A 25-second TikTok review of Aldi’s Spicy Chicken Patties has shoppers checking the discount grocer’s freezer cases again. TikToker @heycvette posted the review on Oct. 27, and by Nov. 5 it had drawn a six-figure view count, TODAY reported, with at least one other TikToker filming a trip to buy the patties after watching it.
The hunt is real because the patties have been hard to find. Aldi shoppers began reporting this spring that the spicy version had vanished from shelves, and TODAY noted that the Aldi website currently lists only a medium-spice patty. Aldi did not immediately respond to TODAY’s request for comment.
The 25-Second Review Behind the Buzz
The clip is short by design. TODAY’s Nov. 5 report noted the review runs just 25 seconds, long enough for a verdict on the patties and little else. The original @heycvette video went up on Oct. 27, and the view count climbed into six figures within about a week, according to TODAY.
The reaction did not stay in the comments. Another TikToker, @jozyaj, posted a follow-up video showing a trip to buy the patties after seeing the review, TODAY reported. That follow-up went up two days after the original, on Oct. 29.
Frozen patties are a weeknight shortcut, and air fryers are a common way to cook frozen breaded chicken. This comparison of the COSORI, Ninja air fryer and Ninja Flip toaster oven lays out the trade-offs between popular models.
For those who already have the patties in the freezer, a countertop air fryer toaster oven handles a few patties at once, and households short on counter space can follow these tips on using a microwave air fryer combo to get a crisp coating.
Why Aldi’s Spicy Chicken Patties Are Hard to Find
The patties’ scarcity predates the TikTok. Around the start of April, Aldi shoppers on Reddit and Facebook began reporting that Kirkwood Spicy Chicken Patties had disappeared from their stores. Tasting Table reported on April 1 that the item appeared to have been discontinued, with each store receiving only a limited supply.
An Aldi customer service representative told Tasting Table at the time that the chain sells an “ever-changing array of unique items” that stay on shelves only briefly, and that the patties would remain only while supplies lasted. The company could not say whether they would return. The Takeout reported the same day that there was no official discontinuation announcement and that Aldi items sometimes come back after an absence.
That rotating lineup is part of Aldi’s appeal and its frustration. Shoppers who know the store’s rhythms, from the quarter-deposit carts to the weekly specials, often stock up when a favorite appears. Those habits line up with the traits of people who always return their shopping cart and with the spending habits of careful household budgeters.
What the Aldi Website Lists Now
For shoppers searching online first, the current listing may be confusing. TODAY reported that the Aldi website shows only medium-spice patties, with ingredients that include chicken breast with rib meat, wheat flour, water and 2% or less of seasonings. Whether the spicy version the TikTokers found is a returning item, leftover stock or a regional product was not clear from the reporting, and Aldi had not commented.
The private-label model explains why a single product can vanish. Aldi mainly sells its own store-brand items and usually carries no more than two other brands for a given product, according to background on the chain. Kirkwood is one of those house labels. Aldi opened its first U.S. store in 1976 in Burlington, Iowa, and had 2,671 U.S. stores as of September 2026, a count that includes Winn-Dixie and Harveys locations.
With a lineup that tight, a single discontinued item leaves a visible gap in the freezer case, and shoppers notice. That is a large part of why a short review can send people searching: a TikTok that suggests the patties are back, or still around in places, gives fans a reason to check their local store.
That leaves the in-store check as the practical route, ideally with a look at the full freezer case rather than a single shelf, since Aldi rotates items in and out. Aldi’s freezer selection can differ by location, so a patty that one shopper finds may not be on the shelf at another store across town.
Cooking Frozen Chicken Patties Safely
Viral or not, frozen breaded chicken calls for a quick label check. Packages should state whether the product is fully cooked or raw, and the cooking directions on the bag are written for that product. Poultry, including reheated poultry, should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit as measured with a food thermometer, according to the federal food safety chart.
A crisp coating can look done before the center is hot, especially in a fast air fryer cycle, so a thermometer reading in the thickest part of the patty is the better check.
Leftover cooked patties should go into the refrigerator promptly and be reheated to 165 degrees before serving, the same mark the federal chart sets for leftovers.
Here is where things stand:
- @heycvette posted the 25-second review on Oct. 27; TODAY reported a six-figure view count on Nov. 5.
- @jozyaj posted a follow-up on Oct. 29 showing a purchase after watching the review.
- The spicy patties appeared to be discontinued in the spring, per Tasting Table and The Takeout.
- Aldi’s website lists only a medium-spice patty, and Aldi did not immediately comment to TODAY.
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: F Delventhal – CC BY 2.0/Wikimedia Commons
