Imagine Meats Chicken Nuggets Review: Plant Based Meat Snacks

Veganism and vegetarianism are fast becoming lifestyle choices for a large population. With more and more people converting to vegetarianism,  it’s not uncommon to crave something meaty every now and then. So what to do without taking a step back? Of course, there’s paneer, tofu, soya, and mushrooms. But what if you want more? Enter, plant-based meat or meat analogues.

Meat Analogues is a term used in the food industry for meat-like foods made from vegetarian ingredients like wheat gluten, soy protein, or vegetable substitutes like jackfruit. Plant-based meats aim to mimic the texture, appearance, and, to some extent, flavor of the meat. 

A new entrant in the Indian market catering to this audience is a brand by Bollywood actors Genelia and Ritesh Deshmukh – Imagine Meats. Offering different types of snacks and mains, Imagine Meats is made using soy. In our Imagine Meats Chicken Nuggets Review, we test how close it comes to a portion of actual nuggets in terms of taste and texture. 

We love their quirky pun-loaded website.

Here is all that you need to know about Imagine meats chicken nuggets. 

1. Packaging

The Imagine Meats Chicken Nuggets come in a shamrock green color pack. The pack is not resealable. 

2. Main Ingredients

The main ingredients used to make these chicken nuggets are – Water (47.5%), Breadcrumbs, Refined palm oil, Textured soy protein concentrate, Protein blend powder, Batter, Refined sunflower oil, Spices and condiments, Contains added flavor (Roasted chicken flavor), Yeast extract, Iodised salt, Thickener and Pea Protein.

Details on percentage and allergens in the section below.

3. Flavor

Before we start talking about taste or flavor, we want to lay emphasis on the target group. While this can be consumed by ‘seasoned’ vegetarians, this is particularly meant for newly turned vegetarians to curb meaty cravings. So mimicking the flavor and texture of the meat is important. 

The chicken nuggets by Imagine Meats contain roasted chicken flavor. We wanted to see how close the flavor of these ‘chicken’ nuggets comes to the meat variant. Were these nuggs able to satisfy the meat-lover in us? Could we spot the difference? 

Apart from this, how accentuated is the soy flavor? What about the seasoning? Any other dominant flavors?

4. Texture and Mouthfeel

Texture plays a crucial role when it comes to testing mock meats. How close does it come to the meat it’s supposed to replicate? Is the chicken-like chunky, meatiness reflected well in these nuggets? Does it look fleshy like it’s supposed to? 

5. Appearance

Do these chicken nuggets look like the real deal? If yes, is there consistency in shape and size? Are there any broken pieces in the pack?  

There were no broken pieces inside the pack and they all look similar in shape and size. They are thick and look chunky like the original chicken nuggets. 

6. Crunch

For frozen foods that need to be deep-fried, a prime parameter is crunch. How crunchy is the nugget? Is this a well-breaded snack?

The Imagine Meats Chicken Nuggets are super crunchy after deep frying. Full points!

7. After Taste

Do the chicken nuggets leave any after-taste? If yes, how undesirable is it?

The chicken nuggets by Imagine Meats leave a chicken-like aftertaste with a subtle soya flavor that is not too dominant. 

8. Price Range

A 500 gram pack is priced at Rs 595/-.

9. Shelf Life

The shelf life of this product is 1 year. 

10. Cooking Instructions

The instructions given on the back of the pack are – 

• Take frozen nuggets from the deep freezer.
• Deep fry in edible veg oil for 3 minutes at 360 degrees F or 182 degrees C using requisite frying equipment till the internal core temperature of minimum 165 degrees F or 74 degrees C.

11. Nutritional Information

As per the pack, 100 grams of these plant based chicken nuggets provide – 

• Energy – 256.02 Kcal
• Total carbohydrates – 19.55 gm
• Of which sugar – 2.41 gm
• Protein – 11.92 gm
• Total fat – 12.6 gm
• Saturated fat – 4.92 gm
• Trans Fat – <0.1 gm
• Cholesterol – <1.0 mg
• Sodium – 655.03 mg

This has 11.92 grams of protein per 100 grams, while 100 grams of chicken has 27 grams. 

ITC’s Chicken Fries are YUM!

We cooked the nuggets as per the instructions given on the pack. We used refined vegetable oil to deep fry the nuggets. The outer casing is crisp and cooked evenly.

Texture – These come close to the texture of a frozen chicken nugget. Chunky, and wholesome. The texture is not pasty or a mish-mash. It mimics ‘meaty’ well for sure.

Coming to taste. The Chicken Nuggets by Imagine Meats are meaty and taste fresh. Yes, even though we know these aren’t made with actual meat, the nuggets are surprisingly juicy. The seasoning is apt. These aren’t spicy at all and good as kids’ snacking options. 

So how close does this come to the chicken nugget promise? Very close. The added chicken flavoring, the meaty chunky texture, and the crunchy bite bind all the senses together to make you feel like you’re eating an actual chicken nugget.

Features

• 500 gram pack of chicken* nuggets is priced at Rs 595/-.
• Shelf life – 1 year
• Ingredients – Water (47.5%) , Breadcrumbs (Refined wheat flour (Maida), Dextrose, Iodised salt and Yeast), Refined palm oil (Antioxidant INS 319), Textured soy protein concentrate (8.7%), Protein blend powder {Soy protein concentrate. Thickener (INS 461), Yeast extract, Dextrose}, Batter {Stabiliser (INS466)}, Refined sunflower oil {Antioxidant (INS 319)}, Spices and condiments, Contains added flavor (Roasted chicken flavor), Yeast extract, Iodised salt {Anticaking agent (INS 536)}, Thickener (INS461) and Pea Protein. (*Represents Chicken flavor and not its true nature.)
• Allergen information – Contains soy and wheat (gluten)
• This product does not contain animal products. 

Likes

• The outer casing is crispy.
• The vegetarian chicken nuggets are juicy and meaty.
• We liked the seasoning.
• The meaty flavors we were looking for were very much there.

Best Suited For

If you’re a newly turned vegetarian and craving for some meaty snacks, this could be a craving-killer.

Related Reading: Tastiest Chicken Nuggets (Frozen) 

Here are some interesting FAQs on Imagine Meats Chicken Nuggets.

1. Are these chicken nuggets healthy to consume?

Nothing replaces meals made using fresh produce. Packaged food is best consumed in moderation.

2. How to store these nuggets after unpacking?

Once opened, store in a deep freezer at -18 degrees. It is advised not to thaw the nuggets and re-freeze. 

3. What are the different preparation methods for Imagine Meats chicken nuggets?

There is only one method of preparation, deep frying, which has been mentioned above. We did not try making these using shallow frying or air frying.

4. Can these nuggets be paired with mayo and tomato sauce?

Yes. These can be paired with a number of condiments like mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, a hot sauce of your choice or even a mustard.

5. How many nuggets are there in one pack? 

A 500 gram pack holds 20 pieces of chicken nuggets approximately.

Meaty, juicy and delicious!

The plant-based chicken nuggets by Imagine Meats came close to the real deal. From their chunky meatiness to the spot-on seasoning and the chicken flavoring, everything works in favor of these nuggets. The subtle soya aftertaste can be worked upon, but that’s not such a major issue. 

Have you tried any brands of plant based meats yet? How was your experience?

* If you do agree with our review, please give it a thumbs up! And, tell us which one is your favorite from this list. If you don’t, please tell us why!

* Food & Beverage is a constantly evolving segment with new products launched daily. Our endeavor here is to help shoppers buy better. If there’s a product you would like us to review tell us by clicking here.

* Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.

* No part of this review is sponsored by any brand. All expenses were borne by us.