How do you make ‘Irish’ fried chicken? Smother it in Baileys liqueur. That’s according to fast food chain KFC, which is now selling ‘Taste of Ireland’ chicken in its Chinese outlets.
The unusual dish, which has been advertised in China, consists of a roasted chicken, prepared with Baileys cream liqueur. While the Chinese are famously fond of mixing sweet and savoury ingredients in their cooking, this new recipe may come as a surprise. The advert for this Irish chicken was released earlier this month on Chinese television. It shows three Chinese chefs waiting for three chicken pieces to be tasted by someone who is presumably an Irish cooking expert. As he smells the meal, the food buff starts hearing Irish traditional music and is reminded of green valleys so he nods in approval and praises the taste of the meal.
The three chicken pieces, which are priced at less than €1 (or nine yuan), could help increase the popularity of Irish products in the Far East. It is understood that there are currently no plans to introduce the chicken splashed in Irish cream liqueur to Irish consumers.
KFC has more than 3,000 restaurants in China and revenues there have overtaken those of KFC’s birthplace, the United States. The fast food chain, part of Yum! Brands, has developed a $3.4bn (e2.36bn) empire in China since it first came to Beijing 24 years ago.