Chicken McNuggets were the McDonald's product line that became nationally available in 1983.
McDonald's introduced the bite-sized breaded chicken pieces as a new branded menu item after developing a way to produce them consistently for its restaurants. Their compact shape, dipping sauces, and child-friendly presentation made them especially important to the company's family-oriented branding.
The product had been tested in selected markets before its national rollout. Once widely available, Chicken McNuggets became one of McDonald's most recognizable menu brands and generated related packaging, promotions, and advertising.
Chicken McNuggets are sometimes confused with the McChicken sandwich or later premium chicken products. Those items belong to the broader chicken menu but are separate branded products with different formats and launch histories.