What's the Hype about Honey Stung Chicken?

[huenix]

I agree, its kinda not up to the hype I saw about it. On the other hand, the pina coladas in the collectible martini-style glass when you board? Well worth it. Given the nature of cruising, I always wonder why everyone talks up the honey stung chicken and not the rum drinks with floaters the second you step on board.

 

However, my priorities might just be skewed.

[alexw]

It wasnt that great to me either. But, like other have said, its an opening day tradition.

[andrea63]

I think they got the name right with "Honey stunk" chicken! LOL

[BND]

On Grandeur it was really dry wings but on Explorer it was halfway decent chicken breasts. Not sure why it's called "honey stung" as it's a pretty flat breading flavor, but at least on Explorer it was pretty moist.

[bayou cruiser]

I've never tried it before but because of all the talk on here I'm going to give it a try next week. One thing that has lived up to the hype is the savory bites. If they don't have them on Oasis next week my DH and I will be soooooo disappointed.

[mehitabel]

Aw, I was hoping it would be spicy! I don't remember having any on our last RCCL cruise and was looking forward to something with a little zing to it.

 

Guess I'll just have to make do with being on board a fabulous ship anyway. ;)

[joeyancho]

To be technical....a McNugget is ground up chicken, including the skin. The honey stung chicken is an actual piece of chicken. It is okay, but not OMG. McNuggets are nasty.

[RevSmith]

It's a chicken nugget, why the hype......

I have given it a try on three different ships...each time I found it to be dry and not very tasty at all...so it's a mystery to me also. Give me the salad bar on day one, so much better.

rev

[melbur]

It's a chicken nugget, why the hype......

 

agreed, thought it was nasty stuff

[Aquahound]

Regardless of whether or not the honey-stung chicken is over-hyped, its appearance on the luncheon buffet on embarkation day, signifies to me that my cruise vacation has begun. It doesn't matter much to me whether it is a menu highlight or low light, just the fact that it is on the buffet is all that counts.:D

 

Exactly!

 

It is only served on embarkation day, so it's symbolism is much bigger than how it tastes.

[kicker]

A fellow Liberty cruiser turned us on to HS Chicken a few cruises back - I'm surprised she's not on here raving about it!

 

Its very good - what I've found is the type of chicken used will vary from ship to ship, cruise to cruise. I've never seen HS nuggets; have seen HS breasts (Chicken Breasts! - Keep your mind on the chicken!), and HS chicken legs - the legs weren't as good as the breasts, prob because the breast meat is better meat.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Wouldnt eat it again it was dry and tasteless and could not taste any honey, but then again I dont like cheap frozen food.

[dougp26364]

It's a chicken nugget, why the hype......

 

It use to be really pretty good but, the last couple of sailings we've been on, we could live without it. I don't know if we've changed or if RCI has changed something but, it just hasn't seemed as good as it once was.

[octagonmike]

It's a chicken nugget, why the hype......

 

 

I agree it's just deep fried chicken.

[marci22]

On IOS last week, there were no more drummettes on the RS menu...instead, there was...honey stung chicken.

[Arubamoose]

It's been a while since I've cruised RCCL and I never really noticed Honey Stung Chicken before. But next Friday I will get to try it and I'll report back here :p.

With all the hype, I am going to assume the worst as far as taste is concerned :eek:, but I will go with the symbolism of an embarkation day treat :D.

Only because I will FINALLY BE ON VACATION.

[Puffinater]

It is a real hit or miss, mostly miss. We have stopped "trying" it hoping for a good piece.

[sunpuppy]

I love the Honey Stung Chicken. Maybe it's because we usually get on the ship early and I've always enjoyed it. It's always moist and tasty. But, I agree--it's great significance is that it's the first day of your cruise.

[Prphan2]

Count me in as another one who doesn't get the hype for the honey stung chicken or the savory bites. Even though we were eating within minutes of them allowing everyone to board, the chicken was just bland. I get better at the mall in the food court. And every night that we ate in the MDR, I made sure to have the savory bites, thinking that one night I'd figure out what was so great about them...never figured it out. I really was bummed though about both items, because by name alone, they sounded like things I would love! Unfortunately, that was not the case at all. But to each his/her own.:p

[YumPo]

I've been LOL through this whole thread over "Honey Stunk Chicken" and thanks to the OP, I will never think of it any other way from now on. The next time any of you are on a RCCL cruise, if you see a woman in line at the buffet laughing hysterically and pointing at the HS chicken, it just might be me -- so c'mon over and say hello! (By the way, I don't understand the hype over HS Chicken either -- I've tried it twice, thinking I must be missing something each time...)

[PhoenixDawgCruising]

We were on the Navigator a few weeks ago, and even though the Room Service Menu said they had chicken wings, when you called they told you the menu was outdated, and they were now serving the honey stung chicken and sweet potato fries instead.

I didn't see the big deal, but my 13 & 5 year old sons ate it from RS every night.:eek:

[Kikkycat]

[quote name='Happy ks']
We've tried it twice, the first time I thought it was no big deal, just battered, dried out pressed and formed chicken with a sweet honey flavor added to it, kind of chewy and fatty while still being dry, weird. Then I tried it again because so many people rave about it. I was right the first time.
[/quote]

Bingo. I bought into the hype because it's on so many peoples' lists of what their favorite food is on a cruise. First time - not real good, kinda dry. Second time - every bit as nasty. There won't be a third time. I don't believe it's possible to make it appealing to me. I firmly believe the reason so many people like it is because it's only available on the first day, and it goes hand in glove with the excitement of being aboard in your first hour on the ship.

[dutchess43]

Had the honey stung chicken when they first opened up the doors for the buffet on day 1 was disappointed it was good but certainly not great.

[PhoenixDawgCruising]

I guess the whole "first day only" thing won't be a big deal anymore, now that a lot of the ships seem to be adding it to the room service menu for the entire cruise.

[silentbob007]

It is definitely hit or miss. I generally avoid it if it looks old ... sometimes it has been sitting there for a while, even if you are the first in the WJ at boarding. I also go for the dark meat pieces ... they have the best chance of not being dried out.