Culinary Product Review: KRAFT Fresh Take in Cheddar Jack & Bacon

I was on my way home and needed something for dinner. I went to Walmart with no dinner idea in mind. That's right. I walked into the store with ZERO inspiration. When I was about to give up and just grab one of their take-and-bake pizzas, I remembered seeing something on my last shopping trip. I headed toward the cheeses. Hanging with the cheeses was KRAFT's new Fresh Take line of coatings. For nutritional information and product information, you can visit KRAFT's website.

I grabbed a package of KRAFT's Fresh Take in Cheddar Jack & Bacon.  It is classified as a cheese breadcrumb mixture.

Highlights:

• Done in 30 minutes
• Cost effective
• Crispy and flavorful
• Will purchase again

According to the package - This system is supposed to coat 6 pieces of meat. It claims you can coat chicken, pork, or fish. I purchased four thinly sliced pieces of chicken. There was definitely enough mixture for two more pieces.

When you open the package, you will find the instructions printed on the enclosed zippered pouch. You are instructed to break the seal in the middle and mix the bacon mixture with the cheese mixture. I had no problem breaking the middle seal.  The instructions say to rinse the meat. I used an egg wash instead. Be warned. The mix is not ready to eat. The packaging tells you to not eat this mixture without cooking. If you are going to use an egg wash, definitely DO NOT reuse in anyway and make sure to wash all surfaces properly. 

The instructions are simple and easy to follow. You toss the chicken piece in some egg, toss it in the pouch, and then place on a properly prepared baking sheet. I covered my sheet with non-stick foil. It is a wonderful product for something like this. The instructions say to use a sprayed cookie sheet. Forego the mess and invest in some non-stick foil.

Here is what the chicken looks like after coating. The coating will not completely cover the chicken. Don't be worried. You are instructed to put extra topping on top.

28 minutes later, this is what came out of the oven:

The verdict: I will definitely purchase this again. I was able to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes. I made mashed potatoes while the chicken was baking. My son LOVED it. The texture was better than any oven baked chicken I have done. It was actually crispy. You can hear the crunch when I made the initial cut. The chicken inside was moist. As for the flavor, it had that slight hint of fake bacon, but it wasn't bad. I think it was a very nice compliment. The flavors were not too overpowering at all. Best of all, it wasn't bland.

If you're in need of a quick dinner idea, give the cheddar jack and bacon a try. That is if you like cheese and bacon. It has a nice touch of both.