Junk Food Nation, we all have TV shows we’re ashamed to admit we watch. Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Duck Dynasty.  Swamp People. The relaunch of Thundercats on Cartoon Network. Anything on NBA TV.  Burn Notice. Who the hell watches Burn Notice?

Me? I have a show I love that I would never admit outright.  Moreover, when I saw that the season premiere was last night, I literally barrel rolled over to my remote and set a Series Recording in such a panicked spastic motion I hurt my fingernails.  And this is the show:

Yep, American Ninja Warrior.  AMERICAN. NINJA. WARRIOR.

Now to be clear, I never really watch G4. The video game / pop culture channel is buried somewhere in my channel guide, and I haven’t played a video game in a long time. Not because I’m too good for it – I just never had the cash to get a system.  I must be the only Asian in the US without an XBox. No video games, no watching shows about video games.

But Ninja Warrior – oooooh, Ninja Warrior.  Originally from Japan, it’s basically a super intense obstacle course that in over 2500 contestants, only 3 have finished.  It’s the hardest televised physical challenge I’ve ever seen – much harder than those idiotic Strongest Man competitions.  They brought it to the US in 2009, to bring together competitors to qualify for the Japan course.  In three seasons, no one has finished. This is Season 4.

Why do I watch this ridiculous show? Is it because I’d like to be as physically fit as these people? ABSOLUTELY (never happen). After each episode I just wanna go outside and parkour all over shit (I can barely leap). Is it because I like to see people crash and burn? SURE (who doesn’t?) But do I hope beyond hope that we’ll have a US champion eventually? YES.

I invite you, Junk Food Nation, to watch this season along with me. Sundays at 9pm EST. Let’s geek out together.

Today’s junk food: New Walkers Extra Crunchy Sweet Chilli Chicken Potato Crisps!

Walkers Extra Crunchy Sweet Chilli Chicken Potato Crisps: The Money Shot

When I was in Ireland, these Walkers Extra Crunchy Sweet Chilli Chicken Potato Crisps were new THERE, so they are DEFINITELY new here in the US.  Plus, another Walkers Chicken-flavored snack?? Amazing. This is just one flavor among the Extra Crunchy line of Walkers Crisps.

Made to Share

After the Roast Chicken flavored Walkers Crisps, I am intrigued as to how these Walkers Extra Crunchy Sweet Chilli Chicken Potato Crisps. This flavor means that someone over at Walkers was like, “Hey, we of course HAVE to have a chicken flavored crisp with this Extra Crunchy line, but how do we make it better?”

I’ve eaten chicken a lot of ways, but have I ever had it with sweet chilis? I don’t think I have, unless you count what happens in Thai Drunken Noodles.

Peckish! Guffaw...

Walkers Extra Crunchy Sweet Chilli Chicken Potato Crisps are sliced thicker and cooked longer.  Maybe these are supposed to be like Kettle Chips?

Grilled Steak...mmm

Strangely, at the grocery store, I could ONLY find these Walkers Extra Crunchy Sweet Chilli Chicken Potato Crisps, and none of the more traditional flavors!  Weird.

Where's the chicken?

Walkers Extra Crunchy Sweet Chilli Chicken Potato Crisps have no chicken in them, like the Roast Chicken variety, and I assume are just as suitable for vegetarians.  Which is Weird Point Numero 2.

Top taters!

I have to say, I think its cute all the little comments Walkers drops: “top taters,” “spuds,” feeling peckish.” Bravo, bag copy editor, bravo.

Big, bubbled, and crispy

When I opened this bag of Walkers Extra Crunchy Sweet Chilli Chicken Potato Crisps and inhaled, I smelled – WHOA.  BUFFALO SAUCE? DO I SMELL BUFFALO SAUCE?  I smelled potato, slight chicken, vinegar, cayenne, peppers….seems awful close. Is THAT what Walkers meant by sweet chilli chicken??

Fresh and perfectly made

I had to crunch these Walkers Extra Crunchy Sweet Chilli Chicken Potato Crisps right away. Big mouthful aaaaand chew.

The texture of the crisp: Look, it may say EXTRA CRUNCHY, but since Walkers Crisps were sort of light and flaky to begin with compared to US chips, these were more like the consistency of a traditional US potato chip than anything else.  Not processed like a Lays Potato Chip – more like a light version of a Kettle Chip.  Still very tasty potato chip, just a little crunchier than a normal Walkers.  But not as crunchy as a US Kettle Chip.

The flavor: Hmmmm. Well, that’s not what I expected.  Although these SMELLED like buffalo sauce, they certainly did not taste like Buffalo Sauce.  As you first bite into the crisps, you get an immediate shot of vinegar flavor, and then the poultry taste comes through, a little.  NOT as much as the Roast Chicken, which tasted like chicken through and through.  The poultry taste here was much more slight, though definitely present.  As I breathed in an out, I could still get the sense of the oily chicken skin.

After the vinegar left, a more slightly spicy BBQ taste emerged. A LITTLE tingle, but mostly a sweet smoky taste adhered.  This flavor quickly mixed with the vinegar and then went away, and finally the aftertaste had a definite chicken-y flavor.  It was, quite frankly, just as if you’d marinated some chicken in vinegar, rubbed it with chili peppers and baked it – the resultant taste it what I think of when I have this crisp.  Sweet, sour, smoky, slightly spicy, and chicken-y. Pretty spot on.

Tasty? Yes – I’d eat these again.  Didn’t WOW me per se, but not every flavor can.  Still a decent contribution to the Walkers line.

Thoughts? Hit me in the comments below or hit me on Twitter @junkfoodguy or on my Facebook Page.

Sincerely, Junk Food Guy