McDonald's Is Bringing Back Spicy Chicken McNuggets, Mighty Hot Sauce in February

McDonald's is bringing back its Spicy Chicken McNuggets, turning up the heat in the already fiery fast-food wars. The beloved fast-food chain announced Monday that the nuggets are returning by popular demand for a limited time only alongside the Mighty Hot Sauce at participating locations nationwide beginning Feb. 1.

Initially debuting on menus back in September 2020 and marking the first-ever McNugget flavor innovation since the item was introduced in 1983, Spicy Chicken McNuggets feature chicken nuggets that are breaded with "a sizzling tempura coating made of both cayenne and chili peppers," meaning that there is a ton of flavor and spice packed into each bite. The Mighty Hot Sauce, which marked the first new sauce innovation since 2017, boasts "a powerful blend of crushed red pepper and cayenne peppers, all balanced with savory garlic and a hint of sweetness." The two menu items quickly became fan-favorites and led to months of begging from fans for their return. Both items will again grace the menu on Feb. 1 for a limited time, with customers able to score a free 6-piece Spicy Chicken McNuggets exclusively on their McDelivery with Door Dash order of $20 or more, using code SPICY from Feb. 2-6.

"When we introduced Spicy Chicken McNuggets last year, it marked the first-ever McNugget flavor innovation since this iconic menu item was introduced in 1983. But over their 40-year history, we've upgraded our beloved Chicken McNuggets several times – from rolling out new dipping sauces like Tangy Barbeque and Honey Mustard to removing all artificial preservatives, colors and flavors back in 2016," McDonald's said in a news release. "And chicken fans can rest assured that we're not stopping here – be on the lookout for more delicious options hitting our menus soon."

Among those new innovations are the three brand new chicken sandwiches that were announced at the start of 2021, reigniting the chicken sandwich wars with Popeyes and Wendy's. The Crispy Chicken Sandwich boasts a crispy chicken fillet made with all-white meat, topped with crinkle-cut pickles, and served on a potato roll. The Spicy Chicken Sandwich adds a Spicy Pepper Sauce to the mix. The third sandwich, the Deluxe Chicken Sandwich, includes shredded lettuce Roma tomatoes, and mayo joining the pickles and bun. The three sandwiches are slated to hit menus on Feb. 24.

The new menu items come as McDonald's also offers some sweet promotions. Just days before confirming the return of Spicy Chicken McNuggets, the chain introduced their Throwback Thursdays promotion, which will see some of its most popular menu items available for as low as $0.35 or less on different Thursdays in January and February.