Bottom Line: The plant-based Nashville Hot Chikn sandwich from Project Pollo is rather messy but quite tasty and plenty spicy and it compares well to many of the spicy chicken sandwiches out there.
I have been complaining about all the chicken I have been reviewing lately because the restaurant industry seems to think that is the only thing you can add heat to these days (spicy chicken sandwiches, spicy chicken wings, spicy chicken tenders, etc.). So I decided to take a break from chicken and instead have chikn because I have had enough of chicken and chikn is not chicken.
What the heck am I talking about? I’m talking about chikn sandwiches from Project Pollo which is a new chain focused on plant-based foods. Their signature items are their chikn sammies and wings which are made from the poultry substitute TiNDLE. And since I have a website titled Spicy Food Reviews, you know that I went for their hottest sandwich which is the Nashville Hot so that I could see what this whole chikn thing is about. That consists of a hand-breaded chikn patty that is dipped in Nashville Hot seasoning then deep-fried and placed on a bun with coleslaw, comeback sauce, and crispy dill pickles. And the whole thing is completely vegan.
This is a certainly messy sandwich with a lot going on. It has sauce, slaw, pickles, and the fried chickn all hitting at once when you take a bite (a lighter hand on the sauce might have actually been a good thing here). The “meat” has a nice, crispy crust and the sauce adds some creaminess along with sweetness and tang, with slaw kicking in a bit more crunch and some of its own tang. The meat does not add much flavor, just like chicken, but it has a texture similar to poultry. You would probably think this is a ground chicken patty if nobody told you differently.
The Nashville Hot spice definitely amps things up, delivering a nice peppery flavor and bumping up the heat. There is also a little something extra in the seasoning I couldn’t put my finger on (maybe cumin?) that really makes this stand out. I can definitely say that this chikn sandwich compares well to many of the popular sandwiches out there from the fast food and fast casual joints that come from the real bird. But as mentioned, it is quite messy, so no eating and driving!
Heat-wise, this delivers a kick right away and it continues to build as you eat it. It goes beyond the Medium level on my scale and is approaching Hot. And the heat lingers for a while, causing my lips to burn some. This is a step up on the heat level you usually get from the drive thru and it is more like the hotter sauces/seasoning from Wingstop or Buffalo Wild Wings.
If you think about it, chicken really doesn’t have much flavor itself, especially the breast meat. It is mostly just a vessel to deliver some protein to the body, and how it is cooked determines where most of the flavor comes from. You don’t go looking for a fine piece of chicken like you do with steak, so with the TiNDLE meat delivering a very similar experience, I can see enjoying this just as much poultry meat. And I have always rather liked ground chicken patties, which is pretty much what this resembles.
Nutrition-wise, Project Pollo does not list the calories, but even though this is plant-based food, I can tell you this sandwich is not diet-friendly. First of all, it is deep-fried and then smothered in a mayonnaise-based sauce (even if it is vegan) while also including slaw that has a heaping helping of mayo as well. It may be lower in cholesterol and maybe even a little lower in fat, but I am guessing the sandwich totaled up to at least 800 calories or more. Plus, I couldn’t resist the tater tots, so I will be paying my penance in the gym this week. But hey, the chikn is a more eco-friendly, sustainable form of protein. So . . . Yay Earth!
Project Pollo got its start right here in San Antonio as a food cart and has since expanded to multiple brick-and-mortar locations in this city as well as Austin, Houston, and Dallas. They also serve plant-based burgers and have even expanded to some non-vegan menu offerings at some of their locations. You can check for a location near you at their website, and if you stop by I highly recommend the Nashville Hot Chikn. And next up in my attempt to steer clear of chicken for a while will the chikn wings from Project Pollo.