If you haven’t heard of Mala, you need to get out from under that rock you’re currently living in. Singaporean’s obsession with mala is at an all-time high and people still love it with a burning, fiery passion. Coming together for a hot pot meal has become a ritual for many, with at least one soup broth dedicated to this mouth-numbing goodness. When it comes to mala, there are those who stand the heat and those who simply can’t.

KFC’s latest seasonal entrant might or might not add to this divide but what’s certain is that their crispy golden chicken is turning a savoury shade of red, adorning an outer shade of mala deliciousness. From 8 March 2019 and on, make a beeline to the nearest outlet and test your friendships with the new KFC Mala Chicken.

Mala isn’t just any other simple chilli dish; a true mala fan would be able to differentiate and identify a legit bowl of mala from any other spicy dish by its distinctive warm, spiced flavour that is often accompanied by a mouth-numbing effect (hence the term ‘ma’ meaning numbing in Chinese. If it doesn’t have the numbing effect, it isn’t real mala. Period.

KFC has successfully replicated that without compromising on the quality of their signature fried chicken. The Mala Chicken here features KFC’s signature chicken that is doused in their very own Szechuan mala sauce made from legit Szechuan pepper, chilli and other assorted spices.

You’ll be sitting in what smells like a mala house as you pick up a piece of chicken with fiery red grease dripping off it. If that excites your senses, take a bite and crunch into crackling skin. It’s salty with a strong taste of Szechuan pepper.

After going through multiple rounds of tweaking and fine-tuning, the result is an incredibly tender and juicy chicken with a crunchy exterior that boasts a perfect balance between fragrance, spiciness and numbness that is insanely addictive.

The amount of heat may leave you slightly teary-eyed but hey, that’s a sign of mala done right.

The 2-piece Mala Chicken Meal (S$8.95) comes with 2 pieces of Mala Chicken, 1 regular Whipped Potato, 1 regular coleslaw as well as a cup of their well-loved SJORA Mango Peach in regular serving.

But if you’re up for the challenge and looking to get more of that delicious fiery kiss in your mouth, consider KFC’s Mala 5pcs Meal (S$19.55) which comes with 5 pieces of Mala Chicken, 2 regular Whipped Potato, 2 regular coleslaw as well as 2 regular cups of SJORA Mango Peach.

If the whole family wants in on the delicious, mouth-numbing experience, opt for the Mala 9-piece feast (S$39.95) that comes with 9 pieces of Mala Chicken, 9 pieces of nuggets, 1 box of popcorn chicken, 2 medium Whipped Potatoes, and 4 regular cups of SJORA Mango Peach.

Move over mala hotpot; we’ve found an even better option!

This post was brought to you by KFC Singapore.