ST. LOUIS (KTVI) – Next week, KFC will embark on a culinary experiment that blurs the lines between fast-food innovation and global gastronomic curiosity with its debut of the “Chizza.”
The new limited-time offering, arriving in the U.S. on Monday, is a mashup that places two Extra Crispy fried chicken filets beneath a layer of “zesty marinara sauce, melty mozzarella cheese, and crispy pepperoni.”
KFC, the fried-chicken chain that has created such offerings as the Double Down sandwich, is quick to clarify that “it’s not pizza, it’s Chizza,” a menu item that defies traditional categories.
The Chizza’s journey began in 2015 in the Philippines, marking the start of a gastronomic odyssey that would see this KFC exclusive cross continents from Korea to Taiwan, India to Thailand, and Europe to Latin America.
Now, it’s America’s turn to experience the Chizza, a product of culinary globalization served up in a fast-food context.
“Fried chicken and pizza collaborated to create something even better – the Chizza,” said Nick Chavez, CMO of KFC U.S. “The fan-favorite mashup is finally available in the U.S. after making its way around the world.”
To commemorate the Chizza’s stateside debut, KFC is transforming one of its New York City outlets into a “Chizzeria,” a pop-up event at 242 E 14th St. that will serve only one item — the Chizza. The company is inviting patrons to try it free of charge.
In April 2010, KFC debuted the Double Down and sold over 10 million in the sandwich’s debut month. It sandwiches cheese, bacon and sauce between two fried chicken filets.
In 2023, the Double Down returned to the KFC menu for a limited run.
