The Yum Brands subsidiary tried a variation on chicken & waffles with a promotion that included this Chicken & Donuts Sandwich: Chicken breast filet between two glazed doughnuts, $5.99

Donut: Available to add to any meal for $1

Availability: Feb. 24-March 15, or while supplies last

The rollout in January of a new menu by this casual dining chain included the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich: Grilled or breaded and fried chicken breast tossed in hot sauce and served over shredded lettuce, tomato, onion and dill pickle chips on a brioche bun, around $10.49

Availability: Permanent

Menu innovation slowed down as the pandemic struck, but at the end of May KFC started testing its new KFC Chicken Sandwich: Extra Crispy, double-breaded fried chicken breast 20% larger than the current breast on a new brioche bun with three thicker crinkle-cut pickles and spicy or classic mayonnaise, $3.99

Availability: Tested at 15 locations in and around Orlando, Fla., originally through June 21, but the sandwich is still available in select restaurants in the area and KFC is currently evaluating feedback to determine a future national release

The rush of new fried chicken sandwiches began in earnest right before Memorial Day with the Big & Golden Chicken Sandwich: Five-ounce marinated, breaded and fried chicken sandwich over five pickle slices on a house-baked bun with a spicy, savory and sweet condiment called Lotta Zing Sauce, $3.99

Availability: Permanent, starting May 25

Mother Cruncher Chicken Sandwich: Chicken breast in crunchy breading topped with pickles, iceberg lettuce, tomato and proprietary Squawk Sauce on a toasted bun, around $3.99

Bacon BBQ Mother Cruncher Chicken Sandwich: Chicken breast in crunchy breading topped with fried onion tanglers, iceberg lettuce, melted American cheese, two slices of bacon and sweet & smoky barbecue sauce and honey mustard on a toasted bun, around $4.99

Availability: Permanent, starting June 8

Soon chains that you wouldn’t think would have fried chicken sandwiches found ways to fit the menu item into their brands, like this Tandoori Fried Chicken Sandwich: Twice-marinated chicken (for around 24 hours in a marinade including lemon, salt, chiles, ginger and garlic, and then for another 24 hours in labneh, mustard oil, cumin, black salt, powdered fenugreek and other Indian spices), then fried and served on a roll with proprietary “Bombay dust” aïoli, pickled onions and a chutney made of pineapple, jalapeño and curry leaves, $10

Availability: Permanent, starting in mid-June

This chain started rotating fried chicken into its WTF, or “weekly taco feature,” which true to its name changes every week. It started with the Nashville Chicken & Waffle: Fried chicken  tenders, peppered bacon, peppercorn gravy, green apple slaw, maple syrup, red chile aïoli and chives in a waffle “tortilla,” $4.95

Availability: For the week ending June 30

Spicy Chicken Sandwich: Chicken breast marinated for 24 hours in secret spice blend, battered, fried, coated in spicy seasoning and topped with ranch sauce and a thick-cut pickle on a Martin’s potato roll, $ 4.99-$5.99 for a regular; $6.39-$7.49 for a Deluxe with American cheese, lettuce and tomato

Availability: Permanent at both chains’ locations

Dolly Chicken Sandwich: Breaded and fried 5-ounce chicken breast with pickles and tartar sauce on a grilled brioche bun, $6.99 with fries

Availability: Through summer

King's Hawaiian Crispy Chicken Sandwich: Breaded and fried chicken breast, fried avocado slices, medium Buffalo sauce and pickles on a Hing’s Hawaiian Bun (the buns are now available for other sandwiches, too), price varies by location

Availability: Permanent, starting in July

Chicken Sandwich: 4-ounce battered, fried and honey-dipped chicken breast on a brioche bun with dill pickles and chipotle ranch dressing, available in regular or spicy flavors, around $3.99

Availability: Introduced as a limited-time offer on May 4, but now permanent at most locations

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich: Spicy fried chicken breast, sweet pickles, coleslaw and Alabama white barbecue sauce on a brioche bun, $13.99

Availability: Introduced in July, it would later spur an entire virtual concept (keep clicking through the gallery for more details)

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich: Rotisserie chicken breast that’s breaded, flash-fried, tossed in Buffalo sauce and served on a bun with lettuce, tomato and choice of blue cheese or ranch dressing, $9

Availability: Permanent, starting in early August

Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich: Chicken breast strips marinated in a spicy blend of chiles and other spices breaded, fried and served with romaine lettuce and mayonnaise on a warm bun, $1.25

Availability: Permanent, starting in early August    

Chicken Sandwich: Fried chicken in choice of original or spicy breading on a brioche bun with mayonnaise and two pickles, $6.99 with fries and choice of dipping sauce; for every sandwich purchased one will be donated to a local hospital

Availability: Permanent, starting in mid-August

Hand Breaded Chicken & Waffle Sandwich: Chicken breast marinated in signature seasonings, dipped in buttermilk, breaded in Hardee’s Southern-style flour and fried, served onto a toasted Belgian-style maple flavored waffle and topped with maple butter sauce, starting at $4.49

Availability: Tested in August as part of a new line of breakfast items in Columbia, S.C.; Des Moines, Iowa; and Huntsville, Ala.

Hot Chick’n: Fried chicken breast dusted in guajillo-cayenne pepper blend, topped with cherry pepper slaw and pickles on a potato roll, around, $7.09

Availability: Sept-Dec.

Honey Butter Chicken & Biscuit Breakfast: Breaded and fried chicken breast with clover honey, butter, a biscuit, two eggs and choice of hash browns, home fries, fruit or grits, plus choice of two more biscuits or banana nut bread, $8.99

Farmhouse Chicken Sandwich: Grilled or breaded and fried chicken breast topped with provolone cheese, bacon, tomatoes and onion on toasted brioche with honey mustard, $8.99

Availability: Permanent, starting in mid-September

Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich: Chicken breast drizzled with honey, topped with pimento cheese and served on a warm toasted bun with mild pickled jalapeño peppers, starting at $5.39

Availability: Tested in select restaurants in upstate South Carolina and the Asheville, N.C., area in the fall, starting Sept. 14

Chicken Shack: The 22-unit casual-dining chain launched a restaurant within a restaurant as a limited-time offer in September with the following menu:

Crispy Hot-Honey Chicken Sandwich: Buttermilk fried chicken breast tossed in a hot-honey glaze and served with honey-sweetened coleslaw and sweet pickles on a bun with choice of side, $13.99

’Bama Chicken Sandwich: Fried chicken breast in Alabama white barbecue sauce and topped with Jack cheese, dill pickles and more white barbecue sauce with choice of side, $13.99

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich: Spicy fried chicken breast with sweet pickles and coleslaw on a bun with choice of side, $13.99

Availability: The limited-time menu ended the first week of December, but the ’Bama Chicken Sandwich was moved to the main menu

Spicy Chicken Sandwich: Fried, spicy chicken breast topped with leaf lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and mayonnaise on a toasted 4-inch bun, around $7.39

Availability: Launched in late September for an unspecified limited time

Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich: A larger, crispier, spicier version of the original sandwich, which was made with thigh meat, this item is made with a 6-ounce chicken breast brined in habanero purée for 24 hours, breaded fried and served with mayonnaise and pickles on a potato roll, $9, or $14 for a meal with sweet jalapeño seasoned waffle fries, a side of pickles, choice of two sauces and a drink

Availability: Permanent, starting Oct. 8, replacing the thigh sandwich at delivery-only Fuku locations; both sandwiches are available at brick-and-mortar restaurants

This chain’s new line of pressed Cuban sandwiches included The Crispy Chicken Cuban: Fried chicken breast, ham, Swiss cheese, potato sticks, pickles and mayonnaise-mustard spread on a Cuban roll, $6.99

Availability: Permanent

Bacon Bourbon Chicken Sandwich: Breaded and fried chicken breast, or grilled breast, with bacon, Bourbon Street Sauce (a sweet and tangy bourbon-flavored sauce) and pepper Jack cheese on a bun, $6.39

Chicken Biscuit: Battered and fried chicken breast on a buttermilk biscuit, $3.79

Availability: Early Oct. through Nov. 7

Spicy Fi’ed Chicken Sandwich: Breaded and fried chicken breast topped with ghost pepper honey, jalapeño flavored pickle chips, spicy mayonnaise and sliced jalapeño peppers on a potato bun, starting at $6.67

Availability: Permanent, starting in October

Baja Hot Chicken Taco: Fried chicken tender in hot sauce made with Fuzzy’s Taco Shop’s Butt Burnin’ Hot Sauce, garlic sauce, lettuce, dill pickle slices, tomatoes and feta cheese in a flour tortilla, $3.09-$3.49

Cluckin’ Fried Chicken Taco: Fried chicken tender, garlic sauce, bacon, avocado slices, shredded blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, tomatoes and ranch dressing in a flour tortilla, $3.09-$3.49

Availability: Late October through Nov. 22

Classic Chicken Sandwich: A new and improved fried chicken breast in breading made with cracker crumbs for a crispier texture (which replaced the breast on Wendy’s spicy chicken sandwich and Pretzel Bacon Pub Chicken Sandwich, too) with mayonnaise, tomato, lettuce and pickles on a premium toasted bun, $4.99

Availability: Permanent, starting in late October.

The quick-service chain launched these sandwiches while leveraging other signature items: honey butter biscuits and the pickled jalapeño that comes with its spicy chicken.

Chicken Sandwich: Buttermilk marinated fried chicken breast, mayonnaise and dill pickle chips on a cross-cut brioche bun brushed with honey butter, $3.99

Spicy Chicken Sandwich: Buttermilk marinated fried chicken breast with dill pickle chips and spicy mayonnaise on a cross-cut brioche bun brushed with honey butter, served with a pickled jalapeño pepper on the side, $3.99

Availability: Permanent, starting in late October

This three-unit chain in New Jersey with a salad focus also jumped on the fried chicken sandwich bandwagon with its Crispy Mutha Clucka Sandwich: Fried chicken fillet, barbecue sauce, iceberg lettuce, fried onions, cheddar cheese and ranch dressing, $10

Availability: Late October through spring of 2021

Signature Sandwich: Breaded and fried chicken breast on a new buttery toasted split-top bun with three thick-sliced pickle chips and choice of Zax Sauce or new Spicy Zax Sauce, starting at $4.99

Availability: Started testing in the Tennessee markets of Nashville, Knoxville and Tri-Cities (Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol), and the Kentucky markets of Louisville and Lexington in late October with a national rollout planned for 2021

Classic Fried Chicken Sandwich: Batter-fried chicken breast seasoned with garlic, onion and paprika with mayonnaise and pickles on a brioche bun, around $5.99

Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich: Batter-fried chicken breast seasoned with garlic, onion and paprika with spicy Fiery Farmer’s Sauce on a brioche bun, around $5.99

Availability: Mid-November through Jan. 11, 2021

In November, the chain launched variations on the chicken sandwich it introduced at the end of May

Cholula Chicken Sandwich: Breaded and fried chicken breast tossed in Cholula Hot Sauce and served on an extra-large hot yeast roll with five pickles, $4.99

Cholula Chicken Tenders: Chicken tenders marinated for 24 hours in a Cholula Hot Sauce blend, breaded, fried and tossed in Cholula Hot Sauce, $6.99 for three pieces with a drink and a side

Availability: Through Feb, 14, 2021

In a line extension of what these twin chains introduced in June, they are currently leaning into the spicy-sweet trend with the Honey Buffalo Mother Cruncher Crispy Chicken Sandwich: Chicken breast fried in crunchy breading and topped with honey Buffalo glaze, melted pepper Jack cheese, fried onion tanglers and ranch dressing on a toasted bun, $4.69

Availability: Through Jan. 3, 2021