REVIEW: Nashville Hot Cheetos

Nashville Hot Cheetos Bag

What are Nashville Hot Cheetos?

According to the back of the bag, “A new way to get a kick of heat from your favorite Nashville Hot seasonings with the crunch you love from Cheetos.” This is not the first Nashville Hot seasoned snack from Frito-Lay, who pumped out potato chips with the flavor last year.

How are they?

Nashville Hot Cheetos Closeup

They smell like, um, let’s just say you wouldn’t recognize them as Nashville Hot-seasoned snacks by their smell. When I give them a quick sniff, they smell like unseasoned corn puffs. Only when I put my nose right up to them and take a long yoga-like nasal inhale do I get a whiff of something and a little itchy nose. But, again, not something that would be recognized as a regional spicy fried chicken dish.

Nashville Hot Cheetos Stick

They have a noticeable flavor that could be considered fried chicken-like, but the “authentic blend of spices” that supposedly creates the Nashville Hot flavor is bland. Initially, I thought my taste buds were broken, so I ate other things to ensure they weren’t. They were working. There’s a “kick of heat,” and it registers just below Flamin’ Hot on the Scoville, I mean, Fritoville scale. But, overall, this basically has just chicken flavor and a bit of spiciness.

Anything else you need to know?

This is currently a Circle K and Dollar General exclusive.

Conclusion:

Nashville Hot Cheetos’ seasoning isn’t that flavorful. It’s not something I must lick off my fingers or knees. And that makes for a disappointing and unsatisfying snack.

Thanks to TIB reader and regular Spotted contributor, Robbie, for sending me this bag.

Purchased Price: $3.00
Size: 8 1/2 oz bag
Purchased at: Dollar General
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 21 pieces/28 g) 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of sodium, 200 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

4 thoughts to “REVIEW: Nashville Hot Cheetos”

  1. No, pickles are not an essential component of a chip that claims to only be “Nashville Hot” flavored. Same goes for store-bought Nashville spice blends, or a bite of Nashville chicken on its own. Nashville chicken is also traditionally eaten with white bread, which I wouldn’t expect a flavor called “Nashville hot” to taste like either. I agree that these don’t really emulate real Nashville chicken unfortunately but that was a really silly criticism and made no sense.

  2. No, pickles are not an essential component of a chip that claims to only be “Nashville Hot” flavored. Same goes for store-bought Nashville spice blends, or a bite of Nashville chicken on its own. Nashville chicken is also traditionally eaten with white bread, which I wouldn’t expect a flavor called “Nashville hot” to taste like either. I agree that these don’t really emulate real Nashville chicken unfortunately but that was a really silly criticism and made no sense.

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