The first food festival of 2023 is here! Winnipeg Fried Chicken Fest will return for a sixth year in a row. The 2023 festival will run from January 11-21. Here are photos from some of the participating restaurants…
The ultimate competition will find the best (and most unique) fried chicken in the city.
1 RAE’S BISTRO
This Chick’s The Pom
A 15-spice buttermilk marinate coats this chicken breast before deep frying to perfection. With thick-cut maple bacon, aged white cheddar, an old-fashioned onion ring, and a sweet pomegranate jam all on a toasted pretzel bun with arugula, tomato, dill pickle and dark molasses mayo, served with their signature crispy skinny fries.
2 WIENERPEG
Wienerpeg Po’boy
Buttermilk-fried chicken with Wienerpeg’s secret sauce, shredded lettuce, house-made cool breeze pickles and a sun-dried tomato aioli on a gorgeous bun.
3 ROO’S
Say Pollo to My Little Friend
Batter-fried chicken breast, crispy prosciutto, sun-dried tomato pesto, mayo, pickled red onion, and mixed field greens on a delicious Gunn’s Bakery brioche bun.
4 LITTLE BONES WINGS
Paradiso Geraldo – Crispy Cajun Chicken Carbonara Bacon Mushroom & Mozza Melt
A “Paradise on Earth” Fried Chicken Sammich by Chef Geraldo! They start with a fresh cheese bun then add their famous Bob Cajun breaded crispy-fried whole boneless chicken thigh. And how about a ladle of their freshly sauteed homemade carbonara sauce with real bacon, garlic, shallots and mushrooms.😲 Topped with a generous amount of fresh mozzarella cheese torched to melty perfection. Optional tomato and red onion slices and finito! 🙆😋 Served with straight or checker fries. Pure paradiso!
5 FOUR CROWNS RESTAURANT
Sticky Five Spice and Everything Nice!
Holy moly sweet & spicy & sour, amazing! Come try their home-breaded boneless skinless chicken thighs marinated with our Sambal Chinese 5 spice, served with sticky Asian BBQ sauce served on a bed of delish fried rice and topped with green onions!
6 ST. JAMES BURGER CO.
Son of a Biscuit
A beautifully battered, crispy fried chicken thigh nestled between an oversized grilled cheddar biscuit from Gunn’s Bakery, draped in a melted slice of Bothwell cheddar cheese, and coated in a creamy home-style white gravy with a southern corn & pepper medley. This burger will have you smacking your lips and taking a nap. Served alongside our fresh, hand-cut chips.
7 SMITTY’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE (REGENT)
A Berry Gouda Chicken Burger
A very gouda chicken indeed! Buttermilk fried chicken breast tossed in Von Slicks Blueberry Butter, topped with melty gouda cheese, broccoli slaw and chipotle aioli. Served with a side of fries.
8 BLOCK & BLADE
Gochu Dang That’s Good
House-made sweet and spicy Gochujang sauce, crispy chicken bites, sesame seeds and cucumber, served on a bed of sushi rice and topped with green onions and crispy wontons. This feature dish will leave you saying, “DANG that’s good!”
9 OLYMPIA DINER
Kotopoulo Kaftero
Olympia-fried chicken breast served on a toasted brioche bun with feta cheese, topped with a spicy kaftero sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a pickle on the side.
10 KYU BISTRO
Garlic Butter Furikake Fried Chicken
Buttermilk-fried chicken, tossed in garlic butter and house furikake. Served on Japanese fried rice.
11 FUSION STOP
Tropical Chicken and Churros
The only thing better than fried chicken might be churros. So it’s amazing that these two things have come together at the new Fusion Stop in the legendary St. Boniface Hotel.
A tropical twist on chicken and waffles. Mango habanero buttermilk-fried chicken thigh on a spicy papaya salad sitting on our traditional churro base topped with house-made pickled pineapple and finished off with pineapple cilantro hot honey.
12 MOXIE’S (POLO PARK)
Chicken Little Lime
A savory yet zesty house-made lime aioli that will excite your taste buds combined with a juicy fried chicken that is double breaded with our signature spices that will make your mouth water with each bite. Topped off with crisp fresh arugula, red onion, and herbed goat cheese. This will leave you wanting more and more each bite.
13 CIBO WATERFRONT
The Mornay Maker
Buttermilk fried-chicken with Swiss mornay sauce topped with shaved ham dressed with a garlic dill honey butter and topped with pickled cucumber, dijon, arugula all on a brioche bun.
14 JUNCTION 59 ROADHOUSE
Junctionville Fried Chicken Sandwich
Crispy hand-battered chicken coated in Nashville cayenne pepper sauce, sliced dill pickles, crispy onions drizzled with ranch on a toasted garlic buttered bun. Served with fries.
15 BRAZEN HALL KITCHEN
Val-Hella
A house-made waffle cone baked with shishito peppers, smoked gouda, Hella Hot, and then we wrap it around our crispy chicken with Wild Turkey cherry bourbon glaze, double bacon mac ‘n cheese, topped with deep fried shishito peppers and served with our spicy Brazen butter sauce to add as much heat as you dare… 😳🤩
16 THE MERCHANT KITCHEN
A Poppin’ Sundae
TMK Korean-fried popcorn chicken, arugula, banana peppers, pickled red onion, queso fresco, maple chili sauce, black sesame, and scallion in a waffle cone bowl.
17 CAPITAL GRILL (BROADWAY)
Dill I make you Honey, baby?
Buttermilk fried chicken sandwich with grandma’s honey-dill sauce, Bothwell old cheddar, bacon, buttermilk slaw, and pickled jalapeños.
18 ROUGHAGE EATERY
Buffalo Chickun Bowl
The Buffalo Popcorn Chickun Bowl starts with a seasoned and Buffalo spicy *crispy chickun bites, melty pepper cheddar cheeze, corn kernels on a bed of buttery mashed potatoes then it’s finished with gravy. *Your choice of Chickun Seitan or crispy marinated tofu bites (GF). VEGAN
19 FIONN’S (GRANT PARK)
Spicy, Sticky Guinness-glazed Fried Chicken Sandwich
One buttermilk marinated fried chicken thigh tossed in a spicy, sticky Guinness glaze served on a potato bun with caramelized onion aioli, monterey jack cheese, shredded lettuce, a sweet maple bacon jam, pickles, and crispy onions.
20 FIONN’S (CROSSROADS)
Jameson-glazed bacon and blue cheese fried chicken sandwich
Two buttermilk-marinated, battered chicken thighs tossed in a tangy Jameson Whisky glaze, with blue cheese crumble, Guinness cheddar sauce, two strips of smoked bacon, topped with crispy onions served on a potato bun.
21 CRSPY BNCH
Island Chick-N
We have here a double-dipped & double-fried buttermilk-jerk fried chicken that delivers a crunchy, flavourful crust in every bite!
Stuffed between two powder sugared Beignets from our friends @mrsRbakery, and topped off with creamy coconut coleslaw, jerk aioli sauce, and green onions.
22 SEA LEVEL 100
Roxanne
Hong Kong-Style egg waffle topped with a boneless chicken thigh that is fried to a crisp that will satisfy you with that classic crunch.
Prepare to be amazed by the flavour. The chicken is tossed in a bourbon honey mustard sauce and drizzled with haupia coconut syrup and honey sriracha then topped with roasted sesame seeds and green onions. Are you a chicken & waffles person?
She will be loved!