Tyson blackened chicken strips are a popular frozen convenience food item found in many grocery stores across the United States. They are breaded chicken breast strips that have been seasoned with a blend of spices to give them a bold, spicy flavor inspired by classic Cajun and Creole cuisine. But just how spicy are Tyson’s blackened chicken strips? Let’s take a closer look at these zesty frozen strips and find out if they live up to their billing as a spicy and flavorful quick meal option.
An Overview of Tyson Blackened Chicken Strips
Tyson blackened chicken strips consist of breaded and seasoned strips of chicken breast meat. They are pre-cooked so they can be prepared quickly by baking or frying directly from frozen. Each strip is coated with a flavorful blend of spices before being breaded and frozen. The spice blend includes ingredients like paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, oregano, and thyme. This mixture of spices gives the strips their signature blackened seasoning flavor. Tyson markets these strips as having an authentic blackened taste inspired by Cajun cooking traditions, with a little bit of spicy kick. They are sold as a fully cooked product that can be prepared in minutes by simply following the heating instructions on the package. Tyson blackened strips provide a quick and convenient way to add Cajun-inspired flavor to meals any night of the week.
The Spice Blend Used for Tyson Blackened Chicken Strips
To understand how spicy Tyson’s blackened chicken strips are, we need to look closer at the proprietary blend of spices used to season them. While the exact quantities of each spice are unknown, we can infer the general ingredients from the product packaging. Based on the ingredient list provided, the spice blend contains the following components:
- Paprika – A smoked red pepper powder that provides a rich, savory flavor.
- Garlic powder – Dehydrated, ground garlic that gives an aromatic punch.
- Onion powder – Dehydrated, minced onion that provides subtle allium notes.
- Cayenne pepper – A hot chili pepper powder that brings heat.
- Black pepper – Common household pepper known for its punchy, pungent bite.
- Oregano – A zesty, aromatic herb in the mint family.
- Thyme – An earthy, subtly lemon-flavored Mediterranean herb.
The blend brings together spices with a variety of flavor profiles, from the savory paprika and garlic powder to the umami of the black pepper and heat of the cayenne. Let’s focus in on two ingredients in particular – the cayenne pepper and the black pepper – to evaluate how much spicy impact they bring to the party.
Cayenne Pepper Provides Moderate Heat
Cayenne pepper is the ingredient most responsible for giving Tyson blackened strips their spicy edge. This bright red, ground chili pepper adds a warming heat to foods. The amount of cayenne in the strips’ seasoning blend contributes a moderate level of spiciness.
On the Scoville scale, which measures the pungency and heat of chili peppers, cayenne ranks at 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units (SHU). For comparison, jalapeño peppers register 2,500 to 8,000 SHU. So cayenne packs a punch, but not an extreme one. It’s thought to be about half as hot as bird’s eye chili peppers.
When consumed, cayenne pepper’s heat builds slowly. It provides a warm, lingering spicy sensation in the mouth rather than an intensely sharp, hot sting. The amount of cayenne used in the Tyson blackened chicken strips seasoning blend seems intended to add a moderately spicy kick, not overwhelm the other flavor notes.
Black Pepper Adds Pepperiness
The black pepper used in Tyson’s blackened strips seasoning also contributes a touch of spice-like character. While not technically a member of the spicy capsicum pepper family, black pepper lends a sharply peppery, pungent bite from the compound piperine. This adds to the overall spicy impression the strips deliver.
Freshly ground black pepper has a stronger, more assertive peppery flavor than pre-ground pepper which tends to lose some flavor over time. It’s likely Tyson uses freshly cracked black pepper to provide maximum peppery punch to balance the blend.
Along with the cayenne, the black pepper gives the strips an extra dimension of spicy flavor. The black pepper plays a supporting role to the cayenne’s lead, amplifying the overall spicy impact.
Other Ingredients Affect the Perceived Spiciness
While the cayenne pepper and black pepper are the standout spice sources, the other blend ingredients affect the overall spicy taste profile too. Sweet and savory spices like paprika help balance and mellow the heat. Onion and garlic notes give it more rounded, savory depth. And the oregano and thyme contribute a woodsy, aromatic element.
The combination of these flavors influences how our palates perceive the spiciness level. In a highly seasoned blend like Cajun blackening spice, no one spice completely dominates. The cayenne heat is tempered by the other ingredients so that it doesn’t overwhelm.
So in the case of Tyson’s blackened strips, the blend composition is designed to deliver flavorful heat, not atomic spice levels. The result is a balanced heat profile with robust seasoning character.
Heat Level Can Vary Between Batches
It’s worth noting that there can be some variability in spice blend formulations between production batches. Slight variations in the measurements of spices like cayenne pepper mean some batches of Tyson blackened strips may come out a bit spicier or milder than others.
Factors like moisture level, seed content, and harvest quality of the dried peppers can also impact the final heat. Cayenne powder from one crop and growing region may be marginally spicier than cayenne from another.
So while Tyson likely strives for consistency in the blackening spice blend, there will inevitably be minor fluctuations in heat intensity across production lots. Trying strips from different packages can yield slightly different experiences on the spice-o-meter.
Tyson Blackened Strips Heat Level
Taking all these factors into account, Tyson blackened strips generally register at a solid medium on the heat spectrum. Here’s an overview of how their spiciness compares to other foods:
- Hotter than: original flavor chicken strips, poultry seasoning blends, black pepper
- Similar heat to: enchilada sauce, Buffalo wings (medium), chili powder
- Cooler than: hot wings, Nashville hot chicken, jerk chicken, hot salsa, habanero peppers
The cayenne and black pepper give Tyson blackened strips noticeably more spice than plain chicken strips, but stop short of extreme heat. Kids and those with sensitivity to spicy foods may find them too hot. But most spicy food aficionados would consider them only moderately zesty. The heat level is in the middle ground – warm and flavorful, but not overly fiery.
Ways to Adjust the Spice Level
The amount of perceived heat in Tyson’s blackened strips can be adjusted depending on how they are prepared and served:
To make them spicier
- Add extra dashes of cayenne, hot sauce, or other spices while heating
- Serve with spicy dipping sauces like buffalo sauce or pepper jelly
- Pair with sliced raw jalapeños or other fresh peppers
To tone down the spice
- Dip strips in ranch, blue cheese or other cool, creamy sauces
- Serve with a glass of milk or other dairy beverage
- Add extra non-spicy seasonings while cooking like garlic powder or lemon pepper
So those craving an extra kick can boost the heat, while those who find the default spice level too hot can balance it out. The blackened strips’ base seasoning provides medium heat, while allowing the flexibility to adjust the final spiciness to individual tastes.
Serving Suggestions for Tyson Blackened Chicken Strips
Tyson blackened chicken strips deliver convenience along with their addictive Cajun-inspired flavor. Here are some quick and easy serving suggestions:
| Meal Idea | Serving Suggestion |
|---|---|
| Cajun Chicken Salad | Chop strips up and serve on a bed of lettuce with tomatoes, onion, cheese, and ranch or vinaigrette dressing. |
| Blackened Chicken Caesar Wrap | Wrap heated strips in a tortilla with romaine lettuce, parmesan, and Caesar dressing. |
| Buffalo Chicken Flatbread | Top flatbread with strips, mozzarella cheese, and Buffalo hot sauce then bake until melted. |
| Blackened Chicken Tacos | Warm tortillas, add strips, pico de gallo, guacamole, and queso fresco. |
The possibilities are endless! Tyson blackened strips can be used in sandwiches, wraps, tacos, salads, pizza and more for an easy weeknight dinner solution with big, bold Cajun flavor.
Nutrition Information
For those watching their calorie or sodium intake, here is the nutrition information for Tyson Blackened Chicken Strips based on a 85g serving size (about 3 strips):
| Calories | Fat | Sodium | Carbohydrates | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 170 | 7g | 470mg | 8g | 14g |
The strips are high in protein and relatively low in fat, but the sodium content is elevated. Those restricting sodium may want to limit portion sizes, rinse strips before cooking, or balance intake with lower sodium foods for the rest of the meal.
Cost Comparison to Other Chicken Strip Options
Tyson blackened chicken strips offer spice and convenience at a reasonable price point. Here’s how they stack up cost-wise against other popular frozen chicken strip varieties:
| Brand and Variety | Ounces | Package Price | Price Per Ounce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyson Blackened Chicken Strips | 22 oz | $6.49 | $0.30 |
| Tyson Grilled Chicken Strips | 22 oz | $6.49 | $0.30 |
| Foster Farms Chicken Strips | 32 oz | $9.99 | $0.31 |
| Perdue Chicken Breast Strips | 28 oz | $9.99 | $0.36 |
Tyson blackened strips cost right around $0.30 per ounce, inline with Tyson’s plain grilled strips. They represent a good value compared to premium brand chicken strips which can run $0.35 per ounce or higher. The flavor and convenience come at an affordable price point.
Customer Reviews
Most customer reviews of Tyson Blackened Chicken Strips are positive. The strips earn high marks for their flavor, spice level, and convenience. Here are some examples of customer feedback:
“These have amazing flavor! They are spicy but not overwhelmingly hot. I loved the Cajun seasoning and they cooked up crispy.”
“The blackened flavor is delicious without being too spicy for kids. These cook up quickly and are so convenient for busy weeknights.”
“I usually find frozen chicken strips to be bland but these have great zesty flavor. Good amount of heat and the seasoning is fantastic.”
“These are slightly spicy but very tasty. They make great sandwiches or just to eat as is. The coating stays crispy after baking.”
Most reviews indicate Tyson hit the mark with the blackening spice blend to make the strips flavorful without excessive heat. Customers find the heat level mild enough for those sensitive to spice yet packing enough punch for spicy food fans.
Conclusion
Tyson Blackened Chicken Strips deliver on their promise of Cajun-inspired flavor with a moderate kick of heat from spices like cayenne and black pepper. The spice blend adds rich, bold seasoning without high levels of burn, resulting in a flavorful heat that most palates can handle. Crispy, conveniently cooked, and full of zesty flavor, Tyson blackened strips offer an easy pathway to give weeknight meals a tasty, moderately spicy boost.