Meatless Fried Chicken Could Be Coming to a KFC Near You

KFC is testing plant-based "fried chicken" at one of their restaurant in Atlanta and it's got me more than a little squeamish. The new product is being called "Beyond Fried Chicken." That's because the Beyond Meat company are the masterminds behind the product. They are adding chicken to their long line of alternate proteins that already include ground beef, burgers, and sausage. The company uses soy as a common protein substitute in their products. The new "Beyond Fried Chicken" will be served as nuggets and boneless wings.

While I understand the entire movement toward eating healthier and for some it's about not eating meat at all but I cannot wrap my head around faux meat products. If you want to eat a black bean burger, cool. More power to you! However when you start messing with a classic like fried chicken, I draw the line. You cannot mix a bunch of ingredients together that contain zero chicken and call it chicken! And while we're at it - It's FRIED chicken. That by definition means that it is breaded, deep fried and greasy (read: High in fat and not healthy). You can try to make it as healthy as you want but at the end of the day, I've got to believe that someone health conscious enough to be reaching for meat substitute meals isn't going to be reaching for KFC, no matter how hard they try. But what do I know... I'm just a voice on the radio. What do you think? Is this a good idea or a total flop? All I know is now I'm craving mashed potatoes and gravy.