You go, grill: KFC tests charred chicks

Signs of the Apocalypse continue to shower the land. And yesterday's news comes from one of the great grease purveyors in my lifetime, KFC. (I still think of it as Kentucky Fried Chicken, but I'm old.)

True to their former name, KFC has continued to fry just about everything on its menu, salad greens and pot pies notwithstanding. Yesterday, though, the company announced that it will test-market grilled chicken in six U.S. markets. Among the diverse set of markets is Colorado Springs.

Other test cities include noted fatties Indianapolis, Jacksonville, San Diego and Oklahoma City, andfitness fanatical Austin.

(In the 2007 Men's Fitness magazine ranking of America's fattest and fittest cities, OKC was 15th fattest, Indianapolis was 16th, San Diego was a surprising 21st, and Jax was 23rd. On the other side, Colorado Springs was 3rd fittest, while Austin was 21st.)

Those cities will give KFC valuable feedback on its test menu items, most notably its marinated chicken, which will contain 60 to 180 calories and 3 to 9 fat grams per chicken piece. The regular fried chicken pieces look like this:

• Wing (130 calories, and 8 fat grams) and Extra Crispy Wing (170 and 11)
  
• Breast (360 and 21) and EC Breast (440 and 27)
  
• Leg (130 and 8) and EC Leg (160 and 10)
  
• Thigh (330 and 24) and EC Thigh (370 and 28)
• Large Popcorn Chicken (550 and 35)

Add a serving of mashed potatoes and gravy (140 and 5), some mac and cheese (180 and 8) and a biscuit (220 and 11) to an extra crispy breast, and you've just downed 980 calories and 51 fat grams, or about half a day's calories and an entire day's fat grams.

Don't be fooled into thinking a pot pie is a healthy choice, as it contains 770 calories and 40 fat grams.

However, if the grilled chicken test works, you will be able to go to a KFC and get a reasonably healthy meal:

• A grilled breast (180 calories and 9 fat grams)
• Green beans (50 and 1.5)
• A small corn on the cob (70 and 1.5)
• Baked Beans (220 and 1) and
• Water (0 and 0)

Together, that's 520 calories and 13 fat grams, and quite a bit of food.

Last year, KFC eliminated trans fats from all its food, and it claims to also be working to reduce sodium levels in its food. Further, KFC has an animal welfare policy that seems to address concerns regarding hormone levels in chicken.

Let's hope the test goes well for them.