Must-try fried chicken sandwiches in Asheville, NC

Last month, we asked who makes Asheville’s best fried chicken sandwich, and boy did y’all have opinions on the matter. It’s safe to say that our collective fried chicken sandwich mania is here to stay, so we put together a list of 11 local sandwiches that are finger lickin’ good.

While this is by no means an exhaustive list, it’s a great place to start if you want to feast on what’s arguably one of Asheville’s finest Southern delicacies.

For the purist...

• The Pimpin’ Fried Chicken Sandwich from Homegrown (371 Merrimon Ave.) and its sister restaurant HomeGround (219 Amboy Rd.) is downright legendary. I mean, just look at it. The sumptuous chicken comes topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, sprouts, horseradish honey mustard + pimento cheese. ProTip: If you’re looking for a lighter bite, you can also add the chicken to other dishes, such as the vegetarian Caesar salad.

• Root Down’s sandwich is magnificently sized + perfectly crispy, and comes expertly paired with a signature spicy slaw and freshmade bun from Geraldine’s Bakery. While the food truck skips around to various breweries, it’s permanently stationed at the Salvage Station (468 Riverside Dr.) from Thurs.-Sun., 4-9 p.m.

• Buxton Chicken Palace’s sandwich, which you can find at S+W Market (56 Patton Ave.), has a similar style to the iconic Chick-fil-A sandwich, but in our opinion, it’s way tastier. Order a regular version, or upgrade with American or pimento cheese or hot sauce. Whatever you do, don’t sleep on the specialty sauces (think: housemade white BBQ), waffle fries + Cheerwine Bourbon slushy.

• The award-winning fried chicken sandwich at Sand Hill Kitchen (491 Sardis Rd.) is the real deal. This crispy, tender behemoth is topped with homemade dilly pickles, cheddar cheese + herbed Duke’s Mayo. If you’re feeling extra, you can also add bacon or pepper jack pimento cheese for a small upcharge.

• Blessed Soul Food’s chicken sandwich is a hidden + super affordable community gem. This food truck dishes out a quick, no-frills sandwich that’s made with a zingy, secret herb blend. The truck is currently down for repairs, but we’ll let you know when it reopens.

• Looking for a spicier, Nashville-style yard bird? Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack (1455 Patton Ave.; 3749 Sweeten Creek Rd.) has you covered with several persuasions of fried chicken sandwiches that include: the Rocky’s Way (fried chicken tenders, cheese, lettuce, mayo on toasted white bread), Pimento Cheese BLT, Rocky’s Royale with Cheese + Rocky’s “Not Chick” Sandwich for plant-based eaters.

For the experimental...

• Topped with harissa aioli + fermented vegetables and served on a Hawaiian roll, the Thunderbird at All Day Darling (102 Montford Ave.) tastes extraordinarily fresh, a little spicy + perfectly balanced. Plus, it’s one of the only fried chicken sandwiches in town that doesn’t send us into an immediate food coma.

• The Thai Buffalo Chicken Sandwich at Haywood Common (507 Haywood Rd.) blends a peanut-y, spicy buffalo sauce with charred ginger mayo, carrot, cabbage, onion + herbs on a City Bakery Hawaiian bun for a truly unique (and delicious) chicken sandwich experience. ProTip: You can also order a tofu version of this creation.

• The Rankin Vault (7 Rankin Ave.) may be known for its epic burger, but did you know it also has the bangin’ Polynesian Chicken Sandwich? This stunning creation features kimchi, Polynesian glaze, onion, pickles + spicy mayo — with a fried egg on top.

• The Malvern (1478 Patton Ave.) makes creative + classic chicken sandwiches with equal brilliance, but we’re putting them in this category because its rotating specials are simply mind blowing. For instance, take this recent one that features fried chicken dipped in sticky gochujang and topped with kimchi chow chow + Korean white sauce. There’s also this one, made with lemonade mayo on a lemon pepper bun. 🤯

For the vegan...

• The Trashy Vegan food truck (which rotates its location weekly) has a “Chick*n Sandwich” that features deep fried soy curls topped with onion, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and a special sauce on a sesame seed bun. Gluten-free buns are also available.

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