Its 2020 and McDonalds is still betting on chicken. After launching all-new Spicy BBQ Chicken back in September, Mickey Ds is finally adding chicken to its breakfast menu with the launch of the Chicken McGriddle and a McChicken Biscuit. But in a world where sausage, bacon, eggs, and cheese rule our morning meals, can chicken really succeed at breakfast? We ate both new sandwiches to find out.
For many years, the McDonald’s Chicken Biscuit was a popular breakfast item. Many customers’ go-to breakfast item in the morning was this tasty mix of a warm, flaky biscuit and a crispy chicken patty. Fans of this sandwich have noticed that it has been missing from menus for a few years now, leaving them to wonder what happened to the McDonald’s Chicken Biscuit.
A History of the McDonald’s Chicken Biscuit
The origins of the Chicken Biscuit can be traced back to test markets in the Southern United States in the early 2000s. Biscuits are a breakfast staple in the South, so introducing a chicken biscuit sandwich tailored perfectly to this region.
Southern-style spices were used to season an all-white meat chicken patty that was placed between two warm buttermilk biscuits. After some successful tests, McDonald’s added the Chicken Biscuit to its breakfast menu across the country around 2008.
For over a decade, customers across the country enjoyed the comforting flavors of this handheld breakfast sandwich. It became a reliable morning option for many regular McDonald’s patrons.
When Did the Chicken Biscuit Disappear?
Around 2015, McDonald’s slowly started taking the Chicken Biscuit off the menu in some areas. At first, most people didn’t pay much attention to this slow phase-out. Around 2019-2020, sandwich fans really started to notice that it wasn’t there as much.
By early 2020, McDonald’s had removed the Chicken Biscuit from its national breakfast offerings. Some locations continued serving it for a short period, but it ultimately vanished from most McDonald’s restaurants by the end of 2020.
Why Would McDonald’s Discontinue This Popular Breakfast Item?
The decision to remove the Chicken Biscuit from McDonald’s menus stemmed from a few key factors:
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Declining popularity – Sales data likely showed that the Chicken Biscuit was not selling as well as other breakfast sandwiches. As consumer tastes evolved it fell out of favor.
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Streamlining operations – Eliminating slower-selling menu items allowed McDonald’s to simplify kitchen processes and speed up service during busy breakfast hours.
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New menu strategies – McDonald’s was shifting focus to newer offerings like fresh-cracked egg sandwiches and premium sandwiches to compete with rivals like Starbucks. The Chicken Biscuit didn’t align with this updated brand direction.
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Regional preferences—The sandwich was first made to suit Southern tastes. It didn’t have the same wide appeal outside of places where people love biscuits.
A Glimmer of Hope: The McChicken Biscuit
In late 2019, some McDonald’s locations added a new sandwich to their breakfast menus – the McChicken Biscuit. This offered a McChicken patty instead of the original fried chicken breast. For Chicken Biscuit loyalists, the McChicken version provided a glimmer of hope.
However, the McChicken Biscuit seemed to be a temporary regional offering rather than a true nationwide replacement. It disappeared from most menus by mid-2020, leaving fans disappointed yet again.
Can I Still Find the McDonald’s Chicken Biscuit Today?
The original McDonald’s Chicken Biscuit appears to be gone for good from national and most regional menus. Nevertheless, a few isolated locations may still offer it or a similar version. Specific franchises retain control over their menus, so unique local offerings are possible.
To find out if a McDonald’s near you still has the elusive Chicken Biscuit, your best bet is to check their online menu or call the restaurant directly. You might get lucky, but chances are slim since the sandwich has been phased out at nearly all McDonald’s.
Potential for the Chicken Biscuit’s Triumphant Return
Is there any hope of McDonald’s bringing back this cherished breakfast sandwich on a larger scale? Never say never. McDonald’s frequently rotates limited-time offers and brings back retired classics in response to customer sentiment.
Strong nostalgia and petitions on social media from Chicken Biscuit fans may eventually grab corporate’s attention. However, the company seems firmly committed to its current breakfast strategy, making a comeback unlikely in the immediate future.
Satisfying Your Craving: Chicken Biscuit Alternatives
Luckily, other fast food chains haven’t abandoned the classic chicken biscuit. Here are some spots to get your fix:
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Chick-fil-A – Chick-fil-A’s Chicken Biscuit comes with a tender chicken breast fillet on a fluffy, made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuit.
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Popeyes – Try Popeyes’ Spicy Chicken Biscuit for a spicy, Cajun-inspired twist featuring their signature fried chicken.
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Bojangles’ – Bojangles’ offers a delicious, butter-brushed, made-from-scratch biscuit with a Cajun Filet Biscuit or Sausage Biscuit.
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Hardee’s – Hardee’s Made from Scratch Biscuits pair nicely with their Fried Chicken Biscuits.
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Local restaurants – Many beloved local restaurants and bakeries offer fresh, homemade chicken biscuits that are worth seeking out in your area.
Recreating the Magic at Home
If you want to revive those nostalgic McDonald’s Chicken Biscuit flavors in the comfort of your own kitchen, all hope is not lost. There are numerous copycat recipes online which allow you to make a homemade version.
With some simple ingredients like store-bought biscuits, boneless chicken tenders, and standard McDonald’s-style seasoning, you can assemble a satisfying DIY McD’s chicken biscuit in no time. Add your own creative twists and customizations to make it your own!
The Quest Continues for Diehard Fans
Like the legendary McRib sandwich, the McDonald’s Chicken Biscuit has now achieved an almost mythic nostalgia status. For diehard fans, the hunt continues to find any remaining outposts still serving this elusive breakfast treat.
To them, it represents a beloved relic of McDonald’s history that delivered pure comfort and joy with every bite. Perhaps one day the stars will align and McDonald’s will answer their wishes by bringing back the Chicken Biscuit in all its glory. Until then, cherished memories and alternative options will have to do.
The McChicken Biscuit is not as sweet, but struggles in other areas
Chicken and biscuits is an excellent breakfast combo, something Id even venture to say that Chick-fil-A has perfected. Considering the drawbacks of the Chicken McGriddle, I had high hopes the McChicken Biscuit would be the winner of this launch, but it struggles elsewhere.
For starters, the base of this entire sandwich — the biscuit itself — is disappointing. Its center is doughy, while the exterior is brittle and crumbly, sucking moisture out of your mouth. This, paired with an unexciting chicken patty, made for an uninspiring chicken sandwich. Since the McChicken Biscuit doesn’t come with any sauce, I think you should cover it in honey, hot sauce, or both to make it taste better. But even with those additions, I wouldnt order it again over better breakfast menu options.
Pancake bread is always good but…
The reason pancake bread is so successful in the bacon, egg, and cheese McGriddle as well as the sausage, egg, and cheese McGriddle is that the inherent sweetness — via pockets of gooey maple syrups — is countered by the salt of breakfast meats. Everything falls into place like a puzzle.
The Chicken McGriddle, however, lacks the same components. There is no egg or cheese, just a peppery McChicken patty sandwiched between McDonalds signature pancake bread. Not only that, but the McChicken patties aren’t hand-dredged in a thick batter, so don’t expect extra crunch.
Though I enjoy McDonalds pancake bread getting shine, the lack of cheese and eggs means the pancake bread overwhelms the McChicken patty, which suddenly tastes dull behind the pancake syrup. Hot sauce can coax a bit of life back into the sandwich but the damage is done; the strongest flavor youre getting bite to bite is the butter and syrup.
McDonalds new Biscuit McChicken #FoodReview
FAQ
Does McDonald’s still have McChicken biscuits?
Yes, McDonald’s does still offer the McChicken Biscuit as part of their breakfast menu for a limited time, according to TheStreet.
Did McDonald’s ever have a chicken biscuit?
McChicken® Biscuit. 420 Cal. 420 Cal. *At participating McDonald’s.
What happened to the chicken sandwich at McDonald’s?
It was part of McDonald’s plan to focus on their core menu items and streamline their offerings that they took grilled chicken sandwiches off the menu in some places. This move aimed to simplify operations and reduce complexity in the kitchen, which can enhance speed and efficiency in service.
What happened to chicken in a biscuit?
Manufacturing was moved to China. Australian Kraft Chicken in a Biskit said that chicken meat was one of the ingredients, but a separate chemistry test found “no protein from any meat species” in the food. Production of the ‘In a Biskit’ range was discontinued in March 2015.