I Tried All 7 of Wendy's Brand New Chicken Nuggets—and This Was the Clear Winner

Wendy's Saucy Nuggs

Some days are better than others—like those days when you get to taste your way through all of the new chicken nuggets at Wendy's. And that's just what I got to do this week when Wendy's and John Li, Wendy's Global VP of Culinary Innovation, invited Parade over for a sneak peek of the Wendy's brand new Saucy Nuggs.

The new nuggets take Wendy's fan-favorite nuggs and toss them in one of seven delicious sauces. Four of the seven new nuggets are spicy, which was a bit of a challenge for spice-averse me. But for you, dear readers, I’ll do anything—including pouring ranch dressing all over myself and eating a ghost pepper chicken nugget.

At the taste test, we were served each flavor with blue cheese and ranch sauces for dipping, which is how Li suggested eating them. The new nugget line is all about the sauce (hence the Saucy), so the sauce was really the focus here. Li's team worked hard to make sure that they sourced the right sauces for tossing with the nuggets and also for the dipping sauces.

And although the Saucy Nuggs are quick to order and quick to eat, creating the new nuggs was not a quick process. "We have 6000 plus restaurants... So there's the curation involved in developing these recipes," says Li. How long does that curation take? Six months to a year.

As we tasted our way through the nuggets, all of that time, energy and effort was evident because the sauces really were the stars of the show. When we weren't sweating from the spicy sauces, we were taking notes so we could share everything you need to know about these new nuggs. Read on for all the spicy details.

What Are the New Wendy's Chicken Nugget Flavors?

There are seven new Saucy Nugg flavors that you can try out: Honey BBQ, Spicy Honey BBQ, Garlic Parm, Spicy Garlic Parm, Buffalo, Spicy Buffalo and Ghost Pepper.

When Will the New Wendy's Chicken Nuggets Be Available?

Wendy’s Saucy Nuggs officially hit restaurants nationwide starting Monday, June 10. But starting Monday, June 3, digital customers can be the first to get their hands on Wendy’s new Saucy Nuggs by placing a digital order through the Wendy’s app or website for pick-up or delivery, which is fee-free in app all week.

What Did We Think of the New Wendy's Chicken Nuggets?

So how do the new flavors stack up? Here are my honest thoughts after tasting my way through all of them.

Honey BBQ and Spicy Honey BBQ

First we had my favorite, Honey BBQ, which is the perfect blend of sweet and tangy. Neither flavor overtook the other and complimented the nugget well but yes you’re going to need some napkins if you’re eating with your hands. Honestly, I could have just kept eating these all night. The Spicy BBQ was also a winner. The heat wasn’t too bad but the kick was there for those who wanted it.

Garlic Parm and Spicy Garlic Parm

Both of these were layered with so many flavors—much more complex than you would expect from a fast-food chain. Again it was the perfect blend with neither being too strong. There are hints of parsley along with the garlic and cheesy parm. The spicy version had the right amount of kick that complimented the flavors. John Li suggests dipping them in the ranch dressing for even more herby goodness.

Buffalo and Spicy Buffalo

Li told us it was his mission to find the perfect, true buffalo sauce since he is a Buffalo native and wow did his team find it. It truly tastes like a tailgate party. Spicy buffalo takes the spice up a notch for true buffalo lovers.

Spicy Ghost Pepper

Help! Yes this was insanely spicy but even a novice like me picked up on the other spices and flavors in it. This sauce isn’t just hot for the sake of it, there’s complex notes to it not just heat. John Li said this was the hardest one to perfect but worth all the time they spent on it. “I think the team did a fantastic job on getting in, getting to where you have it today, which is hot and complex and not just heat. You get a lot of flavor.”

Up next: We Tried the Entire Menu at the New Cheez-In Diner and Yes, It Was As Magical As It Sounds