Today, March 30, is National Hot Chicken Day, which celebrates the cayenne peppered chicken from Nashville that's famous among spice masochists for its tear-inducing heat. You may have seen it on David Chang's new Netflix show Ugly Delicious (on an episode that also happened to feature James Beard-nominated Seattle chef Edouardo Jordan of JuneBaby and Salare).
If you'd like to observe the holiday by partaking in some piquant poultry yourself, Seattle only has one spot where you can get true Nashville-style hot chicken (the buzz-worthy Sisters and Brothers in Georgetown), but it does have its own share of other spicy chicken places. Since today is as good of an excuse as any to try these blazing breaded-bird options, we've rounded them up below, from the Hawaiian flavors of Ma'ono to the Korean fried chicken of Bok a Bok.
Bok a Bok
This shop's Korean-style fried chicken, available in both White Center and Capitol Hill (and at the Runaway and Neumos next door) is air-dried, hand-dipped, and double-fried to order for extra crunch. Their spicy fried chicken sandwich brings the heat with a four-chili hot sauce, red chili aioli, pickled serrano chilies, and kimchi.
Chiang's Gourmet
The five-star spicy Szechuan chicken at this North Seattle Chinese place comes in popcorn-chicken-like bites in a basket overflowing with red chili peppers. Proceed with caution.
Ma'ono
The name of this Hawaiian-style fried chicken eatery from restaurateur Mark Fuller means "make delicious" in Hawaiian. Their fried chicken sandwich comes with crunchy daikon pickles, Kewpie mayo, and iceberg lettuce on a King's sweet bun, and can be ordered anywhere from "naked" (spice-free) to a "slow-burnin'" mild to their "HOT HOT HOT" ("bring the pain!"). It's available both in White Center and at a counter inside the U Village Rachel's Ginger Beer.
Sisters and Brothers
Sisters and Brothers makes authentic, red-hot Nashville-style chicken, which is brined for 48 hours in hot sauce and buttermilk, coated in a proprietary blend of over two dozen spices, and lovingly fried in cast iron. The spectrum of spice options ranges from "mild" to "Nashville hot" to "insane."
Sunset Fried Chicken Sandwiches
Monica Dimas's fried chicken sandwich counter (tucked away in the corner of Rachel's Ginger Beer on Capitol Hill) has two spicy options: the Picante (spicy fried chicken, pickled jalapeños, tangy cabbage slaw, and chili mayo on a toasted bun) and the GT (a General Tso's take on fried chicken, with fresh daikon, cilantro, and mayo on a toasted bun).
