We Tried Jollibee’s New Chicken Nuggets (Plus Macaroni & Cheese!)

Back in April, I was lucky enough to visit a Jollibee location in Chicago with a few of the chain’s media representatives to try some new menu items and chat about “the brand”. As a longtime fan of this Filipino fast food chain (quickly rising in the ranks of America’s favorite fried chicken), we had plenty to talk about–merchandise, collaborations, expansion dreams, and more.

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Near the end of our lunch, I mentioned I’d be back in town in early July for a family vacation. The reps couldn’t spill the beans at that time, but they made it clear I’d definitely need to save time in my schedule (and room in my stomach) for some sort of new menu item on that trip. Months later, I find out that the new menu item so broadly alluded to was chicken nuggets. Jollibee is putting their spin on one of the most iconic fast-food snack foods for kids and adults alike.

While the Jolli Girls weren’t available to reunite our lunch club during my brief trip to Chicagoland, the bee-themed chicken shop was kind enough to send over a gift card so I could check out the nuggets while giving a few members of my family their first Jollibee experience. Let’s find out whether these new chicken nuggets can live up to my lofty expectations.

Jollibee Chicken Nuggets Review

New Jollibee Menu Item!

Pros: These are solid little hunks of chicken meat with a good layer of breading on top to boot. If you like your chicken nuggets with a little more crunch, these will be right up your alley.

Cons: I don’t see myself ordering these again, because Jollibee’s base fried chicken is just too darn good. I imagine these will be popular with kids who can’t handle a full-sized piece of fried chicken just yet, but I’m unfortunately too grown for this. My family vacation taste testers of very varied ages all agreed the nuggets were fine, but debuting an “okay” chicken option when a genuinely perfect one is already available? If it ain’t broke…

Credit: Griffin Parker / Jollibee

Rating:

6.5/10

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Jollibee Macaroni & Cheese Review

New Jollibee Menu Item!

During my little lunch meeting back in April, I was asked what I thought Jollibee could do better. My first answer was “more vegetarian options” since basically all entrees sold by Jollibee are a little (or entirely) meaty. While we’re still waiting on spaghetti sans hot dog, I brought my vegetarian girlfriend a cup of Jollibee’s macaroni and cheese for her semi-professional opinion on how it stacks up to blue box and beyond.

Pros: Y’all, this really delivers. The noodles are cooked perfectly, and the thick cheese sauce comes peppered with bits of extra-baked cheddar that really take this above any other fast-food macaroni & cheese.

How does Jollibee do it? How can one fast food spot make some of the best spaghetti, fried chicken, and macaroni & cheese? I’d say they need to stay in their lane, but I really want to see what they experiment with next. Tacos? Pizza? Sweet potato fries?

Cons: This might be a semi-secret menu item; it isn’t listed on the brand’s nationwide menu, nor does it appear on the original menu in the Philippines. Is this too good to talk about? Am I breaking some kind of Fight Club code by reviewing this?

Credit: Griffin Parker / Jollibee

Rating:

9/10

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