Lay’s Just Launched a “Bold” New Chip Flavor That’s Even Better than the Original
Walk through the chip aisle of any grocery store, and you’re met with a sea of options: wavy, crinkle cut, popped, flavor blasted … It can be a LOT. I’m a kettle chip person through and through. The crunch is simply unmatched (just ask chefs), and while I’ll never say no to a bowl of the OG kind, the flavors that pack a punch are, for me, where it’s at.
Brands continue to experiment with new flavors to stand out in the ever-growing market, drawing inspiration from beloved condiments like gochujang and dreamy destinations, including Greece, India, and South Korea. (I’m still dreaming of the tzatziki chips.) Lay’s new flavor — Lay’s Kettle Cooked Cajun Spice Flavored Potato Chips — takes inspiration from an equally exciting location based right here in the U.S.
My dad is from the South so I’m pretty familiar with Cajun cuisine (think food seasoned with ham hocks, red beans and rice, and hush puppies), so choosing whether or not to sample them was a no-brainer. I enlisted other Kitchn colleagues (no convincing necessary) to try them with me. Here’s what we thought.
What You Should Know About Lay’s Kettle Cooked Cajun Spice Flavored Potato Chips
These Kettle Cooked Cajun Spice Flavored potato chips are the latest Lay’s flavor to hit store shelves. Unlike other chips, these are not a limited-edition drop so rest assured you won’t have to run to the store to get a bag. Inspired by the classic Louisiana seasoning, the chips get their Cajun kick from red and black pepper, thyme, salt, brown sugar, onion and garlic powder, paprika, and buttermilk.
Lay's Potato Chips, Cajun Spice Flavored, Kettle Cooked
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$3.99
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After launching in September, they’re now available at retailers nationwide including Kroger, Target, Walmart, and Albertson’s as well as online at snacks.com. They come in various sizes ranging from 1.375 ounces to 8 ounces, retailing between $1.49 and $4.99 per bag.
My Honest Review of Lay’s Kettle Cooked Cajun Spice Flavored Potato Chips
I opened a bag in the office kitchen, rallied the group, and got to sampling. Straight off the bat, you can really see the flavor. The chips have an orange hue from the paprika and are coated in little flecks of black, red, and green, leaving a sticky residue on your fingers (have napkins nearby!).
If the visual cues weren’t a hint, these chips are LOADED with flavor. From one bite, your mouth explodes in Cajun spice, with a subtle heat that builds the more you eat them. Mara, our senior groceries editor, agreed that the heat isn’t overwhelming and something “most people could get behind.” A crowd-pleaser, she noted, “I could see you putting out a bowl for a game night, and it disappearing FAST.”
The chips have that classic Cajun twang I was looking for and reminded me of the Cajun fries from Popeyes. They taste like a “spicy barbecue” chip without the honey, molasses-y sweetness. Quinn, our lifestyle editor, who ate a whole bowl before she knew it, loved the “sweet-spicy-smoky-salty flavor” and “notes of barbecue and gochujang.” Brian, director of people operations, agreed it tasted like an “elevated barbecue” and could “really taste the thyme” (bonus points for the accurate branding on the front of the bag).
Buy: Lay’s Kettle Cooked Cajun Spice Flavored Potato Chips, $4.09 for 8 ounces at Instacart
Have you tried the new Lay’s Cajun Spice Chips? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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