Editor’s Note: As of 12/12/12, the spicy chicken and cheddar poppers are back on the menu.
Every once in a while I find another Disney junk food item that I can NOT resist. This is what happened on a chilly December day at Epcot’s Refreshment Port!
I had been wanting to try the Spicy Chicken and Cheddar Poppers here for quite some time, but I was always too full from eating other things by the time I got here (that’s the problem with a dining location in the middle of Epcot; I’ve already eaten too much from every angle by the time I get there!).
However, this time I was researching for our upcoming Disney Food Blog Mini-Guide to Epcot Snacks, and new I had more than just one reason to try these!
Menu - click image for larger version
While the cost is a bit high on these, you do get quite a bit of food. This can easily replace a counter service meal in most cases.
So I stepped up to the counter and ordered my poppers. And while it took a little longer than I expected, it was WELL worth the wait.
Chicken and Cheddar Poppers with Fries
Now, you guys know that I love my hoity toity food as much as the next girl, and I count the days until I can go back to Victoria & Albert’s and Napa Rose. But oh-sweet-Heaven did I love these things, which would likely be qualified as junk food by most.
I’m telling you, my ideal day at Epcot now includes BOTH the chips and queso at La Cava del Tequila and these spicy chicken and cheddar poppers. What can I say? I like my spicy freezer-to-fryer goodies! (Also, I’m on a giant diet right now, which means not-so-healthy food is looking better and better…)
Anyway, the poppers are very spicy due to relatively large chunks of jalapeno embedded in the gooey cheese. Let me qualify this by saying that I eat so much Buffalo Wing sauce on a daily basis that I’m pretty sure I have the stuff running through my veins half the time, so my taste buds are tuned to capsaicin. But the spice is definitely worth it.
Popper Close-Up
I like the addition of the chicken and cheddar here as well, instead of just a standard cream cheese jalapeno popper. The structure of the snack is good, and the flavors are excellent together. The creaminess of the cheese is excellent, and look at the size of those pepper chunks!
Popper Cross-Section
Yep — these are certainly on the list as one of my favorite snacks in Epcot at the moment. And while I’m not sure how long they’ll last (the Refreshment Port has been through about three different menus in the past year or two), this will be one of my first stops from now on instead of one of my last.
Have you tried these hidden gems in Epcot? Are there other “junk food” items that you can’t resist? Share YOUR secrets in the comments below!
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Also on a giant diet which means I am adding these to the list for my next trip. The cheese/pepper combo looks a little gooey which makes me think that I would cut them all in half and dip my fries in them. Don’t judge ;o)
Jen — Ooh, sounds like a good idea to me! 😉
Oh my sweet, heavenly, gooey, spicy goodness! I so wish I had seen these in December. Hope they’ll stick around until October when I can get some of those in my belly!
Hmmm, I might have to try these in 11 days! 🙂
Tho, I am not crazy about jalapeno, but it’s worth it just to see, I think!
-Michele
I tried these a few months back, and they are mighty tasty! And yes, they do take a few minutes to prepare, but totally worth it! I’ll take freshly made anytime!
Ok, you’ve convinced me. I definitely need to try these on my next trip to Disney World. I always have so much issues in Epcot because it has the best food and so many choices!
This just screams to be paired with a bear or one of those lemonades from US pavilion you told us about.
Just more proof I really need that Epcot Snack guide next week!
*Ha, not a bear, but a beer.
We saw those and drooled last trip,but were headed to Le Cellier so indulged in amazing Poutine (talk about an upgrade over the past year!) instead.. good to know they’re as good as they sound!
If I was at WDW right now I’d get a frozen Margarita at the Mexican pavillion and hurry down to the Outpost and pair it with the poppers.
Does a giant diet mean you only eat giant sized food?
It’s cold and rainy in Abilene this morning, so this post especially killed me. I need something to warm me up.
Anyway, I haven’t tried these (yet), but will put it on the list. I will have to make sure to go straight there so as not to (completely) fill up on the cream cheese stuffed pretzel that I dearly love.
I am also glad to know of your addiction to Wing Sauce…it makes me feel better to know that someone else has an appreciation of the stuff. In fact, people at restaurants look at me like I’m crazy when I order a side of it for dipping my sandwich, fries or whatever else. Wing sauce just makes life better…more people need to understand that!
Thanks for the post A.J.!
Sounds good and just in time for my trip this weekend!
I’m not one to really get caught up in the whole “size = value” thing, but it really looks snack size. Maybe it’s just the picture aspect.
That doesn’t mean I would not try it, though. It looks delicious! Plus, it could work since it would not be another CS burger or sandwich.
I could never believe that I got to have the empanadas once, and the plantains exactly never, before they took them off the menu. This kiosk might as well have one of those chalkboard menus so they can change it daily.
I so desperately need to be on a giant diet, versus the giant fail diet I’m usually rocking.
I hope they keep these things on the menu! I’ve had them a few times and, like School Bread, they’re a “must-have” each trip. They work especially-well for munching while waiting for Illuminations, even if you have no place to set the tray. They also go well with the Refreshment Port’s frozen mojito if you need something to tame the spiciness.
Mark D.: I am not so sure you should correct yourself, these look right up Big Al’s alley.
I gotta tell they look good
I was just there on Wednesday and Thursday, I too tried this poppers and they were the worst thing I have eaten anywhere on Disney property. Unless your taste buds are totally shot, I would not recommend these to a wild animal.
Anyone wonder how they get chicken in the shape of a ball? Mechanically separated chicken. Google it. Watch a video of it being made. You won’t want to eat this, unless you can eat with zero conscience…
Would this be a counter service on the Disney dining plan?
Love your blog. We live 10min from WDW and visit often. Never tried these until today, thanks to your recommendation. Sooooo good! I am also an addict of anything spicy or buffalo. These really hit the spot. Thanks!
Steven C. — awesome!! So glad you tried them and enjoyed them!!
Where can i buy the chicken and cheddar poppers???
TJ — At the Refreshment Port in Epcot! Yum!