KFC Original Honey BBQ Sauce Review: Here's What We Thought

I must be brave and admit something: I’ve never been a fan of barbecue sauce. Either the smokiness is overwhelming, or the sweetness is overdone, and it feels like I’m eating a sugar sauce. It’s just never been my thing!

But I’m open-minded when it comes to food. When KFC announced that it was bringing back its Original Honey BBQ sauce because of overwhelming fan demand, I knew I had to try it. Maybe this would be the barbecue sauce to convert me.

How is KFC bringing back its Honey BBQ sauce?

Kfc Just Brought Back This Fan Favorite Sauce Kfc Original Honey Bbq Combo — courtesy KFC

KFC has long offered a Honey BBQ dipping sauce, but this throwback offering is different. The chain’s Original Honey BBQ is now available dunked on some of its most popular menu items.

Fans can now enjoy the dunked Original Honey BBQ as part of an Original Honey BBQ Combo. The combo features either two or three pieces of KFC’s Extra Crispy fried chicken dunked in Original Honey BBQ sauce, a side, a biscuit and a medium drink. The Original Honey BBQ sauce is also available dunked on the chain’s chicken tenders or the KFC Chicken Sandwich.

What does KFC’s Original Honey BBQ sauce taste like?

To see if KFC’s Original Honey BBQ sauce could convert this barbecue sauce hater, I tried it on the chain’s chicken tenders and the KFC Chicken Sandwich.

I started with the Original Honey BBQ tenders and was first struck with how intoxicating the scent was. The moment I opened the plastic container they were served in, I was drawn in by the sweet warmth. The chicken itself felt perfectly balanced between sweet and smoky, and the tenders maintained an impressive level of crispiness despite being doused in sauce.

In a moment of glorious gluttony, I also dipped the dunked tenders in the chain’s ranch and Comeback sauces. I was surprised that the sauces complemented each other quite well. The Original Honey BBQ sauce won me over.

I was admittedly less impressed with the sauce on the Original Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich. Because the chicken is covered in sauce and the sandwich also comes with mayo, it all felt a bit overwhelming on the palate and made the chicken patty less crispy. The pickle slices on the sandwich did help by adding a bit of acid and crunch to the bite. I’d definitely order the Original Honey BBQ tenders again, but probably not the sandwich.

How long is the Original Honey BBQ sauce available?

The chain says this throwback to the ’90s favorite menu item is only a limited-time offering. If you want to get a taste of it before it goes back into the Colonel’s vault, you should order it soon.