Fried chicken ice cream is a creative dessert that looks like fried chicken but is actually ice cream Despite its name, it doesn’t taste like chicken – it’s a sweet treat designed to visually mimic fried chicken pieces, particularly drumsticks
Origins and Concept
According to the sources fried chicken ice cream (also called “Not Fried Chicken Ice Cream”) was created by pastry chef Cynthia Wong. She was inspired by Drumstick brand ice cream cones not resembling actual drumsticks and wanted to create an ice cream that did. Her South Carolina-based company Life Raft Treats, produces these clever desserts.
What It’s Made Of
The dessert typically consists of
- Vanilla or waffle cone ice cream as the base
- A chocolate-covered cookie bar (like a Twix) inserted as the “bone”
- A coating of caramelized white chocolate
- Crushed cornflakes to mimic the golden crust of fried chicken
The result is a dessert that has the familiar sweet taste of ice cream and cookies but with the visual appearance of a fried chicken drumstick.
Where to Buy It
You can find fried chicken ice cream through several channels:
- Retail Stores: Available at select retailers like Whole Foods and Fresh Direct, depending on your region
- Online: Life Raft Treats sells their Not Fried Chicken Ice Cream via Goldbelly ($109.95 for nine drumsticks in a striped chicken bucket)
- Specialty Ice Cream Shops: Many boutique ice cream parlors now offer their own versions
- Food Festivals and Pop-ups: Often featured at culinary events
Making It At Home
If you want to try making fried chicken ice cream yourself, here’s a simplified approach:
- Gather ingredients: Vanilla ice cream, chocolate bars like Twix for the “bones,” crushed cornflakes, and white chocolate for coating
- Shape the ice cream: Let ice cream soften slightly, then mold it around the chocolate bar to form a drumstick shape
- Freeze the shaped pieces: Place them on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until firm (1-2 hours)
- Create the coating: Crush cornflakes and mix with a pinch of salt or spices if desired
- Apply the coating: Dip frozen ice cream in melted white chocolate, then roll in the cornflake mixture
- Freeze again: Return to freezer to set the coating completely
Pro tips include wearing gloves when shaping the ice cream to prevent fingerprints and melting, and working quickly to prevent the ice cream from melting during the coating process.
Why It’s Gone Viral
Fried chicken ice cream has become a social media sensation for several reasons:
- Its visual trickery creates a perfect “reveal” moment for platforms like TikTok and Instagram
- The unusual combination of looking savory but tasting sweet appeals to food enthusiasts
- The craftsmanship required to make it convincing impresses viewers
- It represents the growing trend of innovative, visually striking desserts
Many first-time tasters express surprise and delight at the contrast between appearance and flavor, making it a popular conversation starter and shareable content online.
The Taste Experience
Despite looking like fried chicken, this dessert tastes like traditional ice cream with a crunchy coating. The vanilla or waffle ice cream provides a sweet, creamy base, while the cornflake coating adds a satisfying crunch with a slightly salty note that enhances the overall flavor profile.
Some variations experiment with additional flavors in the coating or different ice cream bases to create unique taste experiences while maintaining the visual illusion.
Final Thoughts
Fried chicken ice cream represents the playful side of culinary innovation, where visual presentation and taste come together to create something unexpected and delightful. Whether you purchase it or try making it at home, it’s a dessert that’s sure to surprise and entertain guests while satisfying sweet cravings in a unique way.
The popularity of this treat shows how food continues to evolve beyond traditional boundaries, creating new experiences that engage multiple senses and spark joy through creativity and craftsmanship.
The details behind Life Raft’s Not Fried Chicken
While you can bread your chicken with crushed-up ice cream cones, combining real chicken and vanilla ice cream may not sound like the most appetizing idea. Alternatively, you may want to focus your tastebuds on dessert and try one of Life Rafts “Not Fried Chicken” drumsticks. One TikTok user claims these sturdy ice cream chicken pieces smell like “sweet waffle cones” and taste delicious with a profoundly satisfying crunchy exterior.
Yet, as you may have gathered, if you live outside Charleston, South Carolina, a bucket of “Not Fried Chicken” will cost you roughly $110 when purchased through the GoldBelly website. This significant amount of money awards you with nine ice cream drumsticks delivered in a handy ice cream bucket. However, beyond the ice cream bars unique structure, what makes these whimsical chicken drumsticks so expensive?
Life Raft founder Cynthia Wong prides herself on using local ingredients to source her one-of-a-kind desserts, so in part, youre paying for the care and attention she uses to craft these unconventional ice cream bars. While the above TikTok user and countless other ice cream lovers find Life Rafts “Not Fried Chicken” ice cream to be worth the high cost, getting all the facts and latest news on the Life Raft company may help you decide if you want to try these unique treats.
Shark Tank US | Sharks Left Speechless By Life Raft Treats’ Fried Chicken Ice Cream
FAQ
What is not fried chicken ice cream?
The ‘Not Fried Chicken’ at LIFE RAFT TREATS is not fried chicken. It is an ice cream that is coated in sweet flakes to look ‘fried’, shaped like a piece of chicken, and even contains a chocolate covered cookie ‘bone’. Along with looking like a work of art, the ice cream tastes delicious.
How do you make fried chicken ice cream?
To make fried chicken ice cream, you’ll need a few key ingredients, including chicken, ice cream, and breading. Start by preparing your favorite fried chicken recipe, making sure to cook the chicken until it’s crispy and golden brown. Once the chicken is fully cooked, allow it to cool completely before cutting it into small, bite-sized pieces.
What is fried chicken ice cream?
The Fried Chicken Ice Cream has gone viral online for blowing people away with its mind-boggling appearance. This frozen treat is as crispy and crunchy as it looks, and as creamy and sweet as it’s supposed to be! You can order it as a Trio Bucket, a Half Dozen Bucket, a Family Bucket of 12 pieces, or a Party Bucket of 18 pieces. 12.
What is fried chicken ice cream made of?
Fried chicken ice cream typically uses ice cream (often vanilla-based), a “breading” of cornflakes or cookie crumbs, and sometimes a chocolate coating and cookie “bone” to mimic fried chicken, though a “true” fried chicken ice cream can also include actual fried chicken or chicken fat in the base. The result is a sweet dessert that plays on the appearance and texture of fried chicken.
What does the fried chicken ice cream taste like?
What is fried ice cream made of?
Fried ice cream consists of a frozen ball of ice cream, typically vanilla, coated in a crunchy mixture of crushed cornflakes, cinnamon, and sometimes sugar or coconut, and then quickly deep-fried for a few seconds. This process creates a hot, crispy exterior while the inside remains cold and creamy.
What exactly is chicken ice cream?
It looks just like a fried chicken drumstick, but it’s actually an intricate ice cream creation, complete with waffle ice cream, a chocolate-covered cookie “bone” and a coating of white chocolate and crushed corn flakes! It’s crispy, crunchy, creamy, salty, sweet, and as fun to eat as it is insanely delicious.