Last summer, buzz around Shake Shack potentially debuting chicken nuggets had Shack fans FREAKING out. It all started when a recipe for Chicken Bites made an appearance in Shake Shack's first-ever cookbook in a section titled "Taste of Things To Come." More than a year later, the "obvious extension of the Chick 'n Shack" is finally available to taste—but you'll have to head to New York to try them out.
The Chick'n Bites, available in six-piece and 10-piece orders and served with BBQ or Honey Mustard sauces, are one of the first items to come out of Shake Shack's new Innovation Kitchen. They're prepared sous-vide style, making them extra juicy with a little bit of crisp on the outside.
The Innovation Kitchen is part of the Shack's new West Village restaurant, which opened to the public today at 11 a.m. Per a press release, the downstairs state-of-the-art kitchen "will be the hub of all menu development at Shake Shack," serving as a space to create more chef-driven items, like previous collaborations with chefs Daniel Humm and Daniel Bouloud. Also on the initial menu: Black sesame milkshakes, hand-shaken lemonade, cold brew matcha lattes, cold brew floats, and the Veggie Shack burger.
At a media event prior to the new restaurant's opening, Shake Shack served caviar-topped hot dogs, lobster rolls, yuzu strawberry shakes, boozy Dark and Stormy shakes, and heirloom tomato custard. While none of these are on the menu quite yet, they are examples of items that could be tested in the innovation kitchen, according to a brand spokesperson.
If you live near a Shack Shack, keep an eye on the menu—Chick'n Bites are coming to more NYC locations later this month, and will be tested in other markets around the country in October.
