Review: Trader Joe's - Hardwood Smoked Pulled Chicken

Trader Joe's Hardwood Smoked Pulled Chicken features a refrigerated, heat-and-serve portion of seasoned and smoked chicken breast.

A 16-oz package was $8.99.

The Hardwood Smoked Pulled Chicken was very convenient to prepare. I just had to poke a few holes in the plastic pouch it came in and heat it for about 3 minutes in the microwave.

According to Trader Joe's, the chicken is seasoned with garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper, plus a "special seasoning blend" that includes ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. According to my taste buds, the chicken was lightly seasoned with a strong smoky flavor. It was nice enough to eat by itself but also lent itself well to eating with sauce as it wasn't too salty.

Texture-wise, the meat was a little dry which wasn't all that surprising as chicken breast dries out fairly easily. I haven't had that much smoked chicken breast but I can't remember any of it being juicy except for deli meat. The chicken still had a nice meaty bite though.

Taken altogether, Trader Joe's Hardwood Smoked Pulled Chicken was a mixed bag for me. I liked the strong smoky notes and flavor but dark meat would have made for a more enjoyable texture. Still, some barbecue sauce or the like helped with the slight dryness.

Nutritional Info - Trader Joe's Hardwood Smoked Pulled Chicken
Serving Size - 3 oz (84g)
Calories - 110
Fat - 2g (Saturated Fat - 0.5g)
Sodium - 200mg
Carbs - less than 1g (Sugar - 0g)
Protein - 21g