The Colonel has entered the (pickle) chat!
As mentioned in my Popeyes Fried Pickle review, I’m a proud pickle enthusiast. While I’ve since run out of pickle toothpaste, I’ve moved on to delights like pickle de gallo and pickle chips. Shake Shack’s version recently let me down, but that’s a review for another day.
Let me rewind for a moment. The Colonel and I go way back. As a kid, KFC was my go-to. Apparently, it’s slipped to #4 nationally now, but back then, it was my #1 weekly tradition. I loved the silky, overprocessed mashed potatoes and especially those biscuits. KFC was a summer staple in my household.
Fast-forward to today. I hadn’t been to KFC in a minute, but when I heard about its new fried pickles, I was drawn in like a magpie to something shiny. This time, the shiny thing was golden-fried pickle coins.
These pickles are part of KFC’s new “Comeback Era” menu, a refresh inspired by customer feedback. They’re described as “golden-fried dill pickle slices that are the perfect crispy bite.” No signage was up yet at the location I visited, but the staff kindly clued me in: 8 pieces for $3.79 or a 45-piece family pack for $14.99. The family pack was tempting, but I hesitated. What if they weren’t good?!
I played it safe and chose the 8-piece. They arrived hot and fresh in a nugget box. I had hoped for something more pickle-themed, but not a big dill.
First test: shape. Coin-shaped, not spears. That’s a win; I’m firmly in the “coins have better crispy-to-cuke ratio” camp. They were also properly golden-fried – so far, so good.
The breading was flavorful, similar to Popeyes’, but without the Cajun kick. That tracks, since Cajun isn’t really KFC’s thing. I chose ranch as a dipping sauce, but it wasn’t really necessary. The pickles held their own. I did feel noticeably thirstier after eating them, though, which hadn’t happened with Popeyes.
However, there was a bit of sogginess between the breading and the pickle, and they were definitely oily. My napkin had the receipts after just eight pieces.
All in all, Popeyes still holds the S-tier fried pickle crown among national chains. But since theirs were limited-time only, KFC will do for now. I may even spring for the 45-piece!
Unfortunately, it’s also a limited-time item, so I’ll be on the hunt for my next fix soon. One of these chains really needs to make it permanent already!!
Purchased Price: $3.79
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 8pc – 290 calories, 16 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 1400 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.