KFC’s Latest Junk Food Monster Is a Bright Orange Cheetos Chicken Sandwich

KFC, the chain that loves a good stunt, is rolling out a limited-time-only dish that seems destined to become a viral hit: the Cheetos Sandwich. This comfort food mashup is a crispy chicken filet that’s smothered in Cheetos sauce and wedged inside a standard KFC bun with mayo and a layer of regular Cheetos. It’s going to be available nationwide for four weeks starting July 1, and the chain is launching this collaboration with a “pop up” event at the KFC in Manhattan’s East Village next Thursday where the menu will also include Cheetos hot wings, Cheetos-loaded fries, and Cheetos mac and cheese.

KFC/Cheetos

The fried chicken chain usually launches a stunt of some sort every month, although these are often jokey, non-food products, like the Colonel Sanders dome, or advertising gimmicks, like RoboCop protecting the recipe for the brand’s 11 herbs and spices. Cheetos, meanwhile, has also flexed its stunt muscles lately by introducing a line of summer apparel with Forever 21, and launching a Flamin’ Hot Cheetos pop-up in LA with Kogi empire builder Roy Choi. It was perhaps inevitable that these two hyperactive brands would eventually get together and make a bright orange viral food baby.

Over the last year, KFC has deployed a number of other quirky, limited-time-only dishes like pickle chicken, Cinnabon biscuits, and hot chicken and waffles, but none have garnered quite the same degree of buzz as the legendary Double Down did nine years ago. Perhaps no dish will ever reach the same level of viral fame as that bun-less fried chicken demogorgon, but with the power of Cheetos on its side, this new KFC sandwich might stand a fighting chance.

• KFC x Cheetos [Official]
• All KFC Coverage [E]