In the News: Vegetarian Soy "Chicken" coming to KFC in Canada!
Edit: If you're headed off to KFC to try the new vegetarian "chicken" sandwich, why not bring a friend and buy two? Peta2 is offering a "buy one get one free" coupon on their website here:
Buy One Vegetarian Chicken Sandwich Get One Free
Also, see what Canadians have to say about the new menu item here.
Ok America and the rest of the world, now it's time for you to catch up with Canada. Great news for vegetarians and vegans in Canada: with a little help from the folks over at PeTA, all 461 Canadian KFC locations will soon offer a vegetarian and vegan chicken substitute on their menus. So if you're a vegetarian or vegan who loves and convenient food, this is the best news since the Burger King Veggie Burger (which I confess to eating on occasion). But the good news doesn't just stop with the deep-fried soy chicken goodness. Along with adding this hopefully tasty new vegan chicken to their menu, KFC has also agreed to completely reform the way it's animals used for food are killed, using a more humane method of gassing. In Canada, that is. I'm waiting for KFC branches in the USA and the rest of the world to follow suit. Either that, or it's time for a road trip to Canada soon!
If you've tried KFC's vegetarian and vegan soy chicken (is it even on the menu yet?), leave a comment and let the rest of us know how it was! Or, if you're not lucky enough to be in Canada right now, you can try making a similar chicken-substitute with some of these vegetarian soy chicken recipes. I particularly like this seitan-based recipe for Southern-fried vegetarian "chicken".
News Link: KFC Agrees to 'Unchicken'
See also: Vegetarian Mock Chicken Recipes
Pictured: Vegetarian Chicken-Free Chicken
Photo Courtesy Follow Your Heart Foods
Comments
Are we really cheering for KFC wow their only gassing the chickens now. The chickens must be so happy. Were so F___ed up.
Not really, that’s commendable. Remember, progress is a slow process. Change isn’t going to happen over night.
This isn’t a truly vegetarian option, as I’ll bet they are frying these in the same oil they fry the chicken in. Besides, it is just smoke and mirrors. They are offering this because they want to appear that they are offering a healthy option. Deep-fried anything isn’t really a healthy choice, vegetarian or not.
I for one am very excited. We live in a fast pace world, and it is hard sometimes, especially when you are first becoming a vegetarian or vegan. If this will help more people become vegetarians then I am all for it!
Thanks for this awesome news Jolinda! God Bless!
Come on folks, lighten up. Granted I won’t be eating it because it probably is fried in the other oil (YUK!) If it wasn’t, i’d consider eating it, but choice is a good thing. at least getting fast food to acknowledge vegetarians is a good thing.
Consider: 89% of soy beans are genetically modified. My thought is to avoid and try to reverse the trend toward genetically altered foods. Read about Monsanto and its rBGH.
Barbara, I don’t know. But I do know that when Burger King was doing this with their veggie burgers, they switched to microwaving them upon request, and eventually it became company policy to microwave them in all locations. And, given the choice between deep-fried cholesterol nuggets and deep-fried plant nuggets, the vegetarian version is a much “healthier” choice. Besides, as we all know, most folks aren’t eating fast food for health reasons.
Ed: Just as importantly, it gives people who AREN’T vegetarian an option to try vegetarian food once in a while, and making it a little less scary.
What kind of vegetarian cheese oozes and melts?!?!?
Why doesn’t anyone realize that KFC does not fry their chicken (contrary to the name)??? So we don’t have to worry about sharing cooking oil with chicken!
Hi Leslie - I think its because we’re all vegetarian and never eat there, so we wouldn’t know! So, if they don’t fry it, what do they do? I know they made a big public move to abandon hydrogenated oils not too long ago.
I find it very positive. Obviously KFC won’t go vegan overnight and all the problems won’t dissapear as if by magic, that’s clear, but lot of people go to their “restaurants” and perhaps they would have the chance to take a healthier option (and who knows, try and go deeper in a vegetarian diet later).
I would just love to see the ingredient list for these “Soy” chickens … I’m sure it’ll be the same or worse then eating those deep fried chickens
Also I just checked the website and they do FRY their chickens (obviously)
RE: Similar ingredients -
With one pretty important difference, Laura!
I went veg*an one year ago due to diabetes, high cholesterol, etc, etc. The diet change cured my ills, and I’m pretty much vegan (some local cheeses) - but I still drool whenever I drive by a KFC. I was just saying to my sweety that I wished KFC would apply their “secret” recipe to non-meat options. We laughed about mock chicken nuggets - and now Canada has them … YIPPEE! Can some Canadian friend mail me some, please?
Regardless of the health factor of this new vegetarian “chicken” (which is probably loaded with some fairly unhealthy ingredients), I for one still consider fast food a (very rare) treat. I’m sure most veg*ns wont eat it on a daily basis based on the health factor, but its terrific that vegetarian folk are no longer left out of enjoying the convenience of a good fast food run!
Unfortunately I am a junkfood vegetarian. I was disappointed McDonalds removed their veggie burger off their menu- at least they dont serve them in Sacramento.
I will probably try it once.
I am very excited about this. I hope it comes to the USA soon! I definitely think it is a step in the right direction. It may not be as healthy as we all would hope, but we have to start somewhere.
This is a smart move by KFC as well as a great step forward for vegetarians who love or miss fast food.
My two Concerns:
1) The soy chicken will probably be friend in the the same oil as the “real” chicken.
2) How will we know that an employee won’t “accidentally” put a “real” chicken piece into our “soy” chicken dinner bag? Hey, worse things have happened in fast food restaurants!
I won’t eat that either. They will use the same dirty & fatty oil from the chicken. Even if fast food “restaurants” add more vegetarian options, they will still get some meat on it. Yikes! NEVER SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS!!!
So it seems most commenters are concerned that the oil these veggie chicken are fried in will be the same oil.
In response to Eric, I’ve actually never had this happen when ordering a veggie burger at Burger King, though it never hurts to double check - whether you’re eating fast food or at a fancy restaurant.
Unless its a 100% vegetarian restaurant, there’s always a chance your order will get messed up.
i tried it last night. yes i’m sure it’s terrible, and yes it’s probably fried with the real chicken, but it was so so delicious.
I had the veggie chicken sandwich today and it was SO good! It brought back memories of eating KFC many many years ago before I became vegetarian. The taste was exactly how I remembered. I’m sure it’s not good for you…but it sure tasted good!
Wow! I can’t believe its in restaurants already and tastes good!!! That’s sooooo great! Can’t WAIT until this goes global! Thank you PETA!
Screw health! If you only eat healthy vegetarian food why are you even considering KFC as an option? This is a dirty treat and while the concerns over how it is fried are genuine it’s ridiculous to expect deep fried battered soy to be made healthy.
I had the veg chicken burger today is was really goood, i actually couldnt believe that it wasnt chicken.
And burger king veg burgers are not vegetarian they are cooked on the same broiler line as all the hamburgers and grilled chicken etc, although i love them, it kind of defeats the purpose.
PETA has a buy one get one free coupon to print out! It’s really really really good and news links are stating the chicken comes from Seventh Day Adventists? http://www.google.com/search?q=Seventh+Day+Adventist+canada+unchicken
Anyway, before I was vegan I would eat Boca chicken nuggets which I thought were pretty darn good! As soon as they changed the recipe to vegan they stopped selling it in Canada!? I hate them. Anyway, maybe an option for you guys in the USA? http://www.bocaburger.com/template.aspx?m=contactus/cu_faqsingle&cat1=271&Faq_Question_ID=2302
Hi Nicole -
Sooo excited to hear that this is already on the menu and that it tastes great!!!
RE: Burger King - As far as I know, that’s actually not true. It is international company policy to microwave the veggie burgers, rather than grill them. See my comment number 7.
Just got home from KFC here in Toronto, and devoured two of these babies in about 5 minutes. There is a two-for-one coupon available at:
http://www.peta2.com/TAKECHARGE/pdf/KFC_Coupon08_English.pdf
They’re really really good, surprisingly. Tastes exactly like the KFC chicken sandwiches that I remember eating many years ago. A little heavy on the mayo though, but c’est la vie.
In regards to the veggie chicken being fried with the regular chicken, my friend Pulin at Peta2 makes a good point on his blog: “We understand that many people find the idea of consuming even trace amounts of animal products to be gross, but our primary focus is on preventing harm to animals. Eating something that has been cooked in the same oil in which chicken flesh has also been cooked doesn’t cause any harm to animals—and deciding not to get that sandwich won’t prevent the chicken from being ordered, cooked, and eaten anyway.” Good point!!! Thanks Pulin!
Just tried one, tastes exactly like the processed chicken patties I remember! lol.. unfortunately it doesn’t have the special recipe spices on it though. One of the best things is that it’s the same price as the identical chicken version ( the “classic” sandwich) which should help encourage curious people to try it.
I have just tried this burger and it’s really good. I bought it for non-vegetarian friends and they didn’t even tell the difference. The texture is a little different but still amazing.
YUMMMM!!! It’s so freaking delicious.
A step in the right direction. It’s not health food, but… come on! If you want to indulge in nasty oily takeout, it’s a super, meat-free, delicious option. It’s vegan if you get it in the wrap with no mayo.
Two for one coupons are available from PETA.
I can’t believe the number of whinging vegans who pout about veggie burgers cooked in the same oil as meat. Okay–I “get” someone with an “eww” factor to the remnants of dead animal touching their food, but people who grew up on McD’s and KFC obviously don’t have that.
I can’t believe otherwise, but that the POINT is that no animal died for you to eat the friggin sandwich. And I’ll add my two cents–it’s AMAZINGly good!!!
Am I a vegetarian because animal tastes bad and is gross touching my food? No. I do think it insane to torture to death and eat living, feeling beings though.
I also commend the small steps in switching to C.A.K. killing methods. If you’re a whinger who cries that all death is the same–gimme a break. I’d MUCH rather be put away sleepily by slow oxygen starvation, than slowly boiled alive. Yes both suck, granted. That’s not the argument here. Murder is bad and insane! Slow torturous murder is insidious, and outright evil!
Thanks Clink - you make some good points. See comment number 31 for my thoughts on this.
Ok so it’s confirmed they are fried in the same oil…. Not bad a good step. Me myself I just don’t know if I could do it… But maybe one day if I drool enough.. My ownly battle with this situation is that they are labeling it as vegan which I know a girl that works there and she says they are friend with the chicken, that you could grill it to make it vegan but I asked if they would do that if you asked she laughed and said nope they won’t do it because it takes to long… WTF… If you want to supply something as demanding as Vegan supply it right… me myself I am a veggie but I sympathize for the strict eatters out there….
Do we really want to support KFC and what they do?
Heck, I’ve been struggling to deal with manufacturers of “vegan” food that are including bad ingredients (for example, I recently wrote about New Moon Kitchen, a Toronto manufacturer putting refined sugar and synthetic vanillin in their processed food, promoting them to vegans, and not listing them on their ingredient list), and if I am not going ot support them, I surely am not going to support KFC.
Cheers.
I just tried this and would never know that it was not chicken. In fact, I felt guilty eating in thinking they gave me the chicken burger instead of the soy burger! Delish!