Which McDonald's product was promoted by the 1983 “Chicken McNuggets” launch?

Chicken McNuggets were the McDonald's product promoted by the 1983 national launch of Chicken McNuggets. The bite-sized, breaded chicken pieces expanded the chain's branding beyond hamburgers and helped establish chicken as a core McDonald's category.

The product had been developed earlier, with food scientist Rene Arend credited with creating the McNugget formula. McDonald's introduced the item nationally in 1983 after supply problems involving chicken processing had been addressed.

The name combined the familiar “Mc” prefix with “Nuggets,” a short word that described the product's small shape. Its advertising and packaging made the item easy to recognize and share, especially with children and families.

The McChicken is a different product: it is a breaded chicken sandwich rather than a bite-sized piece. Chicken Selects were also introduced later, so neither is the product associated with the 1983 McNuggets launch.