# Am I missing something? AKA What is up with jalapeno peppers and fried chicken? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2003, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328 "2003-08-11T04:40:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/1 "2003-08-11T04:40:40Z")
This might be a GQ, but there’s probably a lot of subjectivity involved also so I’m putting this in IMHO. I noticed about a year ago that Church’s Chicken would advertise jalpeno peppers as a free condiment for their “family meals”. Just now I saw a KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) commercial for some sort of “family feast” and at the end they said “four jalapeno peppers included”. Now, these are package deals that include 10, 12 or 15 pieces of chicken. I assume that this is for four people, with each person getting one jalapeno. Now, I enjoy spicy food, but what exactly does one do with a whole jalapeno pepper and a piece of fried chcken? Are you supposed to slice up the pepper and put it ON the chicken? Or do you bite into the pepper, then the chicken? Is this some culinary delight that has so far passed me by? And who exactly has been clamoring for jalapenos from KFC? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/2 "2003-08-11T05:01:29Z")
DDear Pilot141, I am angularly entertained by your post in apparent prose on 08-10-2003. Thank you. Your post is impudent to us. Please wait until our first Nobel laureate is available. In the meantime, you might like to complete a personal rating for our services, which, of course, you have not yet enjoyed. (You might understand, Pilot141, or you might not, that there’s something afoot here. I’m not sure what it is, but something’s up.) unhappy maknam ---
**Author:** ![Jonmarzie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jonmarzie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonmarzie)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/3 "2003-08-11T06:45:25Z")
Being a San Antonian, I think it makes sense. Why serve jalapenos with chicken? The same reason why you’d serve cole slaw. They taste good. ---
**Author:** ![Jonmarzie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jonmarzie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonmarzie)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/4 "2003-08-11T06:46:52Z")
Oh, and **AskNott** ,😕 ---
**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/5 "2003-08-11T07:00:21Z")
Well I’m not a big fried chicken fan (I prefer mine in nugget form) but I’ve seen this particular food combination in action. Apparently one takes the chicken in one hand, the pepper in the other, then one squeezes the juice from the pepper onto the chicken, as flavoring. Good idea, I suppose, if the chicken isn’t particularly flavorful. ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/6 "2003-08-11T10:21:24Z")
Yeah, I’ve seen the pepper juiced squeezed on the chicken. I also saw it in a commercial. Haven’t tried it yet. Bet it’s tasty. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/7 "2003-08-11T12:46:43Z")
Mmmm…Chicken. Up here in the Northeast, I haven’t seen any such thing regarding peppers and KFC, so they must not be marketing it here. I would notice, because anything pepper related perks my interest. Damn…hungry for some chicken and some hot peppers now! (I notice on my travel to the south/southwest that there are way more options when it comes to spicey/hot foods that are served more bland up hither) ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/8 "2003-08-11T12:51:35Z")
Actually, there’s a logical explanation here. The way I do it is, I take a couple big bites of chicken, then have a bite of jalapeno. The oil from the fried chicken coats my mouth and keeps those nasty jalapeno oils from burning my tongue, but I get the very nice jalapeno flavor, with considerably less burn than I would otherwise. In short, they’re a natural. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/9 "2003-08-11T13:50:32Z")
I remember CFC putting jalapeños in their boxes 20 years ago, which was when I was first exposed to them. I, who had never eaten anything stronger than table black pepper, chomped down and ate the whole thing to show my 5-year-old nephew that they tasted good. Needless to say, it was a little rough on me. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/10 "2003-08-11T13:51:39Z")
Well, it has been 20 years. Maybe it was Church’s, and maybe it was Krystal or Popeye’s. ---
**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/11 "2003-08-11T15:05:09Z")
Thanks for the info…I think I may have to try squeezing the juice and also the bite of chicken/bite of pepper technique. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/12 "2003-08-11T15:32:24Z")
Perhaps **AskNott** was replying to the “voice recognition software” thread and the hamsters got confused. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/13 "2003-08-11T15:37:55Z")
KFC doesn’t advertise jalapeño peppers with their chicken here in Baltimore, either. Is it a Southern/Southwest thing? ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/14 "2003-08-11T15:55:12Z")
I would suggest that the fried chicken industry is attempting to expand their current market. One of the larger untapped demographics would probably be the Hispanic sector. Jalapeños _en escabeche_ (pickled chile peppers with sliced carrots and onions) is a rather ubiquitous condiment in Mexican cuisine. By including this in their menu lineup, fried chicken restaurants will increase the appeal of their product to a new buyer segment. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-missing-something-aka-what-is-up-with-jalapeno-peppers-and-fried-chicken/194328/15 "2003-08-11T16:23:34Z")
take a bite of chicken, chew on it, swallow, then eat the Jalapeno, then finish the chicken. Then drink a litre of coke and you’re sorted.