CHICAGO — McDonald’s is giving chicken tenders another shot at a place on its menu. Buttermilk Crispy Tenders are being tested at 138 restaurants in the Charlotte, N.C., area.

The world’s largest burger chain, headquartered in suburban Chicago, also is testing a new dipping sauce with the tenders, which it describes as “slightly tangy and sweet.”

The Buttermilk Crispy Tenders are an incarnation of the Buttermilk Crispy Chicken sandwich, introduced in 2015, which the company said has seen strong sales. Of course, McDonald’s has had chicken tenders on the menu before. Chicken Selects spent more than a decade on the national menu before being removed in 2013. They came back for a brief stint two years later as a limited-time offer.

The new tenders aim to capture the popularity of fried chicken across the country, from Taco Bell’s use of it in place of a taco shell to more traditional presentations in higher-end spots.

They’re also part of a promise by McDonald’s to develop new menu items in a more conservative way than it has in the past, namely by doing a spin on an item that’s already selling well. Recent examples include the new Mac Jr. and Grand Mac and new mint-flavored drinks to complement the annual Shamrock Shake release.

Chicken and breakfast are two focus areas for McDonald’s menu development in the near future, said Lance Richards, vice president of menu strategy.

Testing in limited market areas is how McDonald’s shapes its national menu. It typically tests chicken in the Southeast, burgers in Texas, coffee in the Northeast and salads in the West, because those menu items tend to make up a bigger portion of sales in those areas.