You most likely think of Nicholas Sparks as a name connected with emotional rollercoasters. Many of his works, including The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, Dear John, and The Longest Ride, have been turned into similarly popular movies after they captivated readers.
Renowned for his emotional characters and tear-jerking narratives, Sparks has produced a legacy of love stories that leave a box of tears at your side.
But this time, the discussion about Sparks is about a chicken salad dish he posted that draws some questions rather than his best-selling books or their on-screen adaptations.
Sparks revealed a personal recipe that went viral immediately in a recent interview with The New York Times. However, this chicken salad is closely examined for one extremely unique component, not for its culinary inventiveness.
The Chicken Salad That Set Off Arguments
All of it began rather benignly. Sparks said in the profile that he loves to spend time in the kitchen and detailed how he usually makes a batch of chicken salad. Two skinless, boneless rotisserie chickens cut up with some celery, and Vidalia onions start the dish like any typical chicken salad.
Then, though, the recipe veered in a direction none everyone saw approaching. Sparks stated he makes a dressing using mayonnaise, dill pickle relish, jalapeño relish, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and wait for it sixteen packets of Splenda.
Why the Splenda?
Sparks clarified that his low-carb eating habit drove his decision to use Splenda. In the interview, he said, “You can use real sugar, but why throw sugar in if you can use Splenda?” He said it was a personal choice most likely related to his goal to restrict carbohydrate intake, a common strategy in many modern diets.
Although chicken salad recipes sometimes call for a small amount of sugar to balance the taste, adding sixteen packets of Splenda equivalent to around two-thirds cup has been criticized as too much.
Sugar can be included in traditional dishes as sweet components like grapes, sweet relish, or even a little honey. But an excessive amount of artificial sweetener? Your typical chicken salad recipe does not generally call for that.
Is Splenda in Chicken Salad Really That Bad?
Allow me to dissect it here. Adding sugar or sweetness to savory meals is not unusual. Many people toss a little sugar into coleslaw, tomato-based foods, or even salad dressings to improve the taste. Some traditional chicken salad recipes also call for a little sweet, usually from sweet pickle relish or fruit like apples or raisins.
The concept has been supported even by celebrities. Dolly Parton has noted that a little sugar may go a long way for salads, especially when balancing the tastes. What surprises people, though, is the quantity of sweetness Sparks consumes whether Splenda or sugar.
Splenda is a far sweeter artificial sweetener than sugar, so you usually need less of it. For Sparks, though, utilizing 16 packets might feel like a heavy hand. Splenda has a unique flavor that does not usually fit savory foods, so its use in this amount has left people wondering if not completely dubious.
Varied Public Reactions
Of course, the internet responded immediately to Sparks’ chicken salad recipe. With so much Splenda included, it has become a widespread topic of debate, with some people appalled and others fascinated.
Popular pop culture podcast Who? Weekly advanced by actually creating the dish and taste-testing it live. The podcast hosts shockingly said the salad was “pretty good” and that the overpowering Splenda taste they anticipated was not there. Still, they indicated that they preferred salad free of artificial sweeteners.
Despite this taste test, many folks lack the enthusiasm to attempt the recipe themselves. Everyone finds having a classic meal like a chicken salad with artificial sweeteners unacceptable. Given this surprising inclusion, some have even called the recipe “cursed.”
The Recipe Breakdown: Misses and Hits
Although adding Splenda may be the most debatable feature of Sparks’ chicken salad, many home chefs would value the other intriguing turns in the dish. Let’s examine closely what makes Sparks’ chicken salad work and what doesn’t.
What Works:
- Jalapeño Relish: An inspired action is adding pickled or even jalapeño relish to chicken salad. It gives the chicken and mayonnaise foundation a fiery bite that can accentuate its otherwise subdued taste. It’s also a terrific method to provide acidity, which counteracts the dish’s richness.
- Pickle Relish: For many, dill pickle relish is a staple ingredient in chicken salad. The pickles’ acidic, somewhat sweet taste gives the meal complexity and well balances the creamy mayonnaise.
What Misses:
16 Packets of Splenda: Many people find the sheer quantity of it objectionable, even if Sparks uses it to cut his sugar consumption.
Most chicken salad recipes calling for sugar balance the tastes with just a tiny bit probably a teaspoon or two. Sixteen packets of Splenda equal almost two-thirds cup, and for many people, it is just too much sugar in a savory meal.
Conclusion
Nicholas Sparks’s chicken salad is ultimately well-known or notorious for one particular reason: Splenda. The sixteen packets of artificial sweetener have generated quite a sensation, even if the remainder of the dish follows a conventional chicken salad formula with smart tweaks like jalapeño relish.
This might seem like a fair replacement for sugar for those on a low-carb diet, but for others, it seems excessive.
Whether you agree or disagree with the Splenda argument, Sparks has gotten people talking. Whether you want to follow his chicken salad recipe or keep to your own, one thing is certain: Nicholas Sparks understands how to elicit a response from his emotional works to his unusual gastronomic decisions.
About me? I will bypass the Splenda chicken salad and follow what I know best: matching Sparks’s novels with popcorn, a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, and, naturally, a box of Kleenex.
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