# Spicy Collaboration QSR Dishes Panda Express Blazing Bourbon Chicken Was Created with Hot Ones By Michael Hemsworth | Published 2023-11-14 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/blazing-bourbon-chicken References: [brandeating](https://www.brandeating.com/2023/11/panda-express-launches-new-blazing-bourbon-chicken-at-50-select-locations.html) & [pandaexpress](https://www.pandaexpress.com)  The [Panda Express Blazing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/panda-express-x-hot-ones) Bourbon Chicken has been debuted as a spicy new menu item created in collaboration with the [Hot Ones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-and-hot-ones) [YouTube](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hot-ones-pop-up) show to offer diners a simple way to enjoy piquant fare. The menu item is reported to be the brand's spiciest dish yet and comes in at a medium level when compared to the Hot Ones spice scale for reference. The dish features boneless chicken bites with onions and bell peppers wok-tossed in a sweet and spicy bourbon sauce alongside a bit of Hot Ones The Last Dab: Apollo hot sauce. The Panda Express Blazing Bourbon Chicken is a limited-edition dish making its way to a select 50 locations in the US where diners can try it out now through January 2, 2024. Image Credit: Panda Express ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.9/10 - Popularity: 72% | Activity: 85% | Freshness: 19% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Collaborative Menu Offerings:** Panda Express partnering with the Hot Ones YouTube show to create a spicy new dish showcases the trend of collaboration in the QSR industry. - **Spicy Flavor Innovations:** The introduction of the Panda Express Blazing Bourbon Chicken highlights the trend of incorporating bold and fiery flavors into fast-food menus. - **Limited-edition Menu Exclusives:** The availability of the Blazing Bourbon Chicken in select locations for a limited time reflects the trend of offering exclusive and time-limited menu items. ### Who This Affects Most - **Quick-service Restaurants (QSR):** The collaboration between Panda Express and Hot Ones signifies a potential disruptive innovation opportunity in the QSR industry by introducing unique menu items with popular brand partnerships. - **Sauces and Condiments:** The launch of the Blazing Bourbon Chicken, featuring the Hot Ones The Last Dab sauce, presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for sauce and condiment manufacturers to create partnerships with food chains for exclusive product tie-ins and cross-promotions. - **Limited-time Promotions:** The introduction of the limited-edition Blazing Bourbon Chicken across a select number of locations offers an opportunity for the fast-food industry to experiment with scarcity-driven marketing strategies, enticing customers with exclusive and time-limited menu options. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Spicy Southern-Inspired Collaborations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/panda-express-x-hot-ones.md) - [Spicy Gen-Z-Forward Dishes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/panda-express-x-buldak.md) - [Spicy Citrus Chicken Dishes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hot-orange-chicken.md) - [Bold Fiery-Sweet Chicken Dishes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/exclusive-hot-orange-chicken.md) - [QSR Fiery Sauce Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-and-hot-ones.md) - [Collaboration Spicy Chicken Bites](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/first-we-feasts-hot-ones.md) - [Spicy Virtual Restaurants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hot-ones-pop-up.md) - [Extra-Spicy Noodle Cups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/asha-x-hot-ones.md) - [Plant-Based Chicken Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beyond-the-original-orange.md)