Starbird Redefines the Heat: Pioneering Flavor Beyond Nashville Hot Chicken

New Indian Hotbird® Sandwich, Tender Box, and Masala Street Fries bring layers of spice to Starbird's fan favorite Hotbird

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Starbird, one of the nation's first super-premium fast-food concepts, is dramatically shaking up the hot chicken landscape this fall, elevating beyond the Nashville Hot Chicken craze with the launch of its new Indian Hotbird® limited-time menu. Debuting just in time for National Chicken Month, this bold and innovative lineup features the Indian Hotbird sandwich, the Indian Hotbird Tender Box, and Masala Street Fries, available starting today across all California locations.

Building on the success of its Nashville Hot Chicken, Starbird is pioneering a new era with the Indian Hotbird, featuring its signature crispy chicken infused with vibrant, flavorful Indian spices to elevate the fast-food experience. With dynamic, complex flavor combinations rarely seen in the fast-food space, this limited-time menu is a groundbreaking offering that pushes the boundaries of what guests expect from a fast-food chicken concept.

Each item has been carefully crafted to deliver the intense, mouth-watering flavors and inventive culinary creations that Starbird is known for, including:

• Indian Hotbird Sandwich: Hot Masala Crispy Chicken topped with a savory Tikka Sauce, creamy Tamarind Mint Raita, classic slaw, pickled red onions, cucumber, and an Asian herb mix, all served on a soft round bun. Very flavorful sandwich with some heat from the new Masala Fire Shake and Tikka sauce, balanced by the cooling raita. $10.97
  
  
• Indian Hotbird Tender Box: Hot Masala crispy tenders drizzled with Tamarind Mint Raita and Tikka Sauce, finished with an Asian herb mix. $13.27
  
  
• Masala Street Fries: Seasonal fries loaded with Tamarind Mint Raita, Tikka Sauce, Nashville oil, Masala Fire Shake, and an Asian herb mix. $7.47

To complement the new food items, Starbird is also introducing two seasonal house-made beverages: a Blueberry Lemonade and a Mango Iced Tea.

"This new Indian-inspired menu is a perfect example of our commitment to chef-driven creativity and our mission to expand the boundaries of what fast-food can be," said Aaron Noveshen, Founder of Starbird. "It reflects our culinary roots and our belief that fast-food should offer craveable, feel-good flavors that elevate every meal. We're excited to celebrate National Chicken Month by introducing these standout, spice-forward dishes to our guests. From the Indian Hotbird sandwich with its house-made Tikka Sauce to the Masala Street Fries, we've built layers of flavor that we know our customers will crave."

The new menu additions were developed through a unique process of culinary innovation, designed in partnership with The Culinary Edge (TCE), the U.S's leading food and beverage consultancy agency. This collaboration ensured the Indian-inspired limited-time menu would meet the high standards of a super-premium fast-food concept, from sourcing ingredients like garam masala and fenugreek leaves to creating new house-made recipes for Tikka Sauce, Tamarind Mint Raita, and a Masala Fire Shake. The launch is supported by comprehensive updates to team training materials, online ordering portals, and inventory systems to ensure a seamless guest experience.

For more information, to see the full menu, or to find a Starbird location near you, visit www.starbirdchicken.com

About Starbird

Starbird is fundamentally changing the future of fast food by delivering feel-good crispy chicken and a positive, tech-driven customer experience. Founded in 2016 by restaurant innovators at The Culinary Edge (TCE), the restaurant consultancy recognized that chicken consumption was on the rise and set out to reimagine fast food to meet the needs of a new America and their tastebuds. Built upon pillars of culinary innovation, a frictionless service model, and operational excellence, Starbird has successfully established a forward-thinking concept, leading the super-premium fast-food marketplace and national brand recognition within the $34 Billion U.S. chicken marketplace. Starbird was named the winner of Nation's Restaurant News' Chicken Showdown in 2023 and earned a spot on Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers & Shakers for the eighth consecutive year in 2024, solidifying its position as an industry leader. See www.starbirdchicken.com for more information.

Media Contact:
Bella Giaquinto
Fish Consulting
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SOURCE Starbird