Perdue, Salisbury, Md., introduced what is said to be a first-of-its-kind nationally distributed new PERDUE Chicken Plus nuggets, tenders and patties blended with vegetables.

PERDUE Chicken Plus blends cauliflower, chickpeas and plant protein to create what is dubbed as the next generation of frozen chicken nuggets, tenders and patties. Each serving is complete with one-quarter cup (half a serving of vegetables), and is made with 100% all-natural ingredients and no antibiotics ever white meat chicken.

"Perdue Chicken Nuggets have been a staple for families for years, but we wanted to provide an easy way to round out the meal and help parents put an end to the 'eat your vegetables' battle," says Eric Christianson, chief marketing officer. "By blending plants and vegetables with the Perdue chicken families love, not only are we helping to meet demands for millions of parents, but we are [also] appealing to the growing number of flexitarian families who have an increased commitment to getting more plants and vegetables in their families' diets."

"Boosting meat with high-quality plant protein is a great way to give the consumer more choices while enhancing both sustainability and nutrition," says Paul Shapiro, chief executive officer of The Better Meat Co., Sacramento, Calif., whom Perdue partnered to source some of the plant-based ingredients.

PERDUE Chicken Plus is available in panko dinosaur-shaped nuggets, as well as crispy rice tenders and panko patties.

PERDUE Chicken Plus will be available in foodservice and the freezer aisles nationwide beginning in September, for a suggested retail price of $6.99 for a 22-ounce bag.