Battle - "Chicken" Nugget! (and some fingers too)
It's that time again! Contenders ready?! Gladiators ready?! Battle - Chicken Nugget is here!
When you think about it, Chicken Nuggets are really, barely Chicken, so even if you're not Veggie, how about giving a mock chicken nugget a try? You're going to drown it in plum sauce anyways so why not?! Take your pick from the 6 different kinds we taste tested!!
All the nuggets were shallow fried in a cast iron skillet and seasoned with sea salt. I served them with a variety of dipping options including: BBQ Sauce, Honey, Ketchup, Mayo and of course, Plum Sauce. I asked that each of us have at least one bite sauceless, then we could dip at will. In attendance was myself, (flexatarian-at-large) my husband Alex (Omnivore) and our friends Michael (Vegetarian) and Jessica (Almost Vegan). Dearly missed was our friend Natalie who could not attend. We look forward to having her back for the next Battle!
We all made notes on each of the nuggets and then ranked them on a scale of 1 to 6. A ranking of 1/6 would be the highest honor while a rank of 6/6 is terrible. The winner was calculated by combining our scores out of 6 for each nugget, the lower the number the better the nugget.
The nuggets below are ranked from LEAST liked to MOST liked. Let's eat!
When you think about it, Chicken Nuggets are really, barely Chicken, so even if you're not Veggie, how about giving a mock chicken nugget a try? You're going to drown it in plum sauce anyways so why not?! Take your pick from the 6 different kinds we taste tested!!
All the nuggets were shallow fried in a cast iron skillet and seasoned with sea salt. I served them with a variety of dipping options including: BBQ Sauce, Honey, Ketchup, Mayo and of course, Plum Sauce. I asked that each of us have at least one bite sauceless, then we could dip at will. In attendance was myself, (flexatarian-at-large) my husband Alex (Omnivore) and our friends Michael (Vegetarian) and Jessica (Almost Vegan). Dearly missed was our friend Natalie who could not attend. We look forward to having her back for the next Battle!
We all made notes on each of the nuggets and then ranked them on a scale of 1 to 6. A ranking of 1/6 would be the highest honor while a rank of 6/6 is terrible. The winner was calculated by combining our scores out of 6 for each nugget, the lower the number the better the nugget.
The nuggets below are ranked from LEAST liked to MOST liked. Let's eat!
# 6. ZOGLO'S NUGGETS
No Frills - $4.99 - 15 Pieces - Cost Per Nugget 33¢
No Frills - $4.99 - 15 Pieces - Cost Per Nugget 33¢
ALEX Color is orange and weird, not much flavor aside from salt and oil. Very soft Inside. 5/6 | JESSICA Texture is soft, like soft tofu, I need more chew! 6/6 | JULIA Soft inside, crispy outside, questionable aftertaste. 5/6 | MICHAEL Texture kinda fishy, most of the flavor comes from the breading, somewhat flavorless, otherwise oily. 6/6 |
Poor Zoglo's! Critically panned by all of us for being mushy and flavorless, these nuggets were annihilated in this battle, and they were the very reason I picked a nugget battle to be fought! Zoglos's is the only brand of fake chicken nugget I had before this test, and I thought they were the bomb! Turns out, just like my high school boyfriend, they were not the best I could do. Snap! Good news for me, as I both get to move on from prom, and these nuggets, and on to a better, tastier future.
TOTAL: 22
TOTAL: 22
#5. YVES VEGGIE NUGGETS
Metro - $5.99 - 20 Pieces - Cost Per Nugget - 30¢
ALEX Closer to a meaty taste but bland. Tastes like Sunday morning at a weird friend's house. 6/6 | JESSICA Bit of a wheaty taste, still a little soft but does have more chew! 5/6 | JULIA Boo whole wheat coating! Grey inside, Michael accused me loudly of overcooking them. 6/6 | MICHAEL When cooked right they retain a good amount of moisture. I can eat a whole plate as a late night snack. 4/6 |
It continues to be proven that whole wheat anything, is a bit of a hard sell. Yves does sell a version of their chicken nugget without the whole wheat coasting, but i didn't know until after I picked these bad boys up. Still, it is nice to have something a little different in the mix, and although I was harshly attacked for overcooking them, they really were not that great. Their grey insides were reminiscent of the mechanically separated chicken of my youth but the taste was even blander and the coating, overpowering. Michael will be going on his journey of late night platefuls alone.
TOTAL: 21
TOTAL: 21
#4 and #3 TIE! SCHNEIDERS OH NATURELl!
Metro - $7.99 - 22 Pieces - Cost Per Nugget - 36¢
ALEX Tastes like McDonalds, very meaty and hearty. 4/6 | JESSICA I like the texture, but does not have much flavor. Actually prefer it over cooked. 4/6 | JULIA Easy to overcook! Great tasting breading, Nice texture. 3/6 | MICHAEL A good chicken-esque taste that appropriates what my brain tells me chicken tastes like. 3/6 |
Ok, so I did totally burn these. But I made another batch to make up for it, and in the end Jessica liked the burnt ones better! Schneider's Oh Naturel brand nuggets were in the "pretty ok" range. Michael and I ranked them just a little higher that Alex and Jess, they were a front runner for me for a while and Michael said they shined in whatever sauce he dipped them in. These did tie for 3rd and 4th place, but they did have little personality and if people are preferring them a little burnt to add flavor, it really reflects on a lack of seasoning overall.
TOTAL: 14
TOTAL: 14
#4 and #3 TIE! VEGGIE PATCH CHICK'N NUGGETS
Metro - $5.49 - 13 Pieces - Cost Per Nugget - 42¢
Alex The most flavor, very soft, tastes like hot dogs. Chicken Burger-esque. 2/6 | Jessica Smells like meat! First bite is amazing and buttery but the aftertaste is kinda "meh" 3/6 | Julia Very soft, surprised, expected it to be the worst, definitely "hotdoggy" 4/6 | Michael Has a fish stick texture and taste which is fine I suppose if your not set on having a "chicken taste". 5/6 |
The only nugget in the battle that is not frozen, Garden Patch is a brand that I have found to be the most widely available in our area. It's usually found in the refrigerated section of the produce department along with the tofu products. It was to me, the most "fake" in appearance, but was surprised with the amount of flavor. Now it appears that the flavor it has was not actually "chicken" but "hot dog" or "fish stick" to some. Jessica was impressed with its meat like odor, but grew bored by her second bite. Alex was the one who really bumped this up the ranks, not sure if thats because of his love of hot dogs or chicken burgers though.
TOTAL: 14
TOTAL: 14
#2 PC BLUE MENU VEGETARIAN BREADED CHICKEN STRIPS
Loblaws - $8.99 - 36 Pieces - Cost Per Strip - 25¢
Alex Tastes "restaurant worthy" but "faker" than Gardein 3/6 | Jessica Lighter flavor, great value for money. 2/6 | Julia Heaven. Familiar, comforting, closest I have ever tasted to chicken nuggets. 1/6 | Michael Very good texture, but tasted similar to others. 2/6 |
Coming in at number two is PC Blue Menu Chicken Strips, by far the most economical, costing just 25 cents a strip in a giant box of minimum 36 pieces! It was my favorite, and as far as boxed chicken strips go, I see no difference between these and the real bird. These did rate quite high with everyone but Alex who placed them 3rd overall. Since the battle I have used these to make "chicken" and waffles and have won Alex over. Interesting side note, the "meat" used in these strips is Gardein. Meaning that it is really only the breading that it PC Brand.
TOTAL: 8
TOTAL: 8
#1 GARDEIN CRISPY TENDERS - SEVEN GRAIN
Sobey's - $5.99 - 10 Pieces - Cost Per Strip - 60¢
Alex Very "Chickeny", with a "tempura-esque" batter. Great texture, would love it served on rice even! 1/6 | Jessica Rustic look, BEST TEXTURE, firm but not chewy, lovely with a drizzle of...(she never said what) 1/6 | Julia Great crust, different, great meaty texture, more like a chicken breast strip than a nugget, would like to have this on a salad or sandwich. 2/6 | Michael Tastes like it was actually rolled in breadcrumbs, maintains flavor throughout, great buttery taste with crunch. 1/6 |
Winner! Gagnon! Gardein! These expensive little things stole our hearts, with their fantastic texture, taste and flexibility. These strips tasted the most like actual chicken breast rather than a nugget, and its ability to adapt beyond plum sauce really gave it an edge over the competition. Alex would love to see it served on rice, while I think it could shine in a salad. Jessica thinks a drizzle of something or other would really be lovely and Michael thought them quite classy. Although we disliked the wheaty taste of Yves whole wheat topping, we all really embraced the seven grains that these were coated in. Turns out that coating really did make the difference for 3 of us, as the Gardien "meat" in the PC Brand strip got taken to the next level. Congratulations Gardien Crispy Tenders!
TOTAL: 5
TOTAL: 5
Please stay tuned for our next Bad Hunter Battle. Battle - "Bacon"! Where fake bacon of all kinds battles it out to be the best BLT!
Be seeing you,
Julia
You can follow Bad Hunter on everything there is to follow, links for the Facebook and Twitter sites are up along with a Pinterest page full of Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes. There is also a Google + page and always feel free to send an email to: [email protected]
If you enjoyed this post, I’d be very grateful if you’d help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook. Thank you!
Be seeing you,
Julia
You can follow Bad Hunter on everything there is to follow, links for the Facebook and Twitter sites are up along with a Pinterest page full of Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes. There is also a Google + page and always feel free to send an email to: [email protected]
If you enjoyed this post, I’d be very grateful if you’d help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook. Thank you!