[Product Review] Papa John's 'Chipotle Chicken Pizza'... Spicy Jalapeno Heat

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] Chipotle. It definitely gives off a strong Latin American vibe, but it was a word I had never heard before. After looking it up, I found out it means smoked jalape?o, a type of chili pepper mainly used in Mexican cuisine. Since I usually enjoy jalape?os, I decided to try chipotle myself by ordering Papa John’s new menu item, the ‘Chipotle Chicken Pizza.’

The first thing that caught my eye was the evenly distributed jalape?os across the entire pizza. Maybe because of that, as soon as I opened the box, a sharp spicy aroma teased my nose.

When I tasted it, the spiciness of the chipotle sauce blended harmoniously with the soft and mild mayo sauce, so it wasn’t very spicy. One of the main toppings, the hot chicken, was not dry but tender, which elevated the pizza’s flavor. Looking closely, I noticed bits of tomato and corn kernels embedded, adding a fun popping texture with every bite.

Papa John’s introduced a new ‘Two Cheese Crust’ with this ‘Chipotle Chicken Pizza.’ The ‘Two Cheese Crust’ adds garlic sauce, Parmesan cheese, and Romano cheese on top of the original dough to enhance the crust’s crispy texture and enrich the flavor.

In fact, Papa John’s dough is famous for being aged at 4 degrees Celsius for at least 72 hours, resulting in a crust that is crispy on the outside and moist inside. Among pizza enthusiasts, it is known as a brand whose crust can be eaten to the very edge without leaving any behind. This time, with two kinds of cheese sprinkled on top to increase the crust’s crispiness, expectations were high.

At first, I was skeptical. Since I usually add cheese crust to the pizza edge, I thought it would be similar, but it was different from what I expected. The cheese was not inside the edge but baked as if coated on the surface, making the crust itself crispy and chewy. The cheese’s unique savory and slightly salty taste was strong enough that the crust alone was delicious enough to eat by itself.

However, if you were expecting an intense spiciness because of the jalape?os, you might feel a bit disappointed. You might want to add the base sauce, ‘Chipotle Mayo Sauce,’ or generously drizzle the hot sauce provided to satisfy your craving. Here’s a tip: there is an event offering discounts on the ‘Chipotle Chicken Pizza’ purchase until early next month, so if you’re curious, hurry up.

◆ You Must Try This

# For those who always left the crust uneaten

◆ One-line Impression

# Jalape?o (Chipotle), hot chicken, tomato, and corn kernels popping everywhere

◆ Price

# Original Large Size 27,500 KRW # Original Family Size 32,900 KRW

# Cheese Roll Large Size 31,500 KRW # Cheese Roll Family Size 37,900 KRW