Greggs has left fans baffled this week with a new addition to its menu – the ‘chicken roll’ – with some branding it an ‘abomination’. The Mirror’s Niamh Kirk tucked in to deliver her verdict
The old saying ‘if it ‘aint broke, don’t fix it’ usually rings true – but Greggs is willing to take the risk with its new menu item.
The bakery chain’s sausage rolls are a lunchtime staple for Brits across the country, so it’s no wonder a wave of mixed opinions erupted when it announced the arrival of the ‘chicken roll’ this week. Some were calling it an ‘abomination’ while others hailed the new flavour.
Priced at £1.35 – the same as the classic pork sausage roll – the newcomer has completed what the company calls “a triology of flavours” and will join the classic and vegan versions as a permanent addition to the menu.
So is it a strike of genius or a total flop? I’ve been tasked with finding out. After officially hitting the shelves this week, I popped down to my local Greggs taste the new treat.
READ MORE: Greggs customers ‘love’ new chicken sausage roll but 1 thing leaves them confused
The latest addition features seasoned minced chicken wrapped in the layers of golden puff pastry we all know and love. Greggs says it’s not here to replace its original, but is an “up and coming co-star”. But much to the anguish of the woman infront of me in the queue, expressing her disgust of putting chicken in a sausage roll.
As a die-hard sausage roll fan, I was sceptical. But I do like eating chicken sausages from time to time as a healthier option, so I could see the appeal. It also offers the chance for those who don’t eat pork to join in on the Greggs hype.
Upon first glance, the chicken roll looks completely identical to its porky counterpart. But then I noticed the pastry had a different pattern on to be able to distingush the two – a clever move to avoid any disasters in-store.
The chicken flavour is smokey on the first bite, which was a real surprise. It reminded me of something you’d by from the chippy or kebab shop. But as I munched away, it got more and more delicious.
It’s got the exact same texture as the pork sausage as well as the crispy and flaky pastry, which for me is the best part. It is well seasoned too, with a good meat to pastry ratio.
I would definitely say it’s worth a try, but I don’t think it can replace the original. It’s lacking that fatty richness that of the classic, which is needed on a hangover.
With that said, the pastry on the chicken roll wasn’t as greasy as the OG, which made it a lot crispier. For me, that’s a bonus, but it does run the risk of going a little dry.
It’s good for those who are protein consious, but it only has 33 less calories than the pork sausage roll.
Will you be trying it? Let me know in the comments!
