Greggs has launched a chicken version of their classic sausage roll and I wanted to see which one was the tastiest.
April can be a peculiar month — one minute you’re basking in sunshine, the next you are caught in a downpour and craving a piping hot pastry from Greggs. I recently had to shelter inside my local Greggs after being caught in the rain and realised that they have just launched the brand new chicken roll for £1.35.
It is essentially a chicken version of their iconic sausage roll at the same price. The chicken roll is the second variation of the sausage roll Greggs has introduced, following the vegan sausage roll they unveiled in 2019.
I’ll admit I actually prefer the vegan version — I find it far more flavoursome than the pork original so I was genuinely eager to try out the chicken roll. After queuing up, I struck lucky — just two chicken rolls remained, and the member of staff serving me mentioned the pastry had been flying off the shelves.
Fortunately, the rain cleared just as I reached the front of the queue, so I headed over to my local park, Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh, to put the new pastry to the test.
My first observation was that the pastry appeared noticeably paler than the rich, deep golden colour you’d typically expect from a Greggs sausage roll — not the most promising first impression, if I’m being honest. But as soon as I took my first bite, I can say with confidence that the chicken roll is absolutely worth a try, delivering the same richness and indulgence as the much-loved original pork version.
Greggs’ pastry is truly hard to beat — perfectly crisp, buttery and perhaps a touch greasy, though that’s something you could say about virtually every bake. The chicken filling was noticeably leaner than the pork alternative, yet packed a lovely herby flavour that I thoroughly enjoyed, enough to make me come back for another.
For devoted meat fans who lean towards heartier pastries such as mince pies, the original pork sausage roll is likely to be more up your street, given its deeply savoury taste.
That said, if you find a traditional sausage roll a little too stodgy and tend to favour lighter options like the creamy chicken bake, the chicken roll is right up your alley.
It’s no easy feat to rival a great British classic like the Greggs sausage roll, but it’s great to see the menu expanding with plenty of affordable, feel-good comfort food choices.
