KFC's Sweet 'n Spicy bowl has plenty to offer

This week, I reached out for a Sweet 'n Spicy BBQ Chicken & Rice Bowl from the No. 1 chicken shack, KFC, with nearly 20,000 restaurants flapping all over the world.

Bowls are the thing at KFC these days. And bowls are targeted to "millennials," young adults who are demanding smaller portions but more healthful, fresher items from fast-food joints.

Smaller, healthful, fresher? When did I lose control of my empire?

And what happened to my rule that if there are more than three words in the item's name, it's too risky to try? Double Meat Whopper? I'm good.

Sweet 'n Spicy BBQ Chicken & Rice Bowl has too many words and whatever you call that "&" thing. Still, in the spirit of forgiveness, I gave it a shot.

Here's the Sweet 'n Spicy lowdown: hand-pulled shards of honey-barbecue chicken, three-cheese blend, chopped green onions over a large portion of white rice drizzled with spicy ranch sauce.

Total calories: 650. Fat grams: 26. Carbs: 73 g. Sodium: 1,800 mg. Dietary fiber: 6 g. Protein: 38 g. Manufacturer's suggested retail price: $5 (including a chocolate chip cookie and medium soft drink).

This is a good deal for a good deal of food. The bowl has a lot going on. Chicken and rice are a natural combination, and the cheese and onions add texture and flavor. The spicy ranch sauce is a favorite at KFC and every other restaurant in the country. Plus, you get a cookie - time it just right and the cookie will be warm and gooey - and a soft drink for five bucks. That's why KFC has the Chicken & Rice Bowl on its rightly named "$5 Fill Up Menu."

Go to Subway and, for the same money, you'll get the one of the few $5 footlongs left in captivity and a napkin. Dull. Same old, same old. No wonder Jared lost the weight, probably along with his appetite.

KFC also has a Zesty Tex-Mex Chicken & Rice Bowl, with popcorn chicken and fresh pico de gallo. I'm thinking this was intended for KFC's sister chain, Taco Bell, but the menus got mixed up in the corporate mailroom.

Millennials like bowls because they're convenient and easy to eat at their hard-charging 9-to-5 desks.

I like bowls because you can whirl all the food together like a McFlurry, so you get some of everything in every bite. I know, stop playing with my food and eat it.

With KFC determined to push bowls instead of buckets to a new demo, maybe they'll change the way we describe things. Like, it's raining bowls outside. Or did you hear that old Mr. Murray kicked the bowl? Last week, I visited the Great Wall of China, so cross that off my bowl list.

Nah, while I found the Sweet 'n Spicy BBQ Chicken & Rice Bowl a smart change of pace, good value and excellent lunchtime meal, I wasn't completely bucketed over.

I'll stick with my three-piece extra-crispy chicken, fries and coleslaw next time.