Walkers Roast Chicken Potato Crisps & I Used to Be Good at Science
Junk Food Nation, the fact that the title of this post is “I used to be good at science” reflects the fragile state of my brain right now. But it’s true. I have already posted on this site before about my inability to do long division. And now my lawyer brain has another thing slipping away from the knowledge noggin-library: science.
On the way back from Ireland, a bag of chips I had inflated until it was tight and about to burst. It looked like this:
Tight like my belly.
At 35,000 feet, this chip bag looked like it was about to bust open. It felt like a balloon. And I was trying to remember why… I figured it had something to do with the pressure inside the bag being much higher than the pressure outside the bag, caused by the fact that air pressure is much lower at 35,000 feet than at sea level. But doesn’t a plane stabilize the air pressure somewhat? I’m lost here. Someone help! Post the explanation in the comments below – PLEASE! I’m getting stupider by the minute.
While in Ireland, I was struck by the number of meat-flavored snacks. Beef flavored chips, etc. I even saw these:
Taytos Chickatees
I’m PRETTY sure these are just chicken flavored corn puffs. Wow. Had these not been a six pack I probably would’ve purchased these to review. Chicken-flavored Cheetos??? Only in Ireland.
These Taytos Chickatees were not the chicken snack I chose to review – Instead, I bought something I’d been DYING to try before I even went overseas: Walkers Roast Chicken Potato Crisps!
Walkers Roast Chicken Potato Crisps: The Money Shot
Meat flavored chips are always tough. As I found out with the Prawn Cocktail chips, sometimes these companies design these chips to taste like the condiments that are applied to meat – for example, making “Baby Back Rib” chips taste more like barbecue sauce than meat. Would these Walkers Roast Chicken Potato Crisps hold up, and actually taste like meat?
Nothing I like more than crispy chicken skin
Or would these Walkers Roast Chicken Potato Crisps taste like something else? Rosemary and thyme. Maybe they’d have a bouillon cube taste. Or best of all, maybe they’d taste like the greasy crispy chicken skin that I love!
I love chicken skin so much that when I roast a chicken, I will often eat all the chicken skin first. THEN any flabby pieces of chicken skin…I’ll put in a frying fan and RE-FRY to make crispy. AMAZING.
How is this a grab bag??
Walkers Roast Chicken Potato Crisps came in a normal bag the size of …well something you’d get out of a vending machine. I wasn’t sure how this was a GRAB BAG. Of course, this probably reflects that I have a pretty warped view of what a GRAB BAG should be. To me a GRAB BAG is big enough to feed a family.
MMMM flavouring
Walkers Roast Chicken Potato Crisps has chicken seasoning, but the chicken seasoning contains no mention of chicken except for presumably the “flavouring.” I feel like the British are skirting some kind of health laws here.
Crispy crisps!
I stuck my nose into the opened Walkers Roast Chicken Potato Crisps bag, and breathed deep: and it smelled like chicken! Like, for reals, yo – this smelled like the chicken that you just pulled out of the oven. I was beside myself. It actually smelled like roast chicken, with all the hints of smoky roast. Walkers, +1.
Just like the skin of a chicken
I chewed some Walkers Roast Chicken Potato Crisps, and the verdict: I must say, this is closest I think I’ve ever tasted a chip coming close to real meat. Really incredible – the chip itself, as I’ve described before is nice and flaky. And the flavor is spot on. I immediately get the briny chicken flavor mixed with what seems like a bit of rosemary and thyme spice. The more I savored and chewed these crisps, the more the roast chicken flavor came out – slightly smoky and had that slight tang that rosemary-infused chicken stock has.
Walkers, bravo with this one. You’ve taken the top seed with meat-flavored chips, for sure.
Thoughts? Hit me in the comments below or hit me on Twitter @junkfoodguy or on my Facebook Page.
Sincerely, Junk Food Guy
Discuss - 9 Comments
Please explain: Why is being in a six pack a deterrent to you purchasing chicken flavored cheesy poofs?
I think your science is still sound. You’re Asian, it’s in your genes. Planes do somewhat pressurize the cabins, but only enough to keep people from passing out due to lack of oxygen. I’m sure they don’t maintain sea level atmospheric pressure. Pressure difference is also why your ears pop during takeoff and landing.
@SFCHin: As to your first question…I hang my head in shame.
A quick Wikipedia search for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner shows that conventional aircraft are pressurized to 8,000 ft above sea level. SFChin is right. The stresses on an airplane fuselage to maintain sea-level pressure would likely cause the airplane to pop in midair. The Dreamliner has been advertising on the fact that its composite-material construction can withstand pressurization to 6,000 ft above sea level, resulting in better comfort and fewer of the adverse health effects of flying.
Did you notice whether the Roast Chicken flavour crisps were suitable for vegetarians? I’m pretty sure the smoky bacon ones are too. That’s the dried milk whey and the dried yeast in the flavoring. Do a YouTube search for “How To Cook Like Heston,” and you’ll find that his actual roast chicken also gets a boost from milk powder.
Anyway, welcome home.
@Shorneys: VERY interesting points re: the suitable for Vegs.
I want!
@Kahnfucius: OH yeah…trust me, you want
We have had chicken flavored chips in South America for years! and I make sure I bring a ton back with me when I travel. I know they would sale well here in the states and Frito-Lays should really start producing them or importing them here.
I’ve had these roast chicken crisps before and they are nothing compared to the Walkers Sensations Roast Chicken and Thyme crisps!!! Every time I sneak a bite I seriously say “Wow!” Found many different kinds on amazon with shipping to the USA.
Being from the USA, I first tried these while visiting Ireland. I loved them so much that I ordered 8 bags at a cost of $8.50 usd each… Where can I buy these in the states?