What are the Ingredients in Walkers Chicken Crisps?

November 13, 2025 •

2 min read

According to Walkers UK, the popular Roast Chicken flavour crisps are suitable for vegetarians, which often surprises consumers. The ingredients in Walkers Chicken Crisps include potatoes, vegetable oils, and a blend of seasonings that replicate the roasted chicken flavour without using actual meat.

Quick Summary

Walkers Chicken Crisps are made with British potatoes and a blend of sunflower and rapeseed oils. The savoury flavour comes from a seasoning that typically includes yeast extract, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika extract. The recipe is suitable for vegetarians, but cross-contamination with allergens like milk, wheat, and gluten is possible, depending on the manufacturing facility.

Key Points

Core Components: Walkers Chicken Crisps are primarily made from British potatoes, sunflower oil, and rapeseed oil.
Flavouring: The roasted chicken flavour comes from a seasoning blend, not actual chicken, making the standard version suitable for vegetarians.
Key Seasonings: The flavouring includes yeast extract for savouriness, onion and garlic powders for aroma, and paprika extract for colour.
Allergen Risk: Due to shared factory lines, the crisps may contain traces of allergens like milk, gluten, and soy.
Past Controversy: Around 2013, Walkers briefly used real meat extracts in some chicken crisp variants, upsetting vegetarian customers.
Product Variations: Special versions, like Sensations Roast Chicken & Thyme, do contain real chicken ingredients and are not vegetarian.
Additive-Free: Walkers promotes its crisps as being free from added MSG and artificial colours.

Core Ingredients of Walkers Roast Chicken Crisps

Walkers crisps primarily consist of potatoes and oil, with a specific seasoning blend creating the Roast Chicken flavour. The main components include:

Primary Ingredients

Potatoes: Sourced from British farms.
Vegetable Oils: A mix of sunflower and rapeseed oil is used for frying.

Roast Chicken Seasoning

The distinctive flavour comes from a blend of ingredients designed to mimic roasted chicken without using meat:

Salt
Yeast Extract: Provides a savoury depth.
Flavourings: A combination of natural and artificial compounds.
Onion Powder & Garlic Powder: Adds aromatic notes.
Potassium Chloride: A salt substitute.
Colour (Paprika Extract): Gives a golden-orange hue.
Sage: Contributes to the 'roast' flavour.

Antioxidants

To maintain freshness, ingredients like Rosemary Extract, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), and Citric Acid are included.

Variances and Controversies in Walkers Chicken Crisps

Ingredient lists can vary between Walkers product lines. For instance, Walkers Sensations Roast Chicken & Thyme crisps contain real dried chicken and are not vegetarian. This difference caused controversy around 2013 when Walkers introduced real meat extracts into some flavours, leading to consumer backlash. While many standard flavours are now vegetarian again, the Sensations line remains an exception. It is always recommended to check the specific product label.

Navigating Allergens and Cross-Contamination

While the standard Roast Chicken flavour is vegetarian, individuals with allergies must be aware of potential cross-contamination. Walkers indicates that products may contain trace allergens due to shared manufacturing equipment.

Potential 'May Contain' Allergens:

Milk
Wheat
Gluten
Barley
Soya
Celery
Mustard

Those with severe allergies should carefully review the allergen information on the packaging.

Comparison Table: Standard vs. Sensations Chicken Flavour


Feature	Walkers Roast Chicken Crisps	Walkers Sensations Roast Chicken & Thyme Crisps
Vegetarian Status	Suitable for Vegetarians	Not Suitable for Vegetarians
Flavour Source	Vegetable-based flavourings, yeast extract	Uses real dried chicken in the seasoning
Primary Herbs	Sage	Thyme, Dried Parsley
Sweeteners	Contains Dextrose or Sugar	Contains Sugar
Milk Ingredients	May contain milk due to manufacturing environment	Contains Dried Milk Whey and other milk derivatives
Key Antioxidants	Rosemary Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid	Rosemary Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid
Flavour Intensity	Classic savoury flavour	More complex, herby, and intense flavour

Conclusion: A Flavour Achieved Through Smart Seasoning

In conclusion, the standard Walkers Chicken Crisps use British potatoes, vegetable oils, and a meat-free seasoning blend for their roast chicken flavour. While the core ingredients are simple, the distinct taste comes from a mix of yeast extract, herbs, and spices. Consumers with dietary restrictions should always check the product packaging for variations and potential cross-contamination risks, especially as some product lines like Sensations do contain real chicken. The official Walkers website or product label provides the most accurate and current ingredient and allergen information. Explore Walkers products for specific details.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, the standard Walkers Roast Chicken crisps are flavoured with a seasoning blend that mimics the taste of roasted chicken, not actual meat, and are suitable for vegetarians.

Yes, the standard Walkers Roast Chicken crisps are suitable for vegetarians. It is important to check the specific product's packaging, as special editions like the 'Sensations' version may differ.

The chicken flavouring consists of a mix of savoury and aromatic ingredients, including yeast extract, salt, flavourings, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika extract, and sage.

Individuals with allergies should check the label carefully. Walkers warns that the crisps 'may contain' traces of milk, wheat, gluten, barley, soya, celery, and mustard due to manufacturing processes.

Walkers crisps are fried in a blend of vegetable oils, specifically sunflower and rapeseed oil, used in varying proportions.

Yes, around 2013, Walkers changed the recipe for some of its crisps, including the chicken flavour, to include real meat extracts, sparking consumer backlash. The standard flavour has since returned to a vegetarian-friendly recipe.

Walkers states that its Roast Chicken crisps are free from added MSG and artificial colours. This is a consistent feature across many of their standard crisp flavours.