Here's brunch...
Admittedly, I’ve gone on record as saying KFC has long been one of my favorite comfort foods and for a variety of very good reasons. But sometimes palate fatigue sets in and even a classic set of Original Recipe chicken (dark meat only for me, please!) can’t perk up my tastebuds. Throw in the fact that I’ve never really been a fan of the Hot ‘n’ Crispy variant and I find myself pretty lost.
So – Huzzah! Huzzah! – it’s a good thing KFC Philippines brought in something new to tempt flagging tastebuds: Chili-Lime Chicken and the limited edition California Maki Twister.
Peppery and tangy all at the same time - I approve!
If you score KFC’s Fully-Loaded Twister Meal (P 165.00 / P 173.50 with a drink upgrade), you’ll be able to hit two birds (so to speak) with one stone and sample them both. For this set, you get one piece of chicken, a single helping of rice, a Twister, a glass of soda or iced tea, and a brownie which, amusingly for a fast-food dessert, isn’t so shabby at all.
The chicken itself comes to the table with a deeper orange hue than the golden Hot ‘n’ Crispy. Upon closer inspection, you see minuscule green flecks of parsley freckling the surface. The aroma is quite tangy with a slight peppery nip tickling your nose to let you know that there’s chili involved. Much of the fire is concentrated on the skin: it’s fiery but the flames are short-lived because of the hint of citrusy sugar (!) that’s part of the marinade.
The meat, on the other hand, is savory with a pleasant floral tang that sets it apart from the other chicken dishes on the menu. Seriously – and I rarely ever say this – you don’t need the gravy here. The sauce would just kill the delicate “lime-blossom” taste that makes the chicken most unusual.
Let's do the Twist(er)!
The Twister was another flavorful revelation: the classic taste of Kewpie mayonnaise mixed with a hint of wasabi actually works with the batter-crusted chicken breast fillet. There are pockets of sweetness because of the ripe mango and the fresh cucumber chunks add a welcome green taste and a cool crunchiness.
I don’t recommend having this daily. (Oh, the fat! Oh, the calories!) But as an occasional fast-tracked indulgence? Hell, yes: this has my vote!
