Forget Mayo: Order This Side To Give Your KFC Chicken Sandwich A Flavor Boost

KFC has experienced some downsizing in recent years, with more changes on the horizon, but one thing remains a constant: the chicken sandwich is reliably excellent — juicy, crispy, and delicious. That said, even such a fantastic creation can benefit from a creative upgrade, and KFC has the very thing on its own menu, its classic brown gravy.

Start with the classic chicken sandwich, which by default comes with pickles and mayo on a shiny, brioche-style bun. Order it without the mayo if you're a stickler for singular condiments, though personally, I appreciate the combo. You can either go direct and spoon gravy over the chicken, or keep the cup and dip your sandwich into that rich brown gold.

The pickles may seem like an odd pairing, but they make a great, tangy contrast to the gravy, which is a natural, umami-rich complement to that tender, white meat chicken. To go a layer deeper, consider these other KFC menu hacks, including how to recreate the now discontinued Double Down.

There's actually an official, brand-sanctioned precedent for this combination. During the 2022 holiday season, KFC Canada offered a limited-time Gravy Lovers Sandwich that included the classic chicken fillet, Monterey Jack, a swipe of mayo, and a hash brown specifically shaped into a boat to fill to the brim with rich, hot gravy.

It's not just the chicken sandwich or mashed potatoes, either. Gravy is a wildly underrated condiment across the board, and works with nearly everything on the KFC menu. If you have some left over after leveling up your sandwich, consider dipping your fries, potato wedges, or chicken tenders in it. Of course, it's also great with a standard bucket of chicken or nuggets.

A personal favorite is pulling apart one of the chain's wildly underrated buttermilk biscuits and letting it soak up a borderline obscene amount of the gravy before popping it directly into your mouth. You could also skip the other menu items completely and spoon it over your own perfect homemade fried chicken.