Among the biggest rollouts were Little Caesars' deep-dish pizza and KFC's boneless chicken.
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KFC's Original Recipe Boneless chicken.
is targeting Millennials and kids with two new platforms. Original Recipe Boneless chicken, which will debut nationwide April 14, reportedly targets Millennials.
The Yum! Brands Inc. subsidiary has also introduced new Li’l Bucket kids’ meals. They include a grilled drumstick, green beans, a GoGos queeZ apple pouch and a Capri Sun Roarin’ Water for a suggested retail price of $3.99.
Little Caesars' deep-dish pizza.
is introducing a deep-dish pizza in what it says is the biggest product launch in its 54-year history.
Deep! Deep! Dish Pizza is available at the Detroit-based chain’s more 3,400 units for $8 as part of its Hot-N-Ready line. The Detroit-style rectangular pizza features caramelized cheese edges.
Boston Market's St. Louis-style barbecued ribs.
is putting St. Louis-style barbecued ribs on its menu nationwide for the first time. The barbecue sauce used for the ribs will also be sold in bottles at its restaurants. The ribs are pried at $10.99 for a quarter rack with two sides and cornbread, or $12.99 for half a rack or for a quarter rack with a quarter chicken.
Popeyes Rip'n Chick'n.
is reprising for a limited time Rip’n Chick’n, which it first introduced last year. The chicken breast, cut partly into strips, is marinated in a blend of cayenne, habanero, white and black peppers; battered; fried; and served with buttermilk ranch dipping sauce, Cajun fries and a buttermilk biscuit for $3.99. It is available through April 28.
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Bahama Breeze, a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants Inc., has introduced six new rice bowls at its 33 units. They are available systemwide for $10 at lunch and $12 at dinner.
The Shrimp Creole bowl features shrimp sautéed in a Caribbean Creole sauce with chorizo, sweet peppers, olives and tomatoes, served over basmati rice.
Bahama Breeze’s Chipotle Beef Bowl.
The Carnitas bowl is made with slow-roasted pork sautéed with chorizo, corn, plantains and garbanzo beans in a cumin-citrus sauce, served over yellow rice.
The West Indies Chicken Curry bowl is sautéed chicken, chickpeas and tomatoes simmered in a West Indies curry sauce with coconut milk, served over basmati rice with naan bread and roasted pineapple chutney.
The Chipotle Beef bowl is sautéed sirloin, corn and black beans in chipotle sauce over basmati rice and cheese, topped with sour cream, salsa and ripe avocado.
The Vegetarian Asian Tofu bowl is made with sautéed tofu, shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, bell peppers and edamame in sweet chile ginger sauce, served over basmati rice and topped with peanuts.
The Asian Chicken & Vegetable bowl has sautéed chicken, shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, bell peppers and edamame in a sweet chile-and-ginger sauce, served over basmati rice and topped with peanuts.
California Pizza Kitchen’s new spicy Korean Barbecue Pizza.
has introduced a Spicy Korean Barbecue Pizza and a Spring Market Vegetable Salad as seasonal offerings available through June.
The pizza is topped with charred Korean barbecue pork, slivered scallions, sesame seeds and mozzarella, and garnished with a “nontraditional” cool, spicy kimchi made with Napa cabbage, cilantro, carrots and cucumber tossed in Sriracha vinaigrette. It is available on traditional, thin or whole grain crusts for an average price of $13.50.
The Spring Market Vegetable Salad is made with field greens, purple kale, spring peas, Granny Smith apples, red radishes, cider-plumped raisins, toasted pecans, dill and mint, and is tossed in Greek yogurt vinaigrette. It is served as an entrée for an average price of $9.75.
Culver’s has brought back its popular Colby Jack Pub burger.
is reprising for a limited time its Colby Jack Pub Burger in response to what it called an “unprecedented” response when it was introduced last year.
Available through mid-June, the $4.99 burger features grill-seared ground beef topped with Wisconsin Colby Jack cheese, crispy onions, four-pepper mayo and A.1. Steaksauce, served on an artisan supper club bun.
Dairy Queen’s Blizzard of the Month is the Choco Covered Pretzel. It blends chocolate-covered pretzels and chocolate chunks with peanut butter and vanilla soft serve. It’s available at all of the nearly 4,500 Dairy Queen and DQ Grill & Chill locations through April.
Noodles & Company has added three new seasonal items and gluten-free fusilli.
The Garden Pesto Sauté features asparagus in a lemon Genovese pesto, red bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, pecans, feta cheese and spinach atop the gluten-free noodles, for $8.50.
Seasons 52’s Chicken Caprese Sandwich.
The Springtime Flatbread appetizer is topped with asparagus, mushrooms, melted Parmesan cheese and bacon, for $2.99.
The Asparagus Stack tops the vegetable with feta cheese and crumbled bacon for 2.99.
Seasons 52’s spring menu is available through mid-June and includes more than a dozen new items, including its first standalone quinoa dish.
Seasons 52’s Mahi Mahi Tacos.
The Darden Restaurants Inc. subsidiary has included quinoa in previous vegetable tasting menus, but this spring it will introduce a quinoa salad as a side dish, featuring jícama, mint and cranberries.
New burgers include a buffalo burger with blue cheese and truffle sauce, a wild prime tuna burger with Asian glaze and wasabi slaw, and a turkey burger with barbecue glaze and melted Jack cheese.
The chain has also added a grilled chicken caprese sandwich with fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil pesto to the menu, as well as a new turkey wrap with arugula, avocado and herb cheese.
New soft tacos are served with jalapeño-lime slaw, guacamole, pico de gallo, mole, salsa verde and cilantro sour cream. They’re available with blackened mahi mahi, chimichurri grilled steak and vegetarian black bean and roasted pepper.
Other new sides include tamale tots with tomato-poblano mole; Fuji apple slaw with jícama, mint and cider vinaigrette; and roasted potato wedges with truffle dipping sauce.
Prices vary by location, but the average price for the sandwiches, burgers and tacos is $9.25. All sides are priced at under $3.50.
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected].
Follow him on Twitter: @foodwriterdiary
