Durian Chicken Nuggets are a Thing and We Tried Them

By Ryan Gandolfo, September 11, 2019

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‘We Try It’ is a regular series where we try the latest off-beat food and beverage offerings.

We have to admit: Staying up-to-date on KFC China’s newest menu items is entertaining to say the least. Their latest deviation from the colonel’s classic food items? Durian chicken nuggets.

nugget-promo.jpgKFC’s durian chicken nuggets. Image via 肯德基/WeChat

It seems like every food product in the Middle Kingdom has – at some point or another – been infused with the spiny, pungent fruit (read: pizza, ice cream, cookies, candy, moon cakes, yogurt, etc.).

We decided to give the tropical fruit nuggets a try, swinging by a jam-packed KFC outlet during a weekday lunch rush. (It’s worth noting that the nuggets did not appear on our nearby KFC’s menu list on Meituan-Dianping.) The chain has two options available for those looking to get a dose of durian and poultry: a four-piece pack for RMB11.5 and a five-food basket (including the durian nuggets) for RMB39. We opted for the four-piece set.

durian.jpg
A little light on the durian, eh? Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s

Before we even opened the box, the smell of durian wafted in the air, hitting our nostrils as if to say ‘proceed with caution.’ (We’re admittedly not the biggest fans of the fruit.) However, the nuggets looked like the classic version, with a golden-colored exterior that was fried to a crisp. A bite into the nugget revealed a scantily gooey interior of durian paste, which was surprisingly well masked by the crispy, oily flavor of the chicken.

durian-nugget.jpg
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s

Largely overpowered by the fried coating, KFC’s durian nugget is very much palatable even for those opposed to Southeast Asia’s ‘king of fruit.’ However, if you are looking for a bolder durian flavor, this KFC creation simply won’t cut it.

Would we order it again? Not likely, as we suspect it won’t be around the next time we pay a visit.

For more ‘We Try It,’ click here.

[Cover image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s]

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