Today is National Fried Chicken Day! And next to pizza, fried chicken might just be the ultimate comfort food, whether you prefer it smothered in maple syrup on a bed of buttermilk waffles, served up extra crispy with a side of fries, or tucked away in a brioche bun and topped with a pickle. If you have a craving for this delicious crispy comfort food, check out one of these five fried chicken spots in Toronto.
Tokyo Hot Fried Chicken
Japanese-style street food meets Louisiana’s classic fried chicken sandwich at Tokyo Hot Fried Chicken. The restaurant serves a selection of sandwiches that are unlike anything else available in the city, such as the Nashville “Ice” fried chicken sandwich — Nashville hot chicken on a soft, brioche bun with sweet slaw, dill pickle and buttermilk scallion ranch, complete with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Tokyo Hot Fried Chicken also serves up meal boxes that offer a choice of kaarage (Japanese fried chicken marinated in soy, garlic, ginger and sake) or Tokyo hot fried chicken (karaage brushed with Louisiana hot sauce).
Dirty Bird Chicken and Waffles
At this Kensington Market haunt, the real star of the show is the chicken. It’s marinated for 36 hours in vacuum-sealed plastic and then floured and cooked fresh to order. The chicken is juicy and crisp without being greasy. Popular picks are the ODB and the Big Dirty. The ODB ($16.95) is an open-faced sandwich of a boneless leg and thigh are deep fried and served on a waffle topped with dirty sauce and buttered maple. The massive Big Dirty ($16.95) consists of fried chicken that’s sandwiched in a buttermilk waffle alongside cheddar, lettuce. tomato and dirty aioli.
Cluck Clucks
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If you want a restaurant that’s completely devoted to fried chicken, look no further than Cluck Clucks. One section of the menu is dedicated to unconventional chicken and waffles combos, with four bone-in or boneless options, including the Cluck Yeah, which features chicken breast, a jalapeno and cheddar waffle, coleslaw, chipotle aioli and dill mayo. Other fried chicken specialties, including sandwiches, wings, strips and even fried chicken bites in a waffle cone are also available, with nine different sauces to choose from.
Chica’s Nashville Hot Chicken
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Southern hospitality is alive and well at Chica’s Nashville Hot Chicken, run by husband and wife duo Matt and Carolyn who wanted to replicate the fried chicken they enjoyed in Nashville. Chica’s uses fresh ingredients that are made in-house, from the spices to the chicken itself, which is 100 per cent grain-fed, hormone-free and Halal. Chica’s offers a variety of fried chicken eats, including crispy chicken sandwich combos, boneless chicken bites with a choice of sauces, wings and half-chicken meal deals. Traditional Southern comfort foods are also served up as sides at Chica’s, including coleslaw, Cajun waffle fries and bean salad.
London Fried Chicken
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Anyone who’s been to London, England, knows there’s something magical about their fish and chip batter that can’t be replicated in Canada. The same is true for the fried chicken, but that’s something that London Fried Chicken is hoping to change. Located in South Etobicoke, with a downtown Toronto expansion currently in the works, the restaurant aims to bring a taste of the U.K. to the GTA, with a variety of fried chicken offerings, including two-to-16-piece meals with the choice of white or dark meat as well as hot wing combos. There’s also a kid’s menu, making this a great spot for family dining. Sides include BBQ beans, corn salad and coleslaw, and this spot also serves milkshakes in unique flavours including mango and banana.
