonald’s is also debuting a new Chips Ahoy! McFlurry in mid-September. According to the chain, the McFlurry will feature vanilla soft-serve ice cream, caramel topping and cookies.