McDonald's set to debut its long-awaited chicken Big Mac

McDonald's new Chicken Big Mac will soon appear on the menu at U.S. locations, the burger chain said Thursday.

McDonald's is substituting tempura-battered chicken for the usual beef patties, along with its signature sauce, pickles, shredded lettuce and slice of American cheese sandwiched in a sesame seed bun. The fast-food chain first introduced the Big Mac in 1968. 

Available for a limited time starting on October 10, the Chicken Big Mac has already made a brief showing in the U.S., getting a test run in some Miami locations in 2022. McDonald's first tested the product in the U.K.

That came after McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski called chicken "a priority area" for the company, a strategy he reiterated on the company's most recent earnings call. "Our chicken sales are now on par with beef," he told analysts.

McDonald's said in September that it was extending its $5 value meal until December at most U.S. stores, making the move for a second time involving the deal initially meant to last for a month. 

The concept is one duplicated by a slew of quick-service restaurants vying as consumers pull back on eating out, with Popeyes, Dunkin, Burger King and Taco Bell among those offering so-called value deals.