McDonald's plans to launch a spicy chicken sandwich and spicy chicken tenders in mid-September, according to internal documents shared with Business Insider.

The fast-food giant has lacked spicy chicken options in recent years, even as heat-loving fans have begged for options like the Hot 'N Spicy, which is no longer on the national menu in the US.

Spicy chicken is sweeping fast food, with Wendy's bringing back its beloved spicy nuggets and Chick-fil-A testing an item called Spicy Chick-n-Strips.

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Spicy chicken is taking over fast food.

McDonald's is planning to launch two new items, the Spicy BBQ Sandwich and Spicy BBQ Glazed Tenders, in mid-September, according to leaked documents shared with Business Insider.

The new menu items are variations on the chain's buttermilk crispy chicken sandwich and buttermilk crispy tenders, taking the chicken and adding a Southwestern sauce with a hint of jalapeños.

The new menu items are intended to boost short-term sales and traffic at McDonald's, according to the documents.

"Hold tight, because McDonald's is bringing the heat starting in September," a McDonald's representative said in an email to Business Insider.

Read more: McDonald's just claimed a crucial victory over burger rivals like Wendy's for the first time in years

McDonald's has been lacking in the spicy-chicken category in recent years.

In 2006, McDonald's pulled its Hot 'N Spicy chicken sandwich from menus, acknowledging that the sandwich was perhaps too spicy for customers' tastes. McDonald's debuted a revamped version of the sandwich in 2013, but it didn't stay on the national menu in the US for long.

In 2015, Hot 'N Spicy fans started a Change.org petition calling for the fast-food giant to bring back the sandwich. One McDonald's employee told Business Insider he got requests for spicy chicken sandwiches as many as 10 times a day.

"This sandwich was a staple in my life," wrote one of the more than 300 people who signed the Change.org petition. "I miss it so much. I tried to order one today and they didn't have it, and I almost cried."

A craving for spicy chicken is sweeping fast food. Wendy's is bringing back its beloved spicy nuggets in August. And Chick-fil-A is testing an item called Spicy Chick-n-Strips, with the chain promising more spicy menu options in the future.