McDonald's To Make Premium Chicken Sandwich Taste Less 'Italian'

McDonald's is changing the recipe for its grilled chicken sandwich, in order to give it a "more neutral flavor profile." Neutral apparently means less Italian in flavor (not to be confused with the McItaly, however, which is in fact, more Italian in flavor).

The new chicken will be made with mirepoix (sautéed carrot, onion and celery), salt and pepper and maybe a little garlic and herbs.

The ingredients in McDonald's Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich include: honey wheat roll, grilled chicken breast fillet, mayonnaise dressing, leaf lettuce and tomato slice. So we're a little stumped about where the "Italian" flavor emanates from.

Comments

[Pierogi kid]

02:01 PM on 05/24/2011

Sorry it is impossible to make something taste less Italian when it is already the complete opposite of anything italian. It is kind of like trying to make anti-matter more anti matter or trying to go beyond infinity if that makes any sense. As as far as not italian goes a chicken sandwhich is bumping up against not italian infinity.

[El Chingaso]

05:10 AM on 05/24/2011

Ugh, don't even think it. McD's doesn't serve food...it only serves processed, chemically-based substances (read the ingredients of each product). Use common sense... regardless of what McD's calls it -- and run for your gastrointestinal life!

[bastet22]

12:39 PM on 05/23/2011

There is nothing "Italian" about this sandwich!
I wish people would stop labeling food as "Italian" just because of stereotypical ingredients that people think we real Italians use....

[waltonj3]

11:30 AM on 05/23/2011

The people who are making snide comments on this blog are the same people who cause people to eat all of the stuff they claim to be apalled to see them eating. While I agree that we should eat healthy and limit fatty foods, giving someone a sanctimonious lecture doesn't change their mind, it just hardens their position. That's a good lesson in general for we liberals to remember. Most people will listen to a well thought out but polite argument. The problem is that we too often couch them in judgement of others. Bottom line: enjoy McDonald's every once in awhile but try to balance it out with more staple items on a day to day basis.

[barbo]

11:27 AM on 05/23/2011

It's more the factory-processed chicken meat that's the real problem. I recently watched a horrifying video showing how McD's kills the chickens, and I don't think I can eat another McChicken product now. I'm not a vegetarian, but I do want the animal I'm eating to have lived and died humanely before I swallow it down.

[ianmcc]

03:43 PM on 05/23/2011

The UK program "Kill it, Cook it, Eat it" really shows the difference between the oft horrifying conditions as to how animals live in fast food production plants and the much more humane pasture existences of smaller farm life. I would gladly pay more for meat if it let's me know for certain that the animal was allowed to have a humane life.

[barbo]

09:22 PM on 05/23/2011

I try to buy free range chickens and other animal meat that hasn't been injected with steroids, etc., but it can be very hard to eat out and avoid the background of brutality and drugging. I shop at Whole Foods when I can and am willing to pay more if that's what it takes. Also, here in Philadelphia, we have The Reading Terminal food market, where you can buy meat from a butcher and the cows/chickens, etc. are not from the factory, but a relatively nearby farm. As far as I know!

[TownCalledMalice]

08:57 AM on 05/23/2011

Disclaimer: Chicken sandwich displayed in photo may appear taller than actual sandwich.

[Decorina]

12:29 PM on 05/24/2011

Photo was not intended as factual.

[kade6767]

04:01 AM on 05/23/2011

First of all, there is nothing wrong with eating McDonalds. The premium chicken sandwich is NOT processed chicken. But, I never thought their current version was anywhere near an "Italian" style or flavor. It has that classic, more "southern" style flavor to me which is good. I really enjoy the wheat roll it's served on. I don't understand really why some people fear McDonalds or think it's so bad ? I bet those same people that say that probably have something worse in their pantry.

[gala1]

08:11 PM on 05/21/2011

Anyone, but anyone, who would eat processed chicken from MacDonald's wouldn't know real Eyetalian from real Silage, so what are they worrying about.
Maybe they could shake whatever is in those green foil tube containers over it and serve it with a side of spaghettios.

[samvance]

09:03 AM on 05/23/2011

This is a result of sensory analysis and 'Italian' is probably one way that sensory scientists described the roasted and herb flavors of the chicken. Everything you eat is processed unless you eat something out of the ground without washing it first.

[TSRVT]

10:22 PM on 05/20/2011

Repulsive. Anyone who eats at Micky D's needs their head examined.

[mattp123]

01:17 PM on 05/20/2011

anyone remember the chicken parmesan sandwich they had back in 2004(ish)
it was pretty damn good. i wish they would bring it back. only downside is it didnt pair too well with fries...

[CapsFan1988]

11:58 AM on 05/20/2011

maybe the grilled chicken doesn't taste italian enough?! O.o

I think it needs more garlic, italian bread (instead of the bun), some parmasan cheese, maybe some mozarella, and of course either pesto or tomatoe sauce!

[undrgrndgirl]

11:41 AM on 05/20/2011

i wish they hadn't changed their "old" crispy chicken sandwich :(
that and i wish they'd bring the bagel sandwiches back to silicon valley!

[1question]

12:02 PM on 05/20/2011

Anyone that relies on Mickey D(s) for proper nutrition is greatly missing the boat. The sugar, fat, cholesterol and...caloric issues are massive.

Brutal...

[samvance]

09:13 AM on 05/23/2011

1. Anything can fit into a balanced diet. 2. Did anyone on this thread ever claim they went to McDonald's specifically for the nutritional content?

[fattmaucz]

11:11 AM on 05/20/2011

I am a manager at McDonald's what they are talking about is the flavors that they baste the chicken in. The previous flavor had more "itailan" seasonings, where is the new seasonings have a more suttle approach so that you get a more of a roasted chicken flavor instead of all seasonings. so you will not see the mirepoix (sautéed carrot, onion and celery), salt and pepper and maybe a little garlic and herbs but if you recieve a properly prepared piece of chicken you will be able to taste those flavors. Great product

[gtoya1331]

11:47 AM on 05/20/2011

I wasn't aware your food HAD flavor...

[Dr Van Nostrand]

11:24 PM on 05/22/2011

Two thoughts:

First, the fact that a McD's manager is perusing the Huffpost food blog is unbelievable. Just out of curiousity, you know the food you serve is absolute garbage, right? I would honestly appreciate if we could come up with a new word to describe the crap that is served at McDonalds, et al., because the term 'food' is a misnomer. The fact that you refer to this 'chicken' as a 'great product' is nothing short of disturbing.

Second, seeing the words mirepoix and mcdonalds in the same sentence is surprising to say the least... I'd feel more comfortable with this if they told me the carrots, celery and onions were dehydrated and reconstituted before 'cooking.' I find it hard to believe that any fresh, unprocessed ingredients make there way through a McDonalds drive through window.

It disgusts me that people actually consume this trash.

[justme9898]

05:42 AM on 05/23/2011

I wish people like you would get off their damn high horse as if youve never eaten anything remotely bad in your life. Who are you to judge someone on what job they have and what they eat? No one if forcing you to eat at mcdonalds. Their are plenty of people that are able to eat there without blowing up to a balloon and clogging their arteries. All the food we eat is pretty much crap if you see what animals go through in slaughter houses, and see the preservatives and additives our meat, veggies, and fruit get pumped with so can it!

[Max Culbreth]

05:52 AM on 05/23/2011

I try to stay off McDonald's but when you need to get food fast you have to eat at some fast food restaurant. Normally I go to Chick-Fil-Eh or Wendy's because it doesn't have all the fat and cholesteral. But sometimes McDonald's is closest. It's O.K to eat it once in a while, just as long as you don't eat it every day.

[Wil80]

10:51 AM on 05/20/2011

I notices that McD's has another chicken sandwich that looks a lot like a BLT with chicken and it is on a roll. I just went by the new picture on there wall. All I ever get there is coffee.

[Holly Carr]

10:45 AM on 05/20/2011

I currently work for a McDonalds in New Hampshire. I haven't heard anything about making the grilled classic with sauteed carrots, onions, and celery. As per the description....with the tomato, leaf lettuce and mayonaise, that is considered a grilled classic.