Revealed: your state's very best chicken sandwich
Super sandos
You might think it's easy to put together a chicken sandwich, but making a great one is a lot harder than it looks. Whether it's on a roll or in a sub, grilled or fried, hot or cold, a great chicken sandwich will always hit the spot and all of these deliver something special that customers absolutely love. Read on to discover the best chicken sandwich in your state. Due to COVID-19, check any travel restrictions and individual restaurants' websites before visiting.
Hattie B's Hot Chicken/Facebook
Alabama: Hot Chicken Sandwich, Hattie B's Hot Chicken, Birmingham
Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, this small chain boasts rave reviews from people who love its Hot Chicken Sandwich. The fried chicken breast is spiced to your liking, from Southern-style with no heat to extra hot, and paired with coleslaw, pickles and Nashville comeback sauce. Customers say it's spicy, juicy and flavorful.
Alaska: Chicken Bacon Ranch Sub, Krazy Moose Subs, Wasilla
It’s the bread that makes the sub sandwiches from this small, independent shop so special. It’s freshly baked each morning, is beautifully fluffy and has a crust that's perfectly crunchy but not too hard. The fillings are spot on too and customers are big fans of the Chicken Bacon Ranch Sub. Many say it's their go-to order thanks to the generous filling and tasty sauce. The Buffalo Chicken Sub is a close second, if you're after something with a bit more spice.
Arizona: Buffalo Chicken Sub, Sidewinder Subs, Gilbert
The buffalo chicken sandwich – a hot sub with chicken breast in buffalo sauce, ranch and provolone cheese – is a favorite with customers at Sidewinder Subs, although you can’t really go wrong with any options on the extensive menu. The friendly staff often get a mention from happy diners while the sandwich is praised for the soft bread, warm chicken and perfectly melted cheese.
Big Orange: Rogers/Facebook
Arkansas: Hot 'N' Hot Chicken Sandwich, Big Orange, Rogers
A signature dish of this inviting burger joint in Rogers, the Hot 'N' Hot Chicken Sandwich is a firm favorite. A spicy version of their Southern fried chicken, the sandwich is filled with pepper jack cheese, mayo, butterleaf lettuce and dill pickles. Customers say it always hits the spot and the spice level is absolutely perfect.
California: The Sando, Howlin' Ray's, Los Angeles
The menu at Howlin' Ray's might be small but it's all you need if you're after a cracking chicken sandwich. The Sando features the joint's famous crispy fried chicken that's spiced to your liking, from no heat to extremely hot. It's then paired with slaw, comeback sauce and pickles in a butter bun. Most diners say it's simply perfection.
Colorado: Southern, Birdcall, Denver
Sometimes you just can't beat a classic and Birdcall's menu is filled with lots of delicious options that play on the flavors we all know and love. Much-loved by customers, Southern is a fried crispy chicken sandwich served with pimento cheese spread and Southern slaw. It's praised for its generous size (you'll definitely want to come hungry) and guests love how juicy and crispy the chicken is.
Craftbird Food Truck/Shutterstock
Connecticut: Yardbird Chicken Sandwich, Craftbird Food Truck, Hartford
Although this food truck serves up a whole host of lip-smacking treats, from chicken tenders to truffle mac 'n' cheese bites, it's the Yardbird Chicken Sandwich that comes out on top. Made with pickles and sriracha honey on top of a big piece of fried chicken in a sesame bun, the sandwich is loved by customers because of the perfectly-cooked chicken and tasty contrast of rich, sweet, spicy and tangy flavors.
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Dewey Beer Company/Facebook
Delaware: OG Crispy Hot Honey Sandwich, Dewey Beer Company, Dewey Beach
You'll find lots of tasty beers at this fun Delaware spot, but it also has great food to match the beer flights. The OG Crispy Hot Honey Sandwich is the joint's take on a fried chicken sandwich, seasoned with an Old Bay and brown sugar mix, and served with house-fermented garlic hot honey, pickle, red onion and arugula. Diners say the towering sandwich is extremely tasty and they love how well-seasoned the meat is.
KrungThep Tea Time/Facebook
Florida: Gra-Prow Chicken, KrungThep Tea Time, Winter Park
Victory Sandwich Bar/Facebook
Georgia: Tea Bird, Victory Sandwich Bar, Atlanta
This Atlanta venue screams industrial chic, with its hanging lights, wooden booths and leather-stool-lined bar. But it's not a case of style over substance at Victory Sandwich Bar, whose menu is full of imaginative combos. Innovative and favored by customers is the spicy Tea Bird which sees chicken paired with ghost pepper jack cheese and sweet tea mayo. The sandwich is toasted and served with a handful of salt and pepper chips.
Sprout Sandwich Shop/Facebook
Hawaii: The No Comply, Sprout, Honolulu
Regional produce and wholesome ingredients are the USP of this healthy Honolulu joint. Sprout's sandwiches are piled high with leafy greens and Hawaiian veg, such as Waialua sprouts and juicy local tomatoes. Nothing beats The No Comply though – a tasty chicken salad sandwich with macadamia nut pesto, Maui butter lettuce, local tomatoes and roasted garlic mayo. Customers say it's the one sandwich they always keep coming back for.
Republic Kitchen+Taphouse/Facebook
Idaho: Twice Fried Chicken Sandwich, Republic Kitchen+Taphouse, Post Falls
Perfect for when those fried chicken cravings kick in, Republic Kitchen + Taphouse's Twice Fried Chicken Sandwich will hit the right spot. Served on a brioche bun, the chicken is double fried for extra crispiness which people absolutely love. It's then finished either Southern or Korean style, depending on your preference. The former incorporates beer mustard, pickle and slaw while the latter is tossed in Korean honey butter and topped with kimchi, garlic aioli and pickled jalapeño for a spicy kick.
Honey Butter Fried Chicken/Facebook
Illinois: Honey Butter Fried Chicken Sandwich, Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Chicago
For crispy, juicy, flavorsome chicken and show-stopping sandwiches, head to Honey Butter Fried Chicken. The diner serves a wide range of fried chicken dishes but one of the main attractions is the Honey Butter Fried Chicken Sandwich. A firm favorite, the sandwich is a simple combination of fried chicken and extremely generous lashings of honey butter in a brioche bun. People say it's "surreal" and consistently praise the amazing flavors.
Indiana: Fried Chicken sandwich, The Eagle, Indianapolis
All about fried chicken served with spicy hot honey, The Eagle pairs juicy yet crispy poultry breast with coleslaw, spicy mayo and house pickles in a sandwich that customers absolutely rave about. They love how incredibly crispy the chicken is and the soft sub roll it's served in. The sandwich is pretty big though, so come hungry!
Zombie Burger + Drink Lab/Facebook
Iowa: Stuntman Mike's Chicken Sandwich, Zombie Burger, Des Moines
Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que/Facebook
Kansas: Chicken Z-Man, Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, Kansas City
Famous for its pulled pork, beef brisket, burnt ends and ribs, Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que is one of the best places in the whole country to enjoy truly incredible BBQ meat. But it's also a top spot for excellent pulled chicken. Guests love the Chicken Z-Man which is piled high with the joint's superb smoked chicken, crispy onion rings and BBQ mayo.
Kentucky: Orange Marmalade Chicken, DV8 Kitchen, Lexington
This much-loved sandwich shop in Lexington boasts impressive reviews and rightly so. As well as serving delicious food, DV8 Kitchen operates as a second chance employment opportunity for people in the early stages of substance abuse recovery. While the menu features several mouthwatering options, go for the customer-favorite Orange Marmalade Chicken and you won't be left disappointed. Served in a brioche bun, the fried chicken tenders are drenched in delicious honey butter and orange marmalade.
Willie Mae's - NOLA/Facebook
Louisiana: The Willie Mae Chicken Sandwich, Willie Mae's Scotch House, New Orleans
Willie Mae established Scotch House in 1957 when it started life as a bar, barbershop and beauty salon. In 2005, Willie Mae's was even awarded a prestigious James Beard Award, but in the same year the diner was sadly struck by Hurricane Katrina. Since then, the restaurant has bounced back, serving its much-loved fried chicken in a sandwich with pickles, tangy slaw sauce, purple cabbage and honey.
Maine: Fried Chicken sandwich, Palace Diner, Biddeford
Teeny-tiny Palace Diner has an equally small menu. The 15-seat spot, inside a trolley car, serves just a handful of dishes for breakfast and offers only four sandwiches at lunch. Not that anyone minds, because its fried chicken sandwich is simply superb. A fried chicken breast, which customers say is perfectly cooked and juicy, is paired with cabbage slaw and fresh jalapeños. An iceberg lettuce wedge is served on the side.
Maryland: Sweet Chili Brd, BRD, Baltimore
Something between a fried chicken joint and a sandwich shop, BRD cooks up juicy, boneless fried chicken thighs and serves them in a variety of sandwiches, from jerk and BBQ to favorite Sweet Chili Brd (previously known as Hanoi Hen), with pickled daikon and carrots, and chili mayo. Guests praise the perfect balance of flavors and love the contrast of fresh daikon cutting through the rich fried chicken.
Massachusetts: Asian Fried Chicken, Dash Cafe, Brighton
A down-to-earth establishment in Brighton that serves everything from breakfast pastries and bagels to homemade soups and salads, Dash Cafe is the perfect spot to grab a quick lunch. And if you do, make sure to order the Asian Fried Chicken sandwich that customers can't stop praising. The chicken breast is covered in an inventive (and very crispy) sesame-panko breadcrumb crust and fried before it's served on toasted brioche with Asian slaw and sriracha mayo.
Michigan: The Hot Chick, Ma Lou's Fried Chicken, Ypsilanti
If you love a chicken sandwich, you'll find heaven at Ma Lou's Fried Chicken in Ypsilanti. There's a good selection on offer at this joint, but two sandwiches stand out as customer favorites. Go for The OG, which combines fried breast or thigh with Cheddar, smoked Gouda, slaw and pickles, or, if you prefer something spicier, The Hot Chick. The fried chicken is finished with Nashville hot baste, and served with bacon, lettuce, tomato, jalapeño ranch and pepper jack cheese.
Minnesota: Fried Chicken Thigh sandwich, Revival, various locations
There are four Revival restaurants in Minnesota, all serving an incredible array of Southern dishes from shrimp 'n' grits to mac ‘n’ cheese. But, the chicken is really the star of the show and the fried thigh sandwich is much-loved by diners. A simple yet delicious combination of fried chicken, lettuce, tomato, mayo and pickle, it's absolutely brilliant. Most people suggest having it Tennessee hot rather than Southern-style for an extra kick.
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Mississippi: Fried Chicken Sandwich, Rooster's, Jackson
The perfect place to stop for a quick meal, Rooster's serves up a whole host of chicken sandwiches, from grilled chicken to club, but it's the fried chicken version that most customers recommend. Served with lettuce, tomato, pickles and onions on your choice of bread (options range from white to jalapeño Cheddar buns), it's a filling meal. Guests say the chicken is perfectly cooked and love the fresh ingredients that go into the sandwich.
Missouri: Southern Chicken Sandwich, Southern, St Louis
Inspired by Nashville hot chicken, the poultry at Southern is juicy, crispy and perfectly spiced. The Southern Chicken Sandwich comes with pretty standard toppings like chipotle mayo and pickles, but customers who love it have a great hack up their sleeves – choose your chicken hot for the ultimate flavor bomb. There are also options to go sweet and spicy by picking General Tso's seasoning or opt for a hot honey glaze.
Backslope Brewing/Facebook
Montana: Fried Chicken Sandwich, Backslope Brewing, Columbia Falls
Local breweries are often great places to find really tasty, filling food and this superb spot in Columbia Falls is no exception. Diners are big fans of the joint's Fried Chicken Sandwich that tastes comforting and familiar, and delivers a brilliant flavor combination. The chicken is brined in pickling liquid before frying, then served with house slaw, aioli and spiced tomato glaze.
Nebraska: OmaHAWT, Dirty Birds, Omaha
Located in Omaha's Switch Beer and Food Hall, Dirty Birds does something incredible to its chicken. The meat is brined in leftover liquid from pickling green beans and cucumbers for two days. Then it's coated in batter and fried to a perfectly golden brown color – this process achieves a crispy, salty exterior with moist, tender meat that people love. The OmaHAWT sandwich combines the fried chicken with a Cayenne pepper blend, pickles and mayo, inside a brioche roll. Customers say it's hot but totally worth it.
Nevada: Firebird, The Crack Shack, Las Vegas
Fried chicken is at the heart of the menu at The Crack Shack, offering fried chicken pieces and sandwiches. A firm favorite is the Firebird, featuring spicy fried thigh in a potato roll. The juicy and crispy chicken is paired with cool ranch, crispy onions and pickles. People love how flavorsome the meat is and how the mild sauce helps cool down the tingling from the spice.
New Hampshire: C.B.C. Specialty, Black Mtn. Burger Co., Lincoln
New Jersey: Chicken Parm Submarine, White House Sub Shop, Atlantic City
This sandwich shop has been running since 1946 and Atlantic City locals are pretty fond of it. Founded by a tailor in the wake of the Second World War, the White House Sub Shop has welcomed a string of showbiz heavyweights in its time: Oprah Winfrey, Frank Sinatra and The Beatles have all stopped here for their hoagie fix. Although the White House Special is the most famous sandwich, the Chicken Parm Submarine is a close second with lots of melted cheese and sauce on top.
Kamikaze Kitchen & Food Truck/Facebook
New Mexico: The Mother Klucker, Kamikaze Kitchen, Albuquerque
Combining Asian-influenced flavors with Southern Tex-Mex cooking, Kamikaze Kitchen serves unusual flavor combinations that customers totally love. Highly rated by regulars, The Mother Klucker is a belly-busting chicken sandwich with fried chicken breast, Asian slaw, orange house sauce and sriracha mayo, on a black sesame seed brioche bun. Diners love the unique flavors and how well-balanced the heat levels are.
New York: OG, Sweet Chick, various locations
In a city with endless choices, it’s not easy standing out – but Sweet Chick has gained a reputation for serving impeccable fried chicken. With four locations in New York City and one in Los Angeles, this mini-chain chicken joint is consistently rated highly for juicy yet crispy chicken. Customers love it in the OG sandwich with herbed mayo and butter pickles on a potato bun.
North Carolina: Rocky's Way Chicken Sandwich, Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack, various locations
Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack is all about Nashville-style hot chicken and Southern soul food. Using local ingredients and classic American recipes, the chicken is spiced with options ranging from mild honey to extra hot. Made with tenders specifically, the top-rated sandwich is filled with cheese, lettuce and mayo on toasted white bread. Customers say if you want a fried chicken sandwich, there's literally no place better than Rocky's.
North Dakota: Buff Bird, Brew Bird, Fargo
Calling itself a "funky eating joint", Brew Bird in Fargo focuses on all things fried chicken. The highly-rated chicken sandwiches come with a variety of toppings, but Buff Bird has proven to be a firm local favorite. The crispy chicken breast is dipped in buffalo sauce and served with bacon, tomato, slaw and blue cheese ranch vinaigrette.
Ohio: Cleveland Hot Chicken Sandwich, Sauce the City, Cleveland
If you're ready to face a pretty spicy sandwich, head to Sauce the City. It serves a range of chicken sandwiches at various heat levels, but the Cleveland Hot Chicken Sandwich is the favorite. The fried chicken is tossed in the joint's signature Cleveland Hot Sauce, topped with kale slaw and Kooling Sauce, and sprinkled with special Cleveland Hot Seasoning. Rated seven out of 10 in terms of spice, the sandwich leaves diners wanting more every time.
Oklahoma: Nashvillain, Nashbird, Oklahoma City
Dishing out tasty fried chicken from its three locations in and around Oklahoma City, Nashbird is a local favorite thanks to its tender and juicy chicken that's perfectly crispy on the outside. The signature offering here is the Nashvillain – a fried boneless breast with mac 'n' cheese, bacon, onion rings and ranch dressing in a brioche bun – but customers also love the Hot! Chicken Sandwich that comes with slaw, pickles and lemon mayo.
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Oregon: Fried Chicken Sandwich, Basilisk, Portland
Be sure to arrive hungry if you’re planning a visit to Basilisk, a much-loved fried chicken shop in Portland, so you can handle its signature Fried Chicken Sandwich, stacked with house-pickled cucumbers and cabbage slaw. Guests say the chicken is perfectly crispy with a juicy interior and most love its huge size.
Pennsylvania: Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, Love & Honey Fried Chicken, Philadelphia
This top-notch chicken sandwich from Love & Honey Fried Chicken is simply a delight. The buttermilk fried chicken breast is dredged in hot chili oil, then piled high with buttermilk ranch slaw, sweet pickles and buttermilk ranch dressing. Customers say the sandwich is super flavorful and the chicken is crispy and moist.
Rhode Island: Chicken Thigh Sando, Bucktown, Providence
Bucktown serves tasty plates piled high with juicy poultry. You'll find a variety of takes on fried chicken here, from chicken and waffles to tenders with comeback sauce and a fried chicken dinner, but it's the sandwich that people can't get enough of. They say the sandwich is pretty large and love the simple combination of a juicy fried chicken thigh with lettuce, pickles and spicy mayo.
South Carolina: Boxcar, Boxcar Betty's, various locations
Three locations in South Carolina (plus two in Chicago and one in Charlotte) serve up super crispy and tasty chicken in the form of delectable sandwiches to suit everyone's tastes. The much-loved signature Boxcar comes topped with pimiento cheese, peach slaw, house pickles and spicy mayo. It's possible to swap the fried chicken out for grilled. Customers say it's easily the best sandwich in town.
South Dakota: Vietnamese Fried Chicken, Bread & Circus, Sioux Falls
Tennessee: The André Chicken Sandwich, Prince's Hot Chicken, Nashville
Prince's Hot Chicken is undoubtedly a must-visit. The legendary shack, which has been open for over 70 years, is consistently named among the country's most important restaurants and its fried chicken is much-loved among customers who continue to pour in. Try it in the joint's fried chicken sandwich that comes piled high with boneless breast, slaw and pickles. There's Kickin' Ranch and Sweet Heat sauces to choose from, before tucking in.
Texas: The O.G., Tumble 22, Austin
Come hungry because this Austin spot knows how to feed its diners well. Customers can't get enough of the joint's O.G. chicken sandwich which is piled high with fried chicken breast, coleslaw, pickles and Duke's mayo. The sandwich is absolutely massive but there's a smaller version, The Lil'. There are also exciting monthly sandwich specials.
Utah: Fried Chicken Sando, Pretty Bird, Salt Lake City
Bringing a taste of Nashville-style hot chicken to Utah, Salt Lake City's Pretty Bird and its fried chicken sandwiches are something of a local legend around here. Diners praise the juicy and flavorsome fried chicken thighs that are paired with slaw and pickles, and topped with creamy buttermilk-based sauce in a buttered bun.
Vermont: Worthy Chikwich, Worthy Kitchen, Woodstock
A fun take on a modern American restaurant, Worthy Kitchen has plenty on the menu to whet your appetite. Customers love how thick and juicy the buttermilk fried chicken is in the signature sandwich with pickles and buttermilk ranch. The Worthy Chikwich can be served spicy, tossed in buffalo sauce or with maple bacon. Either way, it gets top marks for tasty poultry and great flavor.
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Handsome Biscuit/Facebook
Virginia: Stevie, Handsome Biscuit, Norfolk
You could argue that this isn't technically a sandwich, but we're willing to let it slide. Found in two locations in Norfolk, the Handsome Biscuit's Stevie is worth bending the rules for. The fried chicken is topped with pickles, whole grain mustard and honey but instead of a typical roll, it's served between house-made biscuits. You can opt for buns too, but why would you?
Washington: Fried Chicken Sandwich, Ma'ono, Seattle
With a few locations in Seattle, Ma'ono is run by James Beard Award-winner and Hawaii native Mark Fuller. He draws in throngs of adoring customers with his brined, buttermilk-soaked, umami-spiced, twice-fried chicken sandwich. The chicken is spiced to your preference, from 'naked' to generously seasoned with Carolina reaper and ghost peppers, and served on a Hawaiian bun with daikon pickles, kewpie mayo and iceberg lettuce.
West Virginia: Vera Cruz, Dirty Bird, Morgantown
Morgantown locals have been lucky enough to enjoy this superb fried chicken for a decade. Dirty Bird's menu features a selection of speciality sandwiches with the rest focusing on fried chicken. Customers love the Vera Cruz sandwich with fried chicken breast and pepper jack cheese, jalapeños, sliced avocado, bacon, lettuce and tomato, with a cilantro lime mayo.
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Wisconsin: Blackened Chicken Bacon Avocado, Swingin' Door Exchange, Milwaukee
With a fun, old-timey saloon vibe, Swingin' Door Exchange is a pretty great spot for dinner in Milwaukee and, according to adoring customers, the chicken sandwich won't disappoint either. A spicy chicken breast is blackened in a cast iron pan and topped with Cheddar before serving with bacon, avocado and mayo on a fresh sesame roll.
Wyoming: fried chicken sandwich, Bodega, Teton Village