Chicken burgers are red-hot right now. McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken have both completely revamped their chicken burgers this autumn.

When we say 'McDonald's chicken burger,' it might not immediately click, but we're talking about the 'Chicken Filet-O.' The Chicken Filet-O has been progressively discontinued since October (which might come as a shock to some).

McDonald's new chicken burger launches today.

And today, October 21st, sees the debut of the new burger, 'Zaku Zaku Juicy Mac'.

McDonald's New Chicken Burger: Incredible Crunch!

▲McDonald's 'Zaku Zaku Juicy Mac' from 460 yen. A whole thigh meat chicken patty, combined with tartar sauce and lettuce, all sandwiched in a bun. Perhaps the absence of 'chicken' in the name anticipates 'Zaku Zaku Juicy Mac' becoming synonymous with chicken.

The chicken is incredibly crunchy! And juicy fat oozes out from within. While the previous Chicken Filet-O also had a crispy coating and satisfying texture, this one is even crunchier.

And it genuinely feels like meat. Well, that might be a poor choice of words, but at McDonald's, it has the texture of a proper, single piece of meat. Wow!

Until now, McDonald's main star has always been its beef patty burgers, but the 'Zaku Zaku Juicy Mac' exudes the presence of something that aims to stand alongside them. Indeed, it was a remarkably outstanding chicken renewal.

KFC Also Gets a Major Refresh! Big and Delicious Chicken!

KFC's new chicken burger available from October 14th.

Furthermore, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) also launched its 'Original Chicken Burger' on October 14th, replacing the 'Chicken Fillet Burger'. This also switches from the traditional breast meat to a whole thigh meat patty.

Yes, both companies made the switch from breast meat to whole thigh meat at the same time! However, upon tasting them, their directions were completely different.

▲KFC 'Original Chicken Burger' 490 yen. Having tried McDonald's first, when I opened KFC's wrapper, I thought, 'That's a big chicken!' The chicken patty dramatically protrudes from the bun. In terms of visual size, KFC's chicken feels a size larger. Well, it is a chicken specialty store, after all. Their chicken is undeniably strong.

I thought, 'Since it's the same thigh meat, maybe it'll be similar to McDonald's?' but I was completely wrong. KFC's chicken tasted like KFC. Of course it would!

KFC's 'Original Chicken Burger' uses that distinctive chicken, flavored with their secret blend of 11 herbs and spices. So, does that mean it's the Original Recipe chicken sandwiched in a bun? No, not strictly speaking.

This chicken was newly developed specifically for the burger. They changed from traditional breast meat to a whole thigh meat patty, re-evaluated the breading method and cooking process, and pursued a crispy coating texture.

Also, a significant difference from the familiar Original Recipe chicken is that it's 'boneless'. Original Recipe chicken thighs and drumsticks have bones.

Same Whole Thigh Meat, Different Coating and Juiciness!

McDonald's cross-section (product sample from presentation)

McDonald's chicken patty, the 'Zaku Zaku Juicy Thigh Chicken,' has a wavy, uneven surface, and when you bite into it, there's a dramatically crunchy texture. It has a clearly emphasized crunch and juiciness, much like a convenience store hot snack.

KFC's cross-section

KFC's is a large, boneless chicken, cooked individually in-store. While not as overtly juicy and fatty as McDonald's, it's packed with the inherent deliciousness of chicken.

McDonald's: Burger Harmony, KFC: Chicken Deliciousness!

So, what's the ultimate difference? To summarize from Nabeko's perspective, McDonald's seems to have a better balance as a burger.

McDonald's new burgers come in three varieties. Each has its own character; for example, the standard 'Zaku Zaku Juicy Mac' is designed to simply let you enjoy the chicken's crunchy texture. That's good too, but Nabeko's favorite was the 'Spicy Zaku Zaku Juicy Mac'.

▲McDonald's 'Spicy Zaku Zaku Juicy Mac' from 470 yen

The sauce, featuring chili and garlic, offers a spicy-savory kick reminiscent of Korean gochujang (yangnyeom). And it's quite spicy!

However, this spiciness combined with the juicy fat oozing from the chicken creates an addictive pairing. The richness of the fat likely mellows the spiciness just right. I found myself repeating 'Spicy! Delicious!' and devoured it in no time.

Product sample of 'Spicy Zaku Zaku Juicy Mac'

This is a uniquely delicious combination, where McDonald's characteristic rich sauce perfectly complements the crunchy chicken. Highly recommended for spice lovers.

KFC, on the other hand, is all about the deliciousness of the chicken itself. Rather than feeling like you've eaten a burger, you'll likely think, 'Ah, I've eaten KFC chicken!' (laughs).

Among KFC's new burgers, the one I particularly want to recommend is the 'Teriyaki'.

▲KFC 'Original Chicken Burger (Teriyaki)' 540 yen

Teriyaki is also familiar at McDonald's. Of course, the new 'Teriyaki Chicken Juicy Mac' also uses teriyaki sauce. However, KFC's teriyaki has a different feel to it.

Teriyaki flavor generally has an image of being sweet, spicy, and very rich, but KFC's is somewhat milder, I'd say. It adds a mellow touch without overpowering the chicken's spice, creating a new kind of deliciousness.

While KFC generally emphasizes the chicken's presence, this teriyaki flavor creates a strong sense of unity as a burger.

Even with the same 'Teriyaki Chicken,' McDonald's and KFC take different approaches. I think it would be interesting to try both and compare!

↑We also compared McDonald's and KFC's new chicken burgers on Donburi Channel's live stream, 'ASCII Gourmet NEWS'.

*Prices in the article include tax.