Fried pickles – or frickles – are a bit of a weakness of mine. That combination of crispy batter, juicy pickles and a vinegary flavour is a little addictive!
Slim Chickens’ fried pickles have been on their menu for a while, but now KFC’s pickle menu has landed – and it includes frickles.
I put the two head-to-head: how do the new KFC frickles compare with the Slim Chickens fried pickles?
🥒 Slim Chickens Fried Pickles (£3.95)
The Slim Chickens version sets a pretty high bar.
As you’ll see from the pic, it’s a generous portion for £3.95, and it comes with a pot of ranch for dipping as standard.
The first thing that hits is the crunch: a properly crispy batter that feels light, but still has plenty of flavour. It’s well-seasoned, with just the right amount of salt to complement the pickles.
The thin-sliced pickles themselves stay juicy inside, striking a lovely balance between that sharp, vinegary kick and the savoury coating.
For me, a big win is their crinkle-cut shape, which gives more surface area for the batter, increasing the crunch factor. The Slim Chickens fried pickles also hold together well: the batter stays put and doesn’t slide off.
🥒 KFC “Frickles” (£2.49)
KFC’s new frickles are a different experience.
While the price point is lower, the portion size is noticeably smaller. The coating is more like thick breadcrumbs than batter, and there’s quite a bit of variation in size from piece to piece.
They’re thicker than Slim’s, which does make them a bit juicier, but the coating is a little soggy on the inside and tends to fall off easily, which takes away from the experience.
Flavour-wise, they’re more juicy than vinegary, with a hint of black pepper coming through from the coating.
In all honesty, these were pretty disappointing.
🏆 The Verdict
There’s no comparison between the two, really. Yes, the KFC frickles are cheaper, but the quality just doesn’t compare to Slim Chickens.
For quality, crunch, flavour and overall value for money, I’d choose the Slim Chickens fried pickles every time.