Just in time for football playoffs, Hooters is offering wing enthusiasts a lower-calorie version of its popular chicken wings. The catch? They're not chicken at all. On (meatless) Monday, 318 Hooters restaurants across the U.S. started offering vegetarian versions the brand's popular wings, made instead withQuorn meat substitute.Quornis composed of mycoprotein, which is essentiallyfermented fungusthat's high in protein and fiber, low in saturated fat, and contains zero cholesterol.
The "Unreal wings" are Quorn Meatless Wings, fried and tossed in Hooters' sauces and toppings like every other wing on the menu. You can get them with any of Hooters fourteen sauces, like Original BBQ, Honey Thai Chili Pepper, and Classic Buffalo, and in two serving sizes of six pieces (540 calories) or 10 pieces (810 calories).
Each six-piece serving also contains 22 grams of fat, three grams of saturated fat, 1,340 milligrams of sodium, 56 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of dietary fiber, two grams of sugar, and 32 grams of protein, according to a press release given from Quorn.
But while the wings arefine for vegetarians and flexitarians, vegans should beware. While the Unreal wings are non-GMO and free of soy, they use other animal byproducts including eggs and milk. (Though mycoprotein is technically vegan.)
"The rise of meatless options especially at quick service andfast casual restaurants has largely centered on burgers, and we’re excited to partner with Hooters to roll out the first meatless poultry item on a national scale in the US," said Kevin Brennan, CEO of Quorn Foods in a press release. Carl Sweat, the CMO of Hooters, meanwhile called the wings "a healthier option without compromising on the full Hooters Wing flavor."