McCoy's Thai Sweet Chicken Crisps, 6 x 25g

This multipack of McCoy's Thai Sweet Chicken holds six 25g bags, 150g of thick ridge cut crisps in total. It is a sweet and spiced member of the McCoy's range, and in lunchbox portions it gives a break from the plainer classics. The full product name on the pack is Thai Sweet Chicken Flavour Potato Crisps.

The seasoning

According to the published pack listing, the crisps are made from potatoes, sunflower oil and a Thai sweet chicken flavour seasoning: sugar, maltodextrin, salt, dried yeast extract, ground spices (red chilli pepper, fennel, aniseed and clove), natural flavourings, dried onion, dried garlic, citric acid, dried parsley, a chilli powder of chilli, cumin, oregano, dried garlic and salt, red bell pepper powder, and paprika extract for colour.

It is built like a sweet chilli sauce with extra spice. Sugar is the base. The acid gives a sauce like tang. The chilli brings warmth. The fennel, aniseed and clove add a sweet, aromatic depth that sets it apart from a plain sweet chilli crisp. Dried yeast extract gives the savoury note that makes the flavour read as a chicken dish rather than a dipping sauce.

Maltodextrin, the quiet ingredient

Maltodextrin sits second in the seasoning. It is a mild, slightly sweet powder made from starch, and in seasonings it works as a carrier: it bulks out strong flavourings so they can be spread evenly over every crisp, and it helps the powder flow, which helps a seasoning coat the ridges evenly.

Numbers for one bag

The label gives 131 kcal (548 kJ), 7.5g of fat, 0.6g of saturates, 14g of carbohydrate, 0.8g of sugars, 1g of fibre, 1.7g of protein and 0.33g of salt for each 25g bag. That is about 7% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake and 6% of the salt. Per 100g it is 525 kcal, 30g of fat, 2.4g of saturates, 3.2g of sugars and 1.3g of salt. On the UK front of pack scale fat is high, saturates and salt are medium and sugars are low.

The colours on the front

Per 100g, fat at 30g is red on the UK scale, as it is for fried crisps generally. Saturates at 2.4g are amber. Sugars at 3.2g are green, below 5g. Salt at 1.3g is amber. Per 25g bag the salt comes to 0.33g, about 6% of an adult's daily reference intake.

Sweet chilli, explained

Sweet chilli sauce is a sticky, sweet and gently hot sauce, made mostly of sugar, chilli, garlic and vinegar, and widely used as a dip. This seasoning follows the same pattern in dry form: sugar for the stickiness and sweetness, chilli for warmth, garlic for savour and citric acid for the vinegar's tang, with fennel, aniseed and clove added for extra depth.

Allergens and diet

No allergens from the UK list of 14 are highlighted in the published ingredients. The allergy advice says the crisps may contain cereals containing gluten, milk, mustard and soya. The pack says they are suitable for vegetarians. No vegan or gluten free claim is made. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

How warm is it

The chilli is real, listed twice, but it sits well down the list behind sugar, maltodextrin, salt and yeast extract. Expect a gentle glow under the sweetness. Anyone who avoids chilli completely should choose McCoy's Cheddar and Onion or Salt and Malt Vinegar instead.

How the crisps are made

Washed potatoes are cut with a corrugated blade into thick, ridged slices, rinsed and fried in sunflower oil until the water has cooked out and the slices are firm. The seasoning goes on while they are warm, and the pack says the bags are packaged in a protective atmosphere.

A note on the oil

McCoy's lists sunflower oil on its own rather than a blend of oils. It is a light, neutral oil, so it lets the spices in the seasoning come through, and the thick ridged slices fried in it come out firm rather than brittle.

Six bags for the week

Six bags cover a working week with one to spare. The sweet spice suits a chicken salad sandwich, a wrap, cold noodles or a flask of soup, and the thick ridged crisp survives a lunchbox better than a thin one. In the kitchen, a crushed bag makes a sweet and spicy coating for chicken strips before baking.

Other sizes and flavours

The same flavour comes in a 45g bag. In the same six bag format we stock McCoy's Cheddar and Onion, Flame Grilled Steak and Salt and Malt Vinegar, and the limited edition Hot Kick Ketchup and Yellow Mustard.

The packets and storage

The published listing says the whole packaging can be recycled with bags at large supermarkets and should not go in home recycling. The pack advises storing it in a cool, dry place; keep the bags in the outer pack and finish each bag once opened.

Sizes of McCoy's Thai Sweet Chicken Crisps we stock

Figures as published on each pack's label.

The published listing gives the United Kingdom as the country of origin and names KP Snacks as the maker. The tasting notes on this page are our own editorial assessment against the current pack format and the brand's published description.