KFC Beyond Fried Chicken Review

Okay first of all this is the furthest from being a conscious consumer you can get, and I’m thoroughly ashamed for having tried this but rest assured I won’t be doing it again. But here it is: my KFC Beyond Fried Chicken Review.

I always like to try new “vegan” products once and it just so happened I was road tripping in the middle of nowhere last week. Although I did have a cooler full of Trader Joe’s Super Burritos (I’m well used to preparing ahead) so honestly this KFC stop was 0% necessary — curiosity got the best of me. But anyway, here it goes:

KFC Beyond Fried Chicken Review

Is KFC Beyond Chicken tasty? Of course! But let us take a closer look.

The experience:

I ordered a 6 pack of KFC beyond nuggets with fries and a medium diet A&W root beer. Combo cost $11.15 before tax and tip (def higher than I remember for fast food). Sounds innocent enough, though, right? Nope.

I waited and I can’t describe how strange it felt to be sitting inside of a KFC. No — I didn’t even take them to go, and it felt so crazy (not in a good way) to actually be ordering and sitting in a KFC. It had been since middle school that I sat in a fast food place. The atmosphere is so strange and bleak and sad (IMO).

My meal came neatly packed in a white and green carton which easily folded open to reveal 6 deep fried plant-based chicken nuggets and medium fries. What happened to the potato wedges of yesteryear? They were replaced by fries in summer 2020, I have since learned.

The taste:

Deep fried, lots of breading, chicken flavor — the taste at a glance is delicious! The flavor and consistency was no different than fried chicken nuggets. Not like KFC chicken necessarily but definitely a fair take on nuggets. The fries, though not the main event, were nicely crisp and seasoned (slightly oversalted)… but not as good as potato wedges as far as I can remember.

Beyond the first glance though, the experience fell apart for me. Not only psychologically did I feel like this is so wrong and disgusting, the beyond chicken was just so so deep fried and processed and unnatural and most definitely loaded beyond comprehension with MSG. My mind and body were just saying “this is SO BAD.”

I almost felt like my mouth was going slightly numb and tongue was lightly coated in a layer of processed gunk from this unidentifiable fake food. I was able to eat 3 of them before I threw in the towel and said “I can’t do this.” I’m just not used to things so deeply fried and full of additives so my body and mind definitely freaked out a bit, despite the taste being good initially.

The consistency

I’ve heard people mention that their beyond nuggets were rubbery or dry, but that was not the case for me. They were easy to chew and swallow and had a slightly moist consistency simple to pull apart and savor. Maybe it’s because mine were so fresh and I ate them at KFC? Not sure how they’d hold up after a long drive home or if they’ve been sitting out of the fryer for awhile.

KFC Beyond Fried Chicken Review Conclusion:

KFC Beyond Chicken is a great option for the right people, but a terrible option for the wrong people. Let me elaborate:

• For meat-eaters. First and foremost I’m SO HAPPY these nuggets exist so that there may be less and less torment and torture and abuse and slaughter of chickens. If it can sway a meat-eater away from eating real chicken, that is sooooo wonderful. These nuggets serve an important purpose of enticing current chicken KFC eaters looking to make more ethical choices and for that I’m forever grateful this option exists for people.
• For fast food-loving vegans/vegetarians. This option is probably also good for plant based eaters who either aren’t in it for the animals or already eat Fast Food and MSG-packed foods like Doritos anyway. It’s another great fast food option to add to the growing list of fast food options for plant-based eaters. If you’re not in the mood for an impossible burger, here’s another yummy choice. So happy for plant-based, fast-food convenience for those who seek it!
• For seasoned vegans. For vegans who lean more towards whole foods and organics, this is definitely not the product for you. Maybe in a serious crunch with absolutely no options but honestly I’d opt for a giant bag of tortilla chips from the gas station before stepping foot into a KFC again. If your body is not used to Fast Food, you won’t feel good beyond the first bite. Let me save you the trouble and tell you: don’t bother trying this. It brings no joy physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually.

Alternative:

If you want REAL vegan fried chicken that fu$%&ng ROCKS, stick with Atlas Monroe Fried Chicken. You can order online and bake it in the oven or air fry, and be on vegan chicken cloud 9. It’s the best I’ve had yet (along with the PFC Unchicken from Peacefood Kitchen in New York City). If you have a Native Foods or Veggie Grill nearby those are also pretty good!

Did you try the Beyond Chicken from KFC? What did you think?