Chicken nuggets have been the staple food for the youth of America for what seems like decades. Picky eaters crushing fun shaped breaded chicken because of its a familiar shape and flavor. The ironic thing is that most grocery store and fast food nuggets typically are filled with scrap, rib bones/meat, and filler that is leftover after all the quality meat is taken. So what kids actually are eating is a bunch of nonsense. Amazing how someone would be the least bit interested in eating something funky and breaded just because they’re comfortable with it, compared to eating an actual hunk of grilled chicken.
Chick-Fil-A is doing their best to change these notions, by introducing grilled nuggets in their kids meals. While their fried option, with all breast meat is still available, and still quite tasty to most, the grilled option provides a ridiculously healthy option for a fast food meal. The 4 nugget option has 80 calories and 1 gram of fat, while a 6 piece only adds on 30 more calories and a half gram of fat. Talk about nutritious. Plus this should be able to get kids hooked on actual chicken and not hooked on circles and boots. But are they any good? Because that’s what matters most to Matilda and Baxter. If it tastes like crud, they won’t give a hoot.
Orchestrated out of boneless, skinless chicken breast, tumbled about in a salt and pepper blend, then thrown onto a grill press, there really isn’t a whole lot to these nuggets. And that’s the beauty of it all, because after all chicken shouldn’t need an algorithm to orchestrate.
While they are geared directly towards kids, it would be perfectly reasonable for an adult to get this option as part of his meal. How many times have you reached for a nugget add on and end up flummoxed and bamboozled into adding way too much fat and caloric stains to your lunch? All you wanted was something else to spice up your life. But can these nuggets hold up to a man sized hunger?
First thing that’s easy to see is that these nuggets are quite small. I don’t know if it was the fact that they’re from the kids meal, but they more resembled bits than nuggets. Almost like a grilled pop corn chicken if you will. Never a good sign whenever the nugget is smaller than its dipping apparatus. But when you think about it, getting fried nuggets, about half of what you’re eating is most likely breading, so this must be what is leftover.
Biting in, the nugget was exactly what grilled chicken should be. The outer core wasn’t slimy, yet inside there was a juicy factor. The worst of the worst, is biting into grilled chicken and it dryer and crustier than your Uncle Hank’s feet (think Wendy’s grilled chicken). The subtle flavoring of old fashioned salt and pepper provided some zest and zazz, all the while offering a nutritious base. But for just being hunks of breast meat, Chick-Fil-A does a good job at keeping these healthy and flavorful. Plus these things pack a punch of protein!
The size factor will most likely keep these from ever growing steam as a menu item for adults, but maybe we’ll see grilled chicken strips in the future. Chick-Fil-A is ahead of the curve here on creating a healthy kid entree, and with their sure fire recipes, the future looks bright in grilled chicken land. Just wish they were a little gurthier.
Grilled Chicken Nuggets 2.5/5
~Andrew
@atkpitt12
Grilled Chicken Nuggets (6 piece):
*Amount not provided