12 Fast Food Chicken Nuggets Ranked Worst To First

Chicken nuggets tend to win over even the most picky eaters — particularly little ones with especially fussy appetites. That makes the fried dish also rather popular with adults who have the responsibility of providing some vittles, are also rather hungry themselves, and perhaps a bit exhausted after a long day and not especially thrilled about engaging in long-winded bargaining tactics to get the kids to eat dinner. Winner, winner, chicken dinner for all involved.

While there are frozen chicken nuggets one can buy from the grocery store, once they're thrown in the oven and baked, they don't deliver the intense dopamine hit that comes with a batch that's fresh from the fryer. We've sampled a ton of fast food chicken nuggets and have some thoughts on how they rank in terms of crunchiness, texture, seasoning, taste, and general mouthfeel. We've also encountered some options that are a tad strange in terms of presentation. In a crowded field, we suppose that any effort to stand out from the competition is worth a try, but we're not entirely sure that the gimmicky entries, while they're interesting, are necessarily better. Here's a list of our favorite fast food chicken nuggets going from worst to first.

Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, which joined forces in 1997 when Carl's Jr. acquired the other, exist in different regions of the country, but for the most part, they have the same menu — that includes their star-shaped chicken nuggets. The nuggets offered by both are also served up as tenders, but you can find the stars in a six- or nine-piece combo along with fries, a beverage, and your choice of dipping sauce.

These aren't our favorite fast food chicken nuggets, though — that cute star might be tempting, but they taste more like crispy carbs than a protein-packed portion of chicken. To achieve that unique shape, they're filled with processed ground chicken, chicken fat, and beef fat rather than a simple tender cutlet. The seasoning on the breading leaves much to be desired as well, coming off as mostly salt and not much more. All of that keeps these star nuggets below most of their competition.

White Castle is a fast food chain primarily known for its bite-sized beefy sliders going all the way back to 1921, as well as a stoner comedy starring John Cho and Kal Penn. But White Castle's Chicken Rings have earned their own level of infamy.

We like the Chicken Rings from White Castle because while the shape is not something we would ever associate with chicken, they are admittedly quite dunkable into the sweet and savory sauces on offer from the chain and offer a nice thin crisp akin to a thick potato chip. And if you're getting drive-thru and have your hands behind the wheel and can't manage a saucy dunk without making a mess, you can order these Chicken Rings from White Castle with a coat of seasoning — pick from spicy Buffalo or Hidden Valley Ranch blends. They're also one of the only fast food nuggets you can make at home — White Castle now sells frozen spicy and regular Chicken Rings in grocery stores.

If you've only had one fried chicken nugget from a fast food restaurant in your entire life, it was probably a McNugget from McDonald's. The longstanding chain that was a game changer in the industry for adopting efficient Henry Ford-esque assembly lines to churn out as much food as possible is also ubiquitous stateside and abroad. And for hungry kids, the appeal of a Happy Meal and the toy that comes with it are extra incentives to beg for an order of those salty McNuggets.

We rank McNuggets towards the middle of our list for nostalgic reasons. Sometimes you just need comfort food that reminds you of your youth. But we can't really rank them higher because depending on how old you are, they may not taste quite like what you recall from childhood. That's because they used to be a blend of dark and white meat, but in 2003, the corporation decided to make them from only white meat chicken. We also struggle to rank them higher because you really don't want to know the specifics of how McDonald's Chicken McNuggets are made.

The only thing that could be better than popcorn chicken is if it comes in an extra-large size. Popcorn chicken has a bit of a reputation for being more fried breading than it is protein, which can be a delectable morsel but sometimes leaves you craving a bit more substance to your meal. Our friends at Sonic are happy to accommodate their patrons' appetites for meatier bites with their Jumbo Popcorn Chicken, which is made of 100% all-white meat.

Despite their name, we would argue that due to their size and shape, these qualify as chicken nuggets. They earn a high ranking from us because of that signature crunch that you want and crave when it comes to fried chicken. The only downside with this nugget delicacy might be going through the hassle of trying to find a Sonic near you. If you're in Texas or anywhere in the Southeast, that shouldn't be an issue. But for those west of the Mississippi, you might have to go on a bit of a drive to get to a Sonic Drive-In.

If KFC can't come through with some top-notch chicken nuggets, there really isn't much hope for the chain. We're happy to report that Colonel Sanders' famous blend of 11 herbs and spices is well incorporated into a pint-sized container of boneless nuggets just as well as it is within a bucket of bone-in pieces — these nuggets are indeed, as the brand likes to brag, "finger-lickin' good," and the seasoning goes beyond just salt and pepper, too. That's just one reason why we rank these nuggets higher than their competitors. We also imagine that the colonel's patented process of frying chicken in a pressure-induced cooker could also be at play here because these nuggets are quite tender and not as dried out as some of the competitors.

KFC only rolled out the new nuggets nationwide in early 2023, but they've easily found their way to the head of the competition. You can order a pack of five, eight, or 12 for yourself — or 36 if it's a party — and dip them into some standard honey mustard, ranch, or perhaps Buffalo sauce if you're looking for some heat. But while you're at KFC, why not ask for its signature sauce? Much like what coats the chicken, the exact recipe is kept secret, but it comes off as a sweet, sour, and umami soupçon packed with many flavors — pretty much anything you could want in a dip for fried chicken.

Sing it along with us: "Love that chicken from Popeyes!" These chicken nuggets with original New Orleans flavor are marinated for 12 hours to ensure you're not getting a blasé bite — if we can invoke some French into a critique and appreciation of this Louisiana-based eatery that serves up fried chicken nuggets that outrank the competition as far as we're concerned. These bites of white meat are battered by hand and given a solid buttermilk bread coating that results in an undeniably top-tier, epic-level crunchy bite after the deep fry.

Nuggets are relatively new at Popeyes — the brand hasn't offered nuggets as a menu mainstay since the 1980s and revamped the recipe and relaunched the item in 2021. Still, they've undoubtedly improved on the original. What we love about Popeyes nuggets as much as their flavor is that if you find yourself in a position to feed a large group of people, they're happy to help you out. Go all-in on a 48-piece order, or several, depending on the crowd size and appetite. Or you can simply get a meal for yourself when you're on the go and need some nuggets.