Flavor & The Menu current issue
Flavor Trends, Strategies and Solutions for Menu Development

By Katie Ayoub
May 8, 2023

Fried chicken tenders are beloved by Gen Z, as is novelty of experience. This Blueberry-Cornflake Fried Chicken Waffle Cone delivers on both counts, providing a fan favorite as a flavor-forward snack. An oversized waffle cone is stuffed with chicken tender pieces coated in a unique breading made with crushed blueberry-cornflake cereal. The pieces are fried until crispy and coated in hot honey, then topped with a crisp napa cabbage slaw dressed in a blueberry-basil vinaigrette. A drizzle of blueberry-ranch dressing, pickled blueberries and chives finish the look. “With Gen Z, the Instagram factor has to be there, but a picture is only a picture if the product doesn’t wow their palates and speak to their generation,” says John Franke, chef consultant on behalf of the Boulder, Colo.-based SRG Culinary Council. “A dish like this brings together familiar—even nostalgic—favorites like cornflakes, fried chicken, ranch dressing, blueberries and a waffle cone, but in a fun ‘package’ that catches the eye.”

The build is a study in craveability, balancing sweet with heat, acid and savory—leveraging blueberries for an unexpected “Wow!” factor. “This is a multi-layered blueberry extravaganza,” says Franke. “The pickled blueberries add bursts of acid and sweetness as well as a nice temperature contrast. The blueberry-basil vinaigrette works as a sweet and tangy dressing for the slaw, and the blueberry in the ranch dressing adds yet another layer of flavor in a creamy format that balances the hot honey. Lastly, the blueberry-cornflake coating ties the elements together with a final punch of flavor that rounds out the build perfectly.”

 

 

About The Author

Katie Ayoub

Katie Ayoub is managing editor of Flavor & The Menu. She has been working in foodservice publishing for more than 16 years and on the Flavor team since 2006. She won a 2015 Folio award for her Flavor & The Menu article, Heritage Matters. In 2006, she won “Best Culinary Article” from the Cordon D’Or for an article on offal.