Address: 525 Caroline St, Fredericksburg, VA 22401

Menu

Price Range: $$

Rating: ★★★★☆

When it comes to spicy fried chicken, Fredericksburg falls short. However, the new blazing fried chicken powerhouse, Hot Chikn Kitchn, might just change that. Starting in Woodbridge, the hot chicken hotspot has grown in popularity due to its spicy and almost unbearable sauces.

Hot Chikn Kitchn offers a wide variety of fried chicken with a spicy sauce of your choice. Yet, if you’re looking for a sweet sauce that won’t melt your tongue, you’re out of luck. The sauces consist of Base Bottle, After Burner Bottle, Angry Hot Bottle, and Medic Bottle, each respectively getting increasingly hotter. For the people whose tolerance of spicy food isn’t the greatest, the best option would be to ask for the chicken not to be dipped in sauce.

I got the After Burner Sauce with my chicken sandwich, and it did not disappoint. The simple sandwich’s first bite consists of a sweet coleslaw with a tangy pickle, and the amazing “Good Sauce” that will make you not stop eating. Its strong hot smell also attacked my nose as I opened the box.

The sides were very appetizing. The fried pickles give a sour refresher from the hot chicken, along with the greatly battered french fries which are doused in seasonings. The mac and cheese allowed a cool-off from the spicy chicken, but with a creamy and cheesy sauce that kept me coming back for more.

Yet, the sandwich does have some problems. The sandwich was very messy, and definitely required two hands. My sandwich’s chicken was extremely big for the sandwich, to the point where the chicken started to dangle from the side of the buns.

If you want your chicken glazed with a spicy sauce, think again. The immense amount of slippery topping allows the chicken to slip off of the bun. There were multiple times when I had to push the ginormous chickens to nicely fit in between the buns to create an appetizing bite.

Hot Chikn Kitchn might push away some chicken lovers due to its restrictive menu, as their menu doesn’t include gluten-free buns, fries, or waffles, nor does it include any kid’s menu.

To the people who would want to eat inside, you might be turned off. The location sits on 525 Caroline St, Fredericksburg, which used to be an old city center. As you step into the wide ballroom, the stench of beer hits you. The stench of strong alcohol and that old smell of antiquated buildings in Downtown Fredericksburg makes the room feel eerie.

Overall, Hot Chikn Kitchn is an excellent place to dine if you like good chicken, good sauce, good sides, and some spice in your life.