Today, I'm trying to "unthink" lunch. KFC launched a line of healthier grilled chicken options a few months ago, and it's about time Clean Plate Charlie gives it a try. I've never been a fan of KFC. It's chicken is always far too greasy, sitting under heat lamps for a couple of days more than I'm comfortable with and often served in buckets. As a rule, I try to avoid eating anything that comes in buckets. Still, I'm hungry for lunch, and there's blogging material right around the corner.
My first surprise at KFC is the price. For a value box (much better
than a bucket, by the way) of grilled chicken, I needed to hand
over only $3. I ordered the grilled drumstick and received my
second surprise: thinly veiled honesty warning me against my lunch
plans. I should have taken it as a bad sign right away when the cashier
asked if I was "sure you want the grilled chicken?" I assured her I did
indeed want the unfried chicken, and she shrugged. I immediately regret
not heeding her warning.
The value box is just a small drumstick mixed in with about four
potatoes worth of battered, fried wedges. I decided to go with the
fried portion of my meal first and threw one into my mouth. The very
outer corners of the potato wedges are crispy, while every other part
is soggy and dry. It seems like these potatoes are reconstituted before
they're fried, as they have a flaky texture. After finishing the first
wedge, I decide to dive into the meat of my lunch.
The first thing I notice about the drumstick is the size. This thing is
hardly bigger than a chicken wing. I pick it up and immediately realize
that although the drumstick is grilled, there's still a thick greasy
coating. Surprisingly, there are grill marks on the chicken that don't
look as if they've been painted on. An uneven paprika seasoning covers
about 1/3 of the drumstick. I close my eyes and take a bite.
It's much better than I'd anticipated. What little meat is on the bone
is very tender, the skin is crunchy, and it takes almost no effort
before the meat falls off the bone. The seasoning seems to be a heavy
mixture of salt, pepper, and paprika, and there is definitely a gas-grilled flavor to the meat. It takes only three bites to finish off the
drumstick, but it's two bites more than I was expecting to take when I
ordered.
If you're looking to eat a healthy meal, KFC should be low on your
list. However, if you find yourself at Col. Sanders' joint and don't
want to completely destroy your arteries, the grilled chicken is
edible. Hell, it's actually pretty good.
