This pocket meal is quite a bit different than the other 2 they offer. This one is sold individually, so it is a bit larger. It had a bit more of a complex cooking procedure, if you want to call having to flip it half way complex. Microwave on med for 80 sec, flip and microwave again for 80 seconds, then let rest 2 min. Or, bake in the toaster oven for 12, flip again for 12 and then let rest 3 min. (and you can broil each side for 3min for extra crispiness) I microwaved mine, i think i did a min each side and then it was good, just a little hole with not too much ooziness.
So, the pocket itself is an oval shaped thing with a 'crispy' outer layer. I say 'crispy' in brackets because, well, i guess the layer is crispy and tasty enough, but it is super thin and falls off really easily (mine did anyway). I found the crispy layer to not be a feature of the product because of this, so i thought it was kind of strange.
i cut the thing open and pulled out the insides to have a look!
The first three vegetable ingredients are spinach, kale and onion. It also contains brown and wild rice as well as pearl barley, all of which were obviously visible. and finally some sundried tomatoes. plus a bunch of other ingredients to make up the sauce.
So, then when i shoved all the stuff back in and finally tasted the thing is when i got my surprise! I had noticed that it had a fairly thick soft outer shell, but figured it would be some sort of spongy weird breading.. you never know! But! it is made from their fake chicken product! Surprise! Not at all what i was expecting!
So all this rice-y veggie saucy stuff is surrounded by a thick pocket of chicken and coated with a thin layer of crispy breading! I thought the sauce tasted somewhat similar to that of the italian pockets, if that helps any. I think the name is a bit misleading: crispy pocket meal stuffed with kale, barley and sundried tomatoes. The crispy layer pretty much just fell off, and the thick layer of chick'ny stuff made it pretty soft and juicy not crispy. Plus, if i want to get picky, it is stuffed with kale, barley and sundried tomatoes, but it has more spinach and rice in it than kale and barley. The name 'crispy chick'n with veggies' is much more suiting.
Overall, i think it was just too meat-y for me. I love gardein's chick'n products! (especially the tenders & the bbq wings, which i can not find here anymore!) but this was just too much for me. I think i needed some breading or more rice or some grains or something like that to offset it. I think my favourite of the 3 pocket meals is the italian sausage one! I have a similar problem with the pulled porkless, too meaty! but both are good!
my post about the BBQ Pulled Porkless Pocket Meals and the Italian Sausage, Roasted Red Pepper & Spinach Pocket Meals
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