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Today's fishing trip featured a Chicken Fajita TOTM. This one was dated 3003 and contained the entree plus a garlic mashed potato side, raisins, wheat snack bread, an oatmeal cookie, a package of toffee (Tootsie) rolls, a drink mix and the usual acc pack and FRH. All told, a very full package for a TOTM. Nothing much new I can say about all the extras, so I'll only describe the entree and side.

First, the FRH wasn't up to the task of heating two full food pouches, even though it was 70° outside. The foods got only warm, with definite cold spots. That detracted from my enjoyment considerably.

There are few things less palatable than cold mashed potatoes, except for cold bland mashed potatoes. There was very little garlic flavor, and the potatoes were clearly reconstituted from dehydrated. This TOTM did not contain a packet of butter buds, which might have helped. Salt and pepper didn't.

The entree created the anticipation of Mexican or at least Tex-Mex flavorings. It did not deliver. The tomato sauce had a vague hint of chili, cumin and oregano, but you'd have to concentrate hard to detect them. The chicken was "processed" meaning they formed chicken paste into blocks the size of erasers. And they achieved the consistency and flavor of erasers, as well. Rubbery fits perfectly.

Here's my bowl, sitting on a boat dock, brimming with anticipation. Minutes later, the bowl was empty and so was my enthusiasm.




Bottom line: this meal is discontinued for the 2014 packing year, and I can see why. I won't miss it and I won't be buying another one.

Eraser Chicken doesn't look too appetizing. I swear I've eaten it before, can't recall it being that bad, but then again things change year by year. Thanks for the review!

My chicken isn't that bad...

Cool review, Rocky!

I've yet to try Chicken Fajita, I think I have a few in my pantry.. oh boy if a Hurricane comes through Florida and I need to use my entrees, I may pass that entree off to someone else!

I think those FRH's could be up for some improvement. I've had some Lithuanian Rations this year, and the FRH's in those are at least 2 times more effective than the US MRE ones. So I don't know what the US's excuse is.. if a country with a population of 1/100th of ours can make better FRH's, then what gives?

I loved how you wrote: "Here's my bowl, sitting on a boat dock, brimming with anticipation. Minutes later, the bowl was empty and so was my enthusiasm" ... what a conclusion!

Thankyou for the review, as usual I was not only educated but also entertained.

Thanks. 50+ years of creative writing practice makes it look easy, doesn't it? LOL!

RockyRaab wrote:Thanks. 50+ years of creative writing practice makes it look easy, doesn't it? LOL!

I've been writing my own evaluations at work for decades, so creative writing is ...handy!

I just had a chicken fajita MRE from 2011 two nights ago and it was actually really good. The chicken did sortof look the same as it did in this review, but with the refried beans and tortillas it was a great meal. I'll be sad to see this one go

It just proves that everybody has different likes. And I hereby bequeath any remaining Chicken Fajita MREs to you, good sir.

Rocky
I am not sure how I missed this review, but thank you for the warning. I have this meal in my camping stockpile. Was planing on combining it with Mexican corn and Mexican rice re-fried beans side dishes, MRE tortillas & Jalapeno cheese plus a pouch of MRE picante sauce.
MRE Mexican meal

Now maybe not. Rocky do you think if it was fully heated and had added spices it would make the cut?

Maybe. Hotter would help a lot. The almost cold combo of mashed potatoes and "Mexican" dishes in the TOTM was pretty awful. If you combined it with a more appropriate sides, slathered on some good hot sauce and served it piping hot, it might be okay. But I predict you'll find the texture of those molded chicken paste "erasers" as off-putting as I did.

You already have it, you may as well eat it.