Wetherspoons is bidding to challenge KFC with its new chicken menu, but can the pub chain's offerings tempt diners away from the fast-food favourite? MyLondon What's On Writer Lea Dzifa Seeberg went to find out...
Good old 'Spoons is back with more menu bangers than ever before. That's right, the ever-popular pub chain favoured by day drinkers and post-work partygoers alike has added a whopping 14 items to their menus around the country.
Tuesdays' Steak Club and Thursdays' Curry Club have returned with new items but the everyday menu has gotten some new additions too in the forms of lots of chicken. And I mean lots. Of. Chicken.
There's four new boneless chicken dishes on the menu so as a self-confessed KFC junkie and Wetherspoons food fan, I had to try them all. And I was more than a little surprised at my findings.
Chicken breast bites basket
These little nuggets of delight were everything I want in a piece of chicken. They were an attractive golden colour that instantly made my mouth water and the visibly crispy edges were screaming 'eat me, eat me' in a temptation of Alice in Wonderland-esque proportions. The bites didn't disappoint when I ate one either; the batter was crispier than crisps and the chicken itself was lightly yet perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper, letting the juiciness of the meat speak for itself. It was all elevated by the sticky soy sauce that accompanied it which I would have happily eaten on its own.
Total score: 5/5
Southern-fried chicken strips basket
These southern friend strips might as well have been Kentucky fried - Colonel Sanders would have been proud. The coating was so crunchy my chewing could have been heard all the way from Kentucky and it was so intensely spiced that it briefly got rid of my cold. The spicy mayo paired perfectly with the succulent chicken to create a meal tastier than anything I've had at Wetherspoons before.
Total score: 5/5
Quorn 'no chicken' nuggets basket
I've had lots of bad Quorn in my life but thankfully this was one of the good ones. If done wrong, Quorn tends to go sour and crumbly but this was as close to perfect as you can get without real meat. It was juicy and Wetherspoons have clearly figured out crispy coatings but these nuggets could have done with lots more salt as the sweet chilli dip didn't add much seasoning.
Total score: 4/5
Boneless basket
This basket is a mix of the chicken strips and the chicken breast bites and would be the perfect sharing plate for a couple in disagreement over what form of chicken is the optimal one. But the BBQ sauce that accompanied it was a let down - it tasted primarily like sugar and only took away from the chicken flavour.
Total score: 3/5
The verdict
I'd recommend any of the chicken - or non chicken - on the new Spoons menu with no hesitation. I'm leaning towards the breast bites purely because of that delectable soy sauce but the chicken strips and Quorn would satisfy any KFC aficionado.
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