It Is My Duty As A Video Game Journalist To Review McDonalds’ Spicy Chicken Nuggets

Wendy’s was once a perennial third-placer in the Fast Food wars. They may still not sell like their competitors, but in 2020 boasts menu items that are tough to compete with… Namely, their spicy chicken nuggets.

Many have tried usurp Wendy’s from their spicy fast food chicken throne. Hell, Wendy’s even removed the menu item for a while until a massive social media campaign ushered in their return. And what came with it? A new buzzword, and a new battlefront in the fast food wars.

Flavor of the Month

“Spicy” menu items – just like “handcrafted”, “housemade”, “craft”, and “artisanal” – are a product line that everybody and their mother wants to have now. While none of these menu items are actually that spicy (looking at you, Popeye’s Ghost Pepper Wings), they still attract consumers who think they’re about to challenge their taste buds, or maybe just want a little more kick with their empty calories.

McDonald’s Spicy Nuggets are described as “boldly flavored with cayenne and chili peppers”, and is marketed alongside McD’s new “Mighty Hot Sauce”, which was unfortunately sold out at the location I visited.

Heated Competition

The nuggets themselves were exactly what you’d expect if you’ve ever had a McDonald’s chicken nugget before. They’re semi-crispy on the outside, spongy on the inside, and have had the same texture since you were a little kid. They always kinda reminded me of chicken fingers from my local Chinese restaurant.

The Spicy variety is a BRIGHT orange. Like, if I just woke up from a 2-month nap, and someone put one of those in my face without telling me what it was, I’d have guessed it was Doritos or Cheetos flavored. The breading is the spicy part, while the chicken inside remains unchanged.

The nuggets themselves aren’t really that spicy to me, but I have a very high heat tolerance. I definitely know some people who sweat at the mere thought of a mild buffalo wing – and they’d probably find these to be spicy as well. They are far less spicy than Wendy’s spicy nuggets, however – but your guess is as good as mine if the “Mighty Hot Sauce” does anything to amp things up a bit.

Final Thoughts

All in all, the spicy nuggets are good. I don’t know if I’d spring for those by default when I hit the drive thru instead of regular ones (like I do at Wendy’s), but they are a great option to have. I hope they stick around as a menu item, because I’d really like to give them a spin with the hot sauce they’re advertised alongside.

Give ’em a try, just don’t expect to be blown away. 2/5.