Chain restaurants tend to have standard menus with signature items that keep customers coming back again and again – but they’re also constantly revising and upgrading their menus, trying out new offerings, and rotating dishes on and off their rosters with the seasons or with changing tastes. (That’s certainly the practice at the most successful restaurant chains in America.)
Depending on the style of food each chain specializes in, new introductions tend to be things like pizzas with unusual toppings, imaginative (and not necessarily Italian) pasta creations, non-traditional tacos, putatively healthy salads and bowls, and countless burger variations. (These are the best burger joints in every state.)
Perhaps the most popular medium for new menu items, however – regardless of the main focus of the chain – is our friend the chicken. As a nation, we absolutely love that bird. According to the USDA, chicken currently accounts for 43% of all the meat we consume. No wonder restaurant operations are constantly thinking up new ways to present it to us. (One of our favorite ways of eating chicken is in the form of wings, and these are the best places to get chicken wings in every state.)
To assemble a list of new chicken dishes – from soup to sandwiches to tenders and nuggets – that debuted at some of America’s best-loved chain restaurants this year, 24/7 Tempo reviewed editions of the Menu Tracker column in the restaurant trade publication Nation’s Restaurant News from throughout 2022. Compiled by Bret Thorn, NRN’s senior food and beverage editor, the column details new additions to menus at a wide range of chain restaurants around the U.S. From various iterations of Menu Tracker, we chose only those items tagged as permanently or indefinitely added to menus.
Click here to see new chain restaurant chicken dishes for 2022
Honey BBQ Bird Dog
> Chain: Buffalo Wild Wings
> What it is: Fried chicken tenders on brioche bun with honey BBQ sauce
> Price (may vary): $5 during 3-6 p.m. happy hour; otherwise, varies by location
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Rotisserie Chicken Nuggets
> Chain: Boston Market
> What it is: White-meat chicken nuggets with rotisserie chicken or spicy seasoning
> Price (may vary): $3.30
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Chicken Alfredo Papa Bowl
> Chain: Papa Johns
> What it is: Baked bowl of grilled chicken, spinach, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes in Alfredo and garlic parmesan sauces, topped with a melted three-cheese blend and Italian seasoning
> Price (may vary): $7.99
Chicken Alfredo Baked Pasta
> Chain: Pizza Hut
> What it is: Penne pasta with Alfredo sauce, grilled chicken, and baked cheese
> Price (may vary): $8.99
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Chicken, Maple Butter, & Egg Sandwich
> Chain: Starbucks
> What it is: Breaded white-meat chicken with eggs and maple butter spread on a toasted oat-biscuit roll
> Price (may vary): $4.95-$5.25
Chicken Cheddar Rollers
> Chain: Del Taco
> What it is: Rolled flour tortilla filled with marinated grilled chicken, grated cheddar cheese, and a choice of sauces
> Price (may vary): $1.29
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Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich
> Chain: Wendy’s
> What it is: White-meat chicken, pepper jack, applewood-smoked bacon, and crispy pickle chips on a bun
> Price (may vary): $5.99
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Scorchin’ Hot Chicken Tenders
> Chain: Smashburger
> What it is: Chicken tenders with Nashville Scorchin’ Hot seasoning and choice of dipping sauce
> Price (may vary): $6.29 (3 pieces); $7.99 (5 pieces)
Tipsy Chick Tacos
> Chain: Torchy’s Tacos
> What it is: Marinated grilled chicken, spinach, grilled corn, green chiles, and cheddar with chipotle sauce on a flour tortilla
> Price (may vary): $6.19
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Chef’s Signature Chicken Sandwich
> Chain: Panera Bread
> What it is: Seared marinated chicken breast with a Parmesan crisp, greens, and aïoli on a brioche roll
> Price (may vary): $10.99
Fry-seasoned Chicken Tenders
> Chain: Rally’s and Checkers
> What it is: White-meat chicken in crisp breading with fry seasoning
> Price (may vary): $4.29
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Hot Ones Chicken Sandwich
> Chain: Shake Shack
> What it is: Crispy white-meat chicken with Hot Ones Spicy ShackSauce
> Price (may vary): $9.59
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Thai Chicken Soup
> Chain: Panera Bread
> What it is: Chicken, carrots, shiitakes, red bell peppers, and edamame in yellow coconut curry broth with lemongrass, ginger, galangal, and lime peel
> Price (may vary): $8.19
Aloha Stir-Fry Chicken
> Chain: Friendly’s
> What it is: Chicken stir-fried with vegetables and pineapple rice, with crispy chow mein noodles
> Price (may vary): $13.99-$14.99
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Smoked Chicken Street Tacos
> Chain: Twin Peaks
> What it is: 3 tacos on double corn tortillas with pico de gallo, onion, cilantro, roasted tomato salsa, habanero sauce, and tortilla chips
> Price (may vary): $9.79-$11.59
Pesto Chicken & Burrata Salad
> Chain: Pret à Manger
> What it is: Chicken in pesto, burrata, mesclun, roasted cherry tomatoes, basil, and garlic croutons with vinaigrette dressing
> Price (may vary): $14.99
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Chicken Sandwich
> Chain: Wingstop
> What it is: Fried chicken breast with pickle chips on buttered, toasted bun with a choice of 11 sauces
> Price (may vary): $5.49
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Chicken Quesadilla
> Chain: IHOP
> What it is: Diced grilled chicken breast with roasted poblanos, red bell peppers, and melted Jack and cheddar in a grilled tortilla
> Price (may vary): $14.59
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