Has anyone noticed that the fast-food chicken sandwich war looks like it will outlast the pandemic? And maybe that’s a good thing. Thankfully, stories over fights in the Popeye’s drive-thru have faded, but big brands like McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King and Wendy’s have introduced updated offerings in recent months, reigniting these crispy fried bird battles.
If you’ve sampled such sandwiches and dealt with the accompanying disappointment, maybe it’s time to engage with a local alternative. North Town Chicken opened in November in a spot vacated by Panda Express on Craig Road near Martin Luther King Boulevard, focusing on tenders, sandwiches and sides.
It’ll have a fight on its hands, with every fast-food outlet imaginable within a mile on Craig, including the arguable champion, Chick-fil-A, right across the street. But the NTC Better Than Chicken Sando ($8) is nothing to cluck at. It might cost almost double the price of a spicy sandwich from Chick-fil-A, but it’s also almost certainly double the chicken, loaded with two juicy breast “tenders” that are bigger than any piece of poultry from a chain fast-food spot, plus pickles and coleslaw. Spice it up with the house-made Spenser’s Revenge mango-habanero sauce, and that long drive-thru line across the street simply makes no sense.
A three-piece combo ($10) with tenders, one side and one sauce could easily feed two, especially if the side is a cup of rich hatch green chili with potatoes or decadent mac and cheese. And North Town Chicken has a secret weapon: the phenomenal Sell-Out Burger ($8), a meat-and-cheese masterpiece with two patties, pickles, onions and cheese, griddled to greatness.
We’ve learned during the pandemic that fast food can be comforting, and also how important it is to support local small businesses. North Town Chicken checks both boxes.
NORTH TOWN CHICKEN 1735 W. Craig Road, 702-268-7527. Daily, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
