It's hotting up outside and it's starting to heat up in the kitchen at Wendy's, the world's third largest quick-service hamburger company, as ghost peppers appear on the menu. The US chain is cranking up the heat on its signature Spicy Chicken Sandwich and Natural-Cut Fries with the launch of the new Jalapeno Fresco Spicy Chicken Sandwich and Ghost Pepper Fries. These limited time offers layer flavor with seriously spicy ingredients that are sure to spark fiery reactions.
"We are raising the bar on spicy again," said Liz Geraghty, Wendy's vice president of marketing. "Spicy has been at the cornerstone of Wendy's menu, ever since we introduced the Spicy Chicken Sandwich in 1996. Now, we are really heating things up for consumers who love spicy food with a sandwich that has five flavorful layers of spice including fresh jalapenos and ghost pepper sauce."
As one of the hottest peppers in the world, the ghost pepper is not often found on menus, but Wendy's is harnessing the heat for serious spice and authentic flavor. The fresh diced jalapenos – seeds and all – fan the flames on the new spicy offerings.
The Jalapeno Fresco Spicy Chicken Sandwich features Wendy's signature spicy blend and 100% all white meat chicken breast, topped with fresh, diced jalapenos and specially made ghost pepper sauce, and capped with a bakery-inspired, freshly toasted red jalapeno bun. The heat is complemented with savory flavors from warm, melty cheese sauce, delicious Colby Pepper Jack cheese and a crunchy red onion. The Jalapeno Fresco Spicy Chicken Sandwich has a recommended price of $4.99.
The Ghost Pepper Fries are smothered in cheese sauce, and then topped with diced, fresh jalapenos, shredded cheddar cheese and a ghost pepper sauce. The Ghost Pepper Fries have a recommended price of $1.99.
Wendy's will showcase the new spicy offerings nationally in a YouTube video that takes viewers behind the scenes of a flavor-tasting research facility and records authentic consumer reactions to their first bites of the Jalapeno Fresco Spicy Chicken Sandwich and Ghost Pepper Fries. Wendy's will challenge consumers to share their reactions because it may be too hot for some, but it will be delicious to everyone.