The Mac ’n’ Chilli Cheese Burger is a combination of Zinger fillet with cheese, smothered in nacho jalapeño sauce and hot salsa along with a rich mac and cheese parcel.
All of this is housed in a classic glazed bun.
The burger was created by Reece Harrison, aged 21, who won KFC’s innovation challenge.
The national competition was open to all KFC employees, and staff members were asked to unleash their inner chef to create the dream KFC product, before pitching it to a panel of judges.
The competition received hundreds of entries from across the country. The employees who submitted top five ideas were invited to develop and refine their creations in KFC’s Innovation Kitchen – but it was Reece’s winning combo that wowed KFC execs at Head Office.
The burger is available exclusively to those who go to KFC at The Galleries Retail Park, in the Washington in Tyne & Wear for £4.99.
A portion of the sales will be donated to Add Hope, KFC’s charity initiative which supports vulnerable children across the UK.
Reece, who has worked at KFC for three years, said: “When I came up with the idea I never thought I’d actually see my recipe go on sale in the restaurant.
“Growing up, I wanted to become a chef and have always been interested in cooking and experimenting with flavours. The inspiration for my burger came from my signature recipe – deep fried mac ‘n’ chilli cheese balls.”
Jack Hinchliffe, Innovation Director at KFC commented: “We are always on the lookout for new and exciting ideas at KFC, and were truly overwhelmed by the quality and creativity of the ideas from our Team Members.”
“Who better to come up with the next big thing than the people who make and serve our food day in, day out.
“They understand our customers and our menu better than anyone… I’m sure many of them have created a few imaginative menu hacks for their staff lunches too! We can’t wait to run the competition again in the future.”
The burger is not the first food item KFC have launched that has been inspired by the USA.
In May they announced their Nashville Hot chicken after scouring their homeland, the Deep South, to find the best authentic new taste for its chicken on the bone recipe.
Inspired by Nashville’s original hot chicken shacks, KFC’s spicy and smokey Nashville Hot chicken is cayenne and paprika encrusted and served straight up with with gherkins.
The epic Nashville Hot chicken is thought to have been created by the Andre Prince Jeffries family, owners of Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, which is still doing a roaring trade in Nashville.
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