5 Best New Fast Food Chicken Items In 2026

Burgers often dominate the fast food landscape, but let's not forget about chicken. From the classic McDonald's McChicken to the KFC Double Down to Taco Bell's Naked Chicken Chalupa, nearly every major fast food chain has introduced memorable chicken items. That trend continued in 2026 with the introduction of a handful of new ones.

There are endless ways that chicken could be prepared and put on a menu. Nuggets, strips, and wings are all popular, plus regular or spicy versions of each. That doesn't even get into all the sauces that work with chicken, turning a normal chicken sandwich or wrap into an Asian, BBQ, or Southwest version. But the thing is, not every chicken dish is going to be a winner.

Tasting Table recently ranked every chicken item from McDonald's and every chicken item from Burger King. There were some real standouts and a few flops on both menus. That's why fast food places have to keep introducing new items. In 2026, multiple chains brought brand new chicken dishes to the table, and there were five that really stood out from the rest.

In March 2026, Chick-fil-A brought some heat when it introduced the Jalapeño Ranch Club Chicken Sandwich. Featuring that classic Chick-fil-A chicken available in either Original, Spicy, or Grilled on a buttermilk ranch bun, the sandwich was topped with pepper jack cheese, caramelized onion-flavored candied bacon, pickled jalapeños, lettuce, and tomato. Jalapeño ranch sauce also came on the side.

Our taste tester tried Chick-fil-A's Jalapeño Ranch Club when it first became available and enjoyed all three, finding them to be a great addition to the Chick-fil-A lineup. Others across social media agreed. "It's my favorite of the limited-time sandwiches they've had," said one Redditor. Another poster echoed that feeling and said, "My favorite so far. I thought it was delicious." 

One fan on Reddit loved it enough to swear about it and said, "It's pretty f***ing amazing." A second Redditor replied, "I love it too and it sucks its only limited time." Fans over on Facebook held similar opinions, with one person saying, "One of the best chicken sandwiches I've ever had!!" 

Few chains are as open to culinary risks as Taco Bell. When it introduces new items, it can go over the top with things like Baja Blast pies and edible sauce packets. But you have to give the place credit for being bold and willing to try almost anything. That's what led to the 2026 introduction of Diablo Dusted Crispy Chicken Nuggets. 

Taco Bell dug into its bag of tricks to make these nuggets stand out. They feature a dry seasoning version of the chain's Diablo sauce along with a crunchy crushed tortilla chip coating on the chicken. Tasting Table reviewed the "dusty" and "dirty" nuggets, and our taste tester was a fan. That sentiment was echoed across social media and on YouTube.

"Being completely honest these are some of the best chicken nuggets I've ever had," one Reddit review said. The top comment read, "I just got these today for the first time and they were amazing." Another Redditor added, "They should sell Diablo dry rub for bbq in supermarkets."

In Tasting Table's ranking of 19 popular chicken sandwiches, Popeye's came in sixth with its Classic Chicken Sandwich. If you recall, Popeyes kicked off what came to be known as the "chicken war" back in 2019 by directly challenging Chick-fil-A. Chicken sandwiches soon became all the rage, and numerous other chains got in on the action, so it makes sense that Popeyes has continued to stay ahead of the competition in 2026.

In 2026, Popeyes introduced two new chicken sandwich options: the Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich and the Honey BBQ Bacon + Cheese Sandwich. One version came with Havarti cheese and bacon, but otherwise they both featured Popeyes' marinated fried chicken filet, a brioche bun, pickles, and a Honey BBQ sauce. A YouTube review called the chicken "meaty, savory, and juicy," while a second YouTuber said it was "their best chicken sandwich yet." 

A Facebook review said, "The version with bacon & cheese is a straight up banger." A more thorough review by The Impulsive Buy said, "The sauce is sweet, savory, and a little peppery, and it goes extremely well with Popeyes' chicken fillet and the tangy pickles."

Tasting Table called out Firehouse Subs in the past for being one of the sandwich chains with the best deli meat. The chain continued to live up to expectations when it launched the Chicken 'N' Cheddar Rancher in February 2026 to celebrate National Ranch Day. It was the first new sandwich to join the Firehouse menu in three years, loaded with grilled chicken, bacon, cheddar cheese, and the chain's own herby buttermilk ranch dressing.

In a positive review of the sub that also praised the chicken and the bacon, one YouTuber called out the dressing specifically. "That's some good ranch," they said. A different YouTuber also enjoyed the sub, calling it "solidly a step above Subway." The sub gained some fans on Facebook as well, where one customer said, "Have enjoyed this sub 2 times so far this week. So good, it did not disappoint." Another reviewer said, "I really liked this sub ... actually way more than I thought I would." 

Overall, fans have been happy with the new Chicken 'N' Cheddar Rancher, with special mentions for both the grilled chicken, including portion sizes, as well as the ranch sauce.

Whataburger is popping up in more and more places, bringing its food to a wider audience. Though best known for hamburgers, it expanded its chicken lineup with the Hot Honey Crisp Whatachick'n Sandwich introduced in May 2026. The sandwich consists of a breaded chicken filet, a hot honey drizzle made with chili crisp, and a red pepper cheddar cheese spread reminiscent of pimento cheese, all served on a potato bun. 

One reviewer on Facebook said, "It has dethroned Popeyes for me. I have a new #1." Elsewhere, another Facebook reviewer simply said, "It is absolutely delicious!" One Redditor said, "I love it. I just wish I had the option [to] add more pimento cheese." On YouTube, in a thorough review of the sandwich, another reviewer said, "That flavor of the hot honey ... with the creaminess of the red pepper cheddar cheese spread, that was a really nice first bite."