Another plant-based addition to the October menu includes sweet potato wedges with garlic PERinaise.

Tomorrow, Nando’s is launching its first ever plant-based chicken across 340 stores in the UK.

The meat-free alternative called the Great Imitator has been designed ‘to taste just like its signature PERi-PERi chicken breast fillet’ and is targeted at the growing number of flexitarians looking to reduce their meat intake. ⁠

Made using pea protein, Nando’s newest product is served as four strips grilled to order with the restaurant’s signature vegan Perinaise and can be ordered as part of burgers, pittas and wraps.

‘Excellent choice’

While the ingredients are entirely animal-free, Nando’s refrains from calling the Great Imitator vegan because it’s cooked on the same grill as meat.

Despite cross-contamination risks, vegan charity PETA, which has been urging Nando’s to add vegan meat to its menu since 2016, said the new offering ‘is an excellent choice for vegans, vegetarians, meat-reducers, and chickens, since the restaurant chain on its website states: “We choose a specific part of the grill for our non-meat products and we use separate utensils for them too.”

Dawn Carr, Director of Vegan Corporate Projects, said: “PETA is delighted to have played a part in Nando’s journey to putting this delicious plant-based chicken on the table.

“Nando’s can’t guarantee zero risk of cross-contamination, so it’s not calling it vegan, but all the ingredients in the burger and pitta versions are completely animal-free – right down to the mayo – we say these are an excellent choice.”

• Read: McDonald’s is reportedly launching vegan burgers in the UK

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