TikTok Is Divided On This Pregnancy Craving Recipe
TikToker Stefanie Mortensen, an Iowa-based mother of three, posted a video set to the oh-so-appropriate tune of "I'm So Hungry" by Karter Zaher. In it, they do a detailed step-by-step on how to make an easy, inexpensive, and apparently pregnancy craving-appropriate dinner dish.
Cue the fans. Then cue the trolls. Then get them in the comments section, and you have a good old-fashioned TikTok showdown. Even the original poster got involved!
What's funny about the uproar is that, as pregnancy cravings go, this one seems pretty benign. It's a standard chicken casserole bake, featuring ingredients like flavored, uncooked rice, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, raw chicken filets, frozen broccoli, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning, all topped with Mexican-style shredded cheese. Then, it gets baked in the oven for 45 minutes.
Four days after posting, the video has more than 3,500 comments and also boasts more than 350,000 likes. That's pretty extra for someone who "only" has about 21,000 followers.
What's wrong with the recipe, according to TikTok users
Despite all the buzz, there's plenty of naysayers in the group, many of whom have serious issues with the recipe's perceived sodium levels, which canned soups and seasoned rices are notorious for. For what it's worth, Stef responded, "I didn't notice it being very salty, but I'm also pregnant and crave salt lol" (via TikTok).
Still, others berated the TikTok user for not washing the raw chicken before it goes into the mix. However, as Stef (and many others) pointed out, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) specifically say not to wash raw chicken. "During washing, chicken juices can spread in the kitchen and contaminate other foods, utensils, and countertops," the CDC explains. This puts people at higher risk for truly cringe-inducing foodborne illness.
Other commenters just think it's all around gross, especially saying they should have cooked the chicken before putting it in the dish. There's even an 80+ comment thread wherein people argue over whether or not the raw chicken will come out cooked. You know, from the oven. Which is there to bake things. "COOK THE CHICKEN AT LEAST," commented Louisa A. "I did. In the oven. And it was cooked through, juicy and delicious," Stef replied.
All that said, while the recipe might not be for everyone, many users note that it's an inexpensive, flavorful way to feed a lot of people. Let's get weird posted, "Y'all never had to feed a family on a budget and it shows."