6 Best Fried Chicken Sandwiches In NYC
Do we dare? We do! Here's the six best fried chicken sandwiches in New York City right this minute. They're crispy and crunchy, packed with flavor, and decidedly delicious. Go on, try a bite! You won't be disappointed. By Jessica Allen.
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Brothers Eric and Bruce Bromberg began Blue Ribbon Brasserie way back in 1992, serving, among other dishes, fried chicken made with matzo meal, egg whites, and a unique spice blend. Fast forward 20-odd years, and Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken specializes in the stuff. The East Village restaurant has several fried chicken sandwiches on the menu, including the Blue Bird, with red onion, blue cheese, and smoked bacon; the Rancher, with ranch dressing and bacon; and the Cheesy Supreme, with your choice of two cheeses and the eponymous house-special sauce.
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"Come for the fried chicken, stay for the sandwich," proclaimed Gothamist when Delaney Chicken opened in Midtown's UrbanSpace Vanderbilt in September 2015. We couldn't agree more. After conquering barbecue in Brooklyn, the folks behind Delaney Chicken perfected their recipe for fried chicken (hint: it uses wet batter and offers tons of crunch), then moved onto the sandwich: juicy, tender thigh meat topped with pickles, hot sauce, and mayo on potato bread. The spicier version comes with Havarti cheese, spicy mayo, and pickled jalapenos.
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What could be better on summer nights than sitting outside, drinking a cold beverage, noshing on a chicken sandwich? If that sounds like your idea of heaven, then head on over to Fritzl's Lunch Box, in Bushwick, where you can do all three. The restaurant's fried chicken sandwich has lettuce and mayo—it's simple, and simply perfect. We like the earl grey kombucha and brown sugar limeade, but you can get wine, beer, cocktails, and/or cider, if you'd rather sip the hard(er) stuff.
Over the years, tons of people have dramatically altered the course of restaurant history in New York, but perhaps no one has done so much in the early decades of the 21st century as David Chang. It's no surprise, then, that the chef/owner of the Momofuku empire has created perhaps the platonic ideal of the chicken sandwich, for spice lovers anyway. And it is spicy. After being thoroughly saturated in buttermilk and habanero puree, chicken thighs are fried, then stuffed into a potato roll that's been covered with butter, itself flavored with fermented chickpeas.
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Harlem Shake celebrates the neighborhood for which it's named (and located) by offering positive vibes and good food, including a classic chicken sandwich: chicken breast, brined in buttermilk and deep fried, gets topped with coleslaw and pickles. We like ours with a so-called Harlem shake (topped with red velvet cake) and a side of jerk fries (french fries slathered in jerk mayo). And we always save room for a slice of sweet potato cheesecake. Do we walk out 10 or so pounds heavier than we went in? Yes. Is it worth it? Definitely, most definitely.
If you head over to the website for the Meat Hook Sandwich Shop, you'll see the usual tabs: menus, info, icons for Facebook and Twitter. But you'll also see a page called "porn." Don't worry—it's safe for work, and family-friendly, although browsing too long will cause you to drop everything, grab an Uber, and get over to the Brooklyn restaurant, for an extraordinary chicken sandwich. Be warned: it's spicy, thanks to a hefty dose of hot sauce, but the piquancy can be tempered somewhat by a side of coleslaw, potato salad, fries, or seaweed salad.