Key Takeaways
- A former KFC executive shared his “go-to” order from the fast food chain.
- The “lunchtime staple” isn’t actually on the menu, but here’s how to order it.
Colonel Sanders’ beloved (and very secret) fried chicken recipe has been around for more than 80 years—and KFC has been frying it up for more than 70. With locations across the globe, Kentucky Fried Chicken has some pretty loyal fans, each with their own go-to orders.
While KFC is constantly innovating its menu—like with its new Strawberry & Crème Poppers and Mike’s Hot Honey Tenders—we all know fried chicken and the iconic bucket will always be at the center. Those drumsticks with a side of mashed potatoes and biscuits are delicious, but sometimes we like to branch out.
Even KFC’s former Chief Marketing Officer, Nick Chavez, skips the classic fried chicken every now and again. And with a fully operating restaurant inside KFC’s Louisville office, of course, Chavez ate at the fried chicken chain a lot.
The Best KFC Order, According to a Former Executive
“It goes without saying that I’m a die-hard fried chicken lover, so of course it is hard to pick just one [favorite],” Chavez said in a quote provided exclusively to Allrecipes.
So, he picked two. The first is the iconic Famous Bowl with mashed potatoes, sweet corn, nuggets, gravy, and cheese, which is one of the brand’s top sellers.
You might recall there was worry that the Famous Bowl would be discontinued after KFC phased out its popcorn chicken—thankfully, the bowl was saved when KFC added chicken nuggets to the menu.
Maybe it’s because the brand’s former CMO said it’s “one of his [lunchtime] staples,” so they couldn’t get rid of it. Either way, Chavez and the rest of KFC fans are glad to have the Famous Bowl—and its other limited-time iterations—available.
The second item that Chavez calls his “go-to meal” is one that’s not even on the menu—so, KFC customers, listen up.
“One of my go-to meals is the KFC Classic Chicken Sandwich with a side of coleslaw and Honey BBQ sauce—but here’s the secret, I add the coleslaw and Honey BBQ on the sandwich. It adds the perfect sweet and tangy crunch,” he said.
KFC launched its chicken sandwich, which has an Extra Crispy fillet, pickles, and mayo on a brioche bun, in 2021 during the peak of the chicken sandwich wars. Today, the chicken sandwich is available in Original and Spicy (topped with spicy sauce instead of mayo) year-round, with the occasional limited-time offering, like the Mike’s Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich or the hilarious Double Down.
While there is currently no chicken sandwich available with classic barbecue sauce or coleslaw, Chavez’s order is incredibly easy to DIY. Just order a side of those two items and doctor up your sandwich on your own.
It sounds like the perfect, flavorful sandwich to us. So, maybe we can actually bring this creation to menus—wink, wink, KFC.
