“I Tried KFC’s New Vegan Fried Chicken and Here’s What I Thought”

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has finally begun to serve its vegan chicken nuggets nationwide, and I had the chance to get my hands on some. Not only did I want to see how the fast-food chain’s Beyond Meat chicken compared to its famous original fried chicken, but I also wanted to bring back some childhood nostalgia. (Up to about fifth grade, nuggets were my go-to.) So, I grabbed a brave friend and headed to the nearest KFC to give it a try.

When I walked into the  KFC, my nose was greeted by the familiar aroma of fried chicken delights. On its new menu, KFC has a new section dedicated to Beyond Fried Chicken, consisting of four options: A six-piece or twelve-piece box of Beyond Nuggets or the Beyond Nuggets Combo, which includes fries and a drink. I opted for the six-piece Beyond Nuggets, which cost me a reasonable $7.

Editor's Note: If you are fully vegan or have strict dietary restrictions, KFC emphasizes that while the recipes for its Beyond Meat chicken items are fully vegan, the preparation cannot be guaranteed vegan due to the potential for cross-contamination in the kitchen since it's cooked with the same equipment as the actual poultry.

As I was handed the bright green box containing the nuggets, a delicious smell hit me even before I opened it, promising that they were well-seasoned. As I popped open the sides of the box, six crispy golden nuggets lay neatly inside, inviting me to dive in.
The crispy exterior batter is packed with flavor and the seasoning is spot-on. It is exactly what you would expect in a KFC nugget. The inside chicken filling was no disappointment.

I’m sure many of you are wondering: Does it even taste like chicken? Yes! And I put this to the test. I gave a nugget to a friend who had come with me and had her try it before telling her it was Beyond Meat. “If you hadn’t told me," she said, "I never would’ve doubted that this wasn’t real chicken. It’s actually pretty good!”

This imitation meat really does check all the boxes of tempting smells, great seasoning, and a delectable chicken flavor. Where the vegan nugget doesn’t completely hold up is its texture.

KFC’s Beyond Chicken nuggets fall short on the texture. When I simply looked at the nuggets before biting in, nothing indicated to me that they weren’t real chicken. The exterior of the Beyond nugget holds up to the crunch of a classic chicken nugget. As I bit into it, I could hear the crispy outside breaking apart, but once I reached the protein, I instantly knew that it wasn’t from the bird.

The slightly rubbery consistency makes for a pretty dense texture, which is the opposite of what I was expecting. I tried tearing the nugget in half with my hands to get a better look at the inside, which was surprisingly difficult to do. It didn't let me separate the halves as a real piece of chicken would have. Though it's pea-protein-based, the inside looks extremely similar to seitan and has a very similar texture; it was stringy in some parts, chewy and dense in others.

Overall, KFC’s Beyond Fried chicken did not disappoint in flavor – but ultimately lacked a great texture. Although I am not vegan myself, I do like to opt for plant-based alternatives every so often. While KFC’s beyond chicken nuggets may not be my first choice when it comes to a plant-based alternative, I wouldn’t completely cross them off of the list.

Despite their chewy consistency, they really do really hold up in flavor. If you are someone who follows a plant-based diet and is searching for something that truly does taste like chicken, this might be the option for you! And though these fried Beyond chicken nuggets may not be the most nutritious plant-based meal in the market, they offer customers quick and easy access to some pretty tasty nuggets. So, would I get them again? Yes, but I want to explore other fast food menus first to see what other plant-based options are out there before coming back to KFC.

If you love chicken nuggets but don't want to eat poultry or are trying to eat plant-based for any reason, these nuggets will satisfy the yearning for the nuggets of your youth. Taste-wise and flavor they hold up, even if their texture is denser than real chicken. We say: Try them!

Fast-food restaurants have finally got the memo that their customer base isn’t just coming through for a burger, fried chicken, or a beef taco. Many now have plant-based foods and are coming up with creative, delicious ways to get more greens on the menu. Here are the 6 best fast-food chains with plant-based options on the menu.

Turns out there’s a lot more to rely on than a salad if you’re eating plant-based. Burger King has the Impossible Whopper featuring a meatless patty as well as a few secretly vegan options such as the French Toast Sticks and Hashbrowns.

Known for its mini square-shaped sliders, this hamburger chain jumped on the plant-based bandwagon at some participating locations. You can find an Impossible Slider on some White Castle menus.

This was the first national Mexican fast-food chain to offer Beyond Meat at the company’s 580 restaurants across the country. Del Taco has the Beyond Avocado Taco on the menu along with the Epic Beyond Original Mex Burrito and Avocado Veggie Bowl.

Another brand synonymous with beef burgers, Carl’s Jr. offers several plant-based options for veggie and plant lover such as Beyond Famous Star Burger and Guacamole Thickburger.

This fast-food restaurant may have been one of the first you frequented while transitioning to plant-based eating. That’s because Taco Bell has eight million vegetarian combinations and sells 350 million vegetarian items a year through menu substitutions or ordering off their vegetarian menu. In fact, they were the first quick-service restaurant to offer American Vegetarian Association (AVA) certified food options.

From the time it started offering breakfast sandwiches in 2006, the coffee conglomerate became a competitor in the fast-food space. You can get your favorite hot and cold beverages made with almond, coconut or oat milk but there are also plant-based food options available such as the Baja Black Bean Veggie Wrap, bagel with vegan cream cheese and Impossible Breakfast Sandwich.