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Jojo’s spicy chicken sandwich includes a potato salad, crystal hot sauce, sambal mayo, shredded lettuce, butter roll
Spicy chicken sandwich at Jojo PDX
Nick Woo/EPDX

14 Outstanding Fried Chicken Sandwiches in Portland

Where to find a standout chicken sandwich, from food carts to bars

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Spicy chicken sandwich at Jojo PDX
| Nick Woo/EPDX

While two national franchises battle over fried chicken sandwich supremacy across the country, here in Portland, local restaurants are stacking tender, juicy, crispy-fried chicken with a variety of condiments and toppings, slapping them between two pieces of bread in very creative ways.

Whether it’s saucy Korean-style from a food truck, Nashville hot from a new counter-service spot, or a banh mi from a bar pop-up, there are many outstanding fried chicken sandwich options throughout the Portland area. Did we miss your favorite? Sound off in the comments. And as always, this map is organized geographically, not by ranking. For straight-up fried chicken, sans bun, check out the Eater Portland fried chicken map.

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Dub's St. Johns at Marie’s

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Located within Marie’s, the St. Johns tavern with Blue Velvet vibes, owner William Travis III stacks a fried chicken thigh on a mayo-slathered bun with Dub’s sauce, lettuce, tomato, and onion. This pure-and-simple fried chicken sandwich remains a favorite in the St. Johns neighborhood.

Since opening last year, Maya Lovelace’s casual Southern spot Yonder has been slinging North Carolina-style fried chicken in three styles: dusted with a special blend of spices, dipped in a tangy vinegar-based sauce, and medium-spiced hot. Regardless of style, the chicken comes out hot and crispy in a buttermilk bun and adorned with bread and butter pickles and either comforting American or sharp pimento cheese.

Crunchy fried chicken, Duke’s mayo, American cheese, bread & butter pickles on a buttermilk bun
The Freebird at Yonder
Nick Woo/EPDX

Flew the Coop

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Located in the Barley Pod on NE Halsey, Flew the Coop is a food cart specializing in Southern-fried white meat chicken sandwiches prepared in a five different styles, including sweet and saucy Korean fried chicken and Nashville hot. The heat level on the Nashville chicken won’t blow away any spice lovers, but the balance of creamy, toothsome coleslaw on crispy buttermilk breading satisfies, especially enjoyed within the intimate tables of Baerlic Brewing.

Nashville Hot: Hot and spicy crispy chicken sandwich, creamy coleslaw, dill pickle
Nashville Hot fried chicken sandwich at Flew the Coop
Nick Woo/EPDX

Basilisk

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Since 2016, the counter service Zipper Building anchor Basilisk has been a go-to spot for sky high, $9 fried chicken sandwiches. Arriving on a tray stabbed with a giant knife to support its size, two crispy buttermilk chicken thighs come topped with house-made pickles and creamy cabbage coleslaw between buttery buns. The peanut sauce and chili-oil-topped dan dan fries pair well with this tall wonder, as does a cold beverage from the nearby Paydirt.

Basilisk’s fried chicken sandwiches, pickles, cabbage cole slaw and buttery buns
Fried chicken sandwich at Basilisk
Nick Woo/EPDX

Laurelhurst Market

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Available as a lunch special on Tuesdays, the savory, peppery fried chicken sandwich at Laurelhurst Market’s butcher counter is topped with pickles, thinly sliced red onions and thinly shredded, refreshing lettuce. A soft potato bun and a bit of tangy spiciness from Frank’s Hot Sauce combines with pre-fried buttermilk thighs, which results in a cold chicken sandwich that is ultra comforting and holds up as a to go order.

Cold fried chicken sandwich, lettuce, onion, mayo
Fried chicken sandwich at Laurelhurst Market
Nick Woo/EPDX

Screen Door

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As the most reviewed Portland restaurant on Yelp, Screen Door is well known for both its Southern cuisine and its especially long brunch lines. The East Burnside spot’s iconic chicken and waffles are extremely popular, but the fried chicken sandwich holds its own as well. A very wide buttermilk-battered fried chicken breast comes out hot and crispy, topped with tangy pickles and crunchy coleslaw on a toasted bun. Dipping Meyer lemon ricotta fritters in lemon curd can’t hurt, either.

Buttermilk battered crispy chicken breast w/ mayo, pickles, & cole slaw on a toasted bun and served with french fries
Fried chicken sandwich at Screen Door
Nick Woo/EPDX

Baes Fried Chicken

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Baes Fried Chicken — the counter service spot from Micah Camden of Blue Star, Super Deluxe, and Boxer Ramen — opened in Old Town in November, and it does not disappoint. The sandwich can be ordered traditional or hot, has crisp breading and tender white meat, and comes with house pickles and aioli on a toasted bun. The hot chicken, in particular, is peppery with balanced smokiness.

White meat hot fried chicken, pickles, mayo
Fried chicken sandwich at Baes Fried Chicken
Nick Woo/EPDX

For the better part of ten years, Rick Gencarelli’s Lardo has been churning out massive sandwiches — first out of a food cart, and now at two counter service locations on each side of the river. Once known for serving cold leftovers-style fried chicken, this Nashville Hot chicken sandwich is taken a step closer to Hattie B’s, both spots serving out of the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. Topped with savory bacon, tangy pickles, Duke’s mayonnaise, and drizzled with hot honey, this spicy, crispy crust goes well with a plate of dirty fries.

Nashville Hot Fried Chicken hot honey, bacon, pickles, Duke’s mayo, white onion
Nashville Hot Fried Chicken at Lardo
Nick Woo/EPDX

Bullard

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For years, Top Chef’s Doug Adams has had a well-documented history of bringing crispy, buttermilk fried chicken goodness to Portland, first at Imperial and now at fun-loving, Texas-meets-Oregon Bullard. With cayenne and toasted fennel, the breading has peppery and bright notes, and it is all balanced out with fresh red onion, lettuce, Duke’s mayo, sweet and spicy jalapeño jelly, and house-made dill pickles. While it comes with fries on the lunch menu, during weekend brunch, it might be considered a colossal error to not order the loaded hash browns.

Fried chicken sandwich, red onion, lettuce, Duke’s mayo, jalapeño jelly, and dill pickles
Fried chicken sandwich at Bullard
Nick Woo/EPDX

Poboyz Food Cart

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Downtown food cart Poboyz is the place to be for traditional seafood po’boys and fried ribs, but the restaurant’s fried chicken sandwich is no slouch either. Battered hunk-like strips with pickles, remoulade, tomatoes, and lettuce come in a hoagie-style roll, well-seasoned and hearty. However, if the hot honey chicken is on the menu, that’s the move.

Chơi Luôn

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When two of the most popular new food carts in Portland decided to team up and provide the food for the long and stylish cocktail bar Lulu on SE Grand Avenue, it seemed obvious that something delicious would come from this collaboration. Fried chicken food truck Jojo and Vietnamese soul food spot Matta joined forces to serve dishes like loaded jojos with bo kho (braised brisket) and brussels sprouts with coconut curry sauce and fried shallots, but the fried chicken banh mi might be the signature item on the menu. Tender, juicy, dark meat chicken arrives smothered in house-fermented hot sauce, sweet and sour nước chấm aioli, pickled shallots, cilantro and scallion, all served on a baguette from SE Powell’s Binh Minh Bakery. Making it Saigon hot is an essential pro move for spice lovers.

fried chicken, house fermented hot sauce, nước chấm aioli, pickled shallots, cilantro and scallion, on a baguette from the incomparable binh minh bakery
Fried chicken bahn mi at Chơi Luôn
Nick Woo/EPDX

Creepy's

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True to its name, Creepy’s — the SE Morrison bar with animatronics and beer sweaters — keeps Portland weird with several clown paintings and a John Quincy Adams portrait with randomly moving eyes. Among the highlights on the menu of this eclectic spot is the Hot Breast Sandwich, a piece of thinly-breaded, juicy, white-meat fried chicken with a hint of sweetness from coleslaw and spicy tanginess from hot honey sauce and pickles. Side of fries, slaw, or salad can be added for a couple bucks.

Draper Valley chicken, cole slaw, pickles, hot honey sauce
Hot Breast Sandwich at Creepy’s
Nick Woo/EPDX

Jojo Food Truck

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Before the man behind the little blue food truck on SE Powell started dominating Instagram with fun and satirical captions, Justin Hintze and his crew had been smoking and frying up crispy, flavorful chicken thighs for fun, inventive sandwiches. This has not changed. The spicy fried chicken sandwich is a marvel with a generous amount of potato salad piled on the chicken with crystal hot sauce, sambal mayo, shredded lettuce on a toasted butter roll. Specials like orange chicken can be found on Jojo’s very follow-able Instagram account.

This was an orange chicken special back in November.
Orange chicken sandwich at Jojo Food Truck
Nick Woo/EPDX

Reverend's BBQ

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Sellwood’s Reverend’s BBQ is probably most known for its namesake barbecue food. However, the fried chicken, which is smoked before frying, stands among some of its best menu items. Shredded iceberg, pepperoncini, and spicy mayo top a smoky, tender chicken thigh on a toasted sesame bun. Side options, like mac and cheese or collard greens, are included with the sandwich. While this place can get a little busy, it is a great place to watch a sporting event because there are television screens at nearly every angle.

Smoked and fried chicken thigh, pepporoncini, mayo
Fried chicken sandwich at Reverend’s BBQ
Nick Woo/EPDX

Dub's St. Johns at Marie’s

Located within Marie’s, the St. Johns tavern with Blue Velvet vibes, owner William Travis III stacks a fried chicken thigh on a mayo-slathered bun with Dub’s sauce, lettuce, tomato, and onion. This pure-and-simple fried chicken sandwich remains a favorite in the St. Johns neighborhood.

Yonder

Since opening last year, Maya Lovelace’s casual Southern spot Yonder has been slinging North Carolina-style fried chicken in three styles: dusted with a special blend of spices, dipped in a tangy vinegar-based sauce, and medium-spiced hot. Regardless of style, the chicken comes out hot and crispy in a buttermilk bun and adorned with bread and butter pickles and either comforting American or sharp pimento cheese.

Crunchy fried chicken, Duke’s mayo, American cheese, bread & butter pickles on a buttermilk bun
The Freebird at Yonder
Nick Woo/EPDX

Flew the Coop

Located in the Barley Pod on NE Halsey, Flew the Coop is a food cart specializing in Southern-fried white meat chicken sandwiches prepared in a five different styles, including sweet and saucy Korean fried chicken and Nashville hot. The heat level on the Nashville chicken won’t blow away any spice lovers, but the balance of creamy, toothsome coleslaw on crispy buttermilk breading satisfies, especially enjoyed within the intimate tables of Baerlic Brewing.

Nashville Hot: Hot and spicy crispy chicken sandwich, creamy coleslaw, dill pickle
Nashville Hot fried chicken sandwich at Flew the Coop
Nick Woo/EPDX

Basilisk

Since 2016, the counter service Zipper Building anchor Basilisk has been a go-to spot for sky high, $9 fried chicken sandwiches. Arriving on a tray stabbed with a giant knife to support its size, two crispy buttermilk chicken thighs come topped with house-made pickles and creamy cabbage coleslaw between buttery buns. The peanut sauce and chili-oil-topped dan dan fries pair well with this tall wonder, as does a cold beverage from the nearby Paydirt.

Basilisk’s fried chicken sandwiches, pickles, cabbage cole slaw and buttery buns
Fried chicken sandwich at Basilisk
Nick Woo/EPDX

Laurelhurst Market

Available as a lunch special on Tuesdays, the savory, peppery fried chicken sandwich at Laurelhurst Market’s butcher counter is topped with pickles, thinly sliced red onions and thinly shredded, refreshing lettuce. A soft potato bun and a bit of tangy spiciness from Frank’s Hot Sauce combines with pre-fried buttermilk thighs, which results in a cold chicken sandwich that is ultra comforting and holds up as a to go order.

Cold fried chicken sandwich, lettuce, onion, mayo
Fried chicken sandwich at Laurelhurst Market
Nick Woo/EPDX

Screen Door

As the most reviewed Portland restaurant on Yelp, Screen Door is well known for both its Southern cuisine and its especially long brunch lines. The East Burnside spot’s iconic chicken and waffles are extremely popular, but the fried chicken sandwich holds its own as well. A very wide buttermilk-battered fried chicken breast comes out hot and crispy, topped with tangy pickles and crunchy coleslaw on a toasted bun. Dipping Meyer lemon ricotta fritters in lemon curd can’t hurt, either.

Buttermilk battered crispy chicken breast w/ mayo, pickles, & cole slaw on a toasted bun and served with french fries
Fried chicken sandwich at Screen Door
Nick Woo/EPDX

Baes Fried Chicken

Baes Fried Chicken — the counter service spot from Micah Camden of Blue Star, Super Deluxe, and Boxer Ramen — opened in Old Town in November, and it does not disappoint. The sandwich can be ordered traditional or hot, has crisp breading and tender white meat, and comes with house pickles and aioli on a toasted bun. The hot chicken, in particular, is peppery with balanced smokiness.

White meat hot fried chicken, pickles, mayo
Fried chicken sandwich at Baes Fried Chicken
Nick Woo/EPDX

Lardo

For the better part of ten years, Rick Gencarelli’s Lardo has been churning out massive sandwiches — first out of a food cart, and now at two counter service locations on each side of the river. Once known for serving cold leftovers-style fried chicken, this Nashville Hot chicken sandwich is taken a step closer to Hattie B’s, both spots serving out of the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. Topped with savory bacon, tangy pickles, Duke’s mayonnaise, and drizzled with hot honey, this spicy, crispy crust goes well with a plate of dirty fries.

Nashville Hot Fried Chicken hot honey, bacon, pickles, Duke’s mayo, white onion
Nashville Hot Fried Chicken at Lardo
Nick Woo/EPDX

Bullard

For years, Top Chef’s Doug Adams has had a well-documented history of bringing crispy, buttermilk fried chicken goodness to Portland, first at Imperial and now at fun-loving, Texas-meets-Oregon Bullard. With cayenne and toasted fennel, the breading has peppery and bright notes, and it is all balanced out with fresh red onion, lettuce, Duke’s mayo, sweet and spicy jalapeño jelly, and house-made dill pickles. While it comes with fries on the lunch menu, during weekend brunch, it might be considered a colossal error to not order the loaded hash browns.

Fried chicken sandwich, red onion, lettuce, Duke’s mayo, jalapeño jelly, and dill pickles
Fried chicken sandwich at Bullard
Nick Woo/EPDX

Poboyz Food Cart

Downtown food cart Poboyz is the place to be for traditional seafood po’boys and fried ribs, but the restaurant’s fried chicken sandwich is no slouch either. Battered hunk-like strips with pickles, remoulade, tomatoes, and lettuce come in a hoagie-style roll, well-seasoned and hearty. However, if the hot honey chicken is on the menu, that’s the move.

Chơi Luôn

When two of the most popular new food carts in Portland decided to team up and provide the food for the long and stylish cocktail bar Lulu on SE Grand Avenue, it seemed obvious that something delicious would come from this collaboration. Fried chicken food truck Jojo and Vietnamese soul food spot Matta joined forces to serve dishes like loaded jojos with bo kho (braised brisket) and brussels sprouts with coconut curry sauce and fried shallots, but the fried chicken banh mi might be the signature item on the menu. Tender, juicy, dark meat chicken arrives smothered in house-fermented hot sauce, sweet and sour nước chấm aioli, pickled shallots, cilantro and scallion, all served on a baguette from SE Powell’s Binh Minh Bakery. Making it Saigon hot is an essential pro move for spice lovers.

fried chicken, house fermented hot sauce, nước chấm aioli, pickled shallots, cilantro and scallion, on a baguette from the incomparable binh minh bakery
Fried chicken bahn mi at Chơi Luôn
Nick Woo/EPDX

Creepy's

True to its name, Creepy’s — the SE Morrison bar with animatronics and beer sweaters — keeps Portland weird with several clown paintings and a John Quincy Adams portrait with randomly moving eyes. Among the highlights on the menu of this eclectic spot is the Hot Breast Sandwich, a piece of thinly-breaded, juicy, white-meat fried chicken with a hint of sweetness from coleslaw and spicy tanginess from hot honey sauce and pickles. Side of fries, slaw, or salad can be added for a couple bucks.

Draper Valley chicken, cole slaw, pickles, hot honey sauce
Hot Breast Sandwich at Creepy’s
Nick Woo/EPDX

Jojo Food Truck

Before the man behind the little blue food truck on SE Powell started dominating Instagram with fun and satirical captions, Justin Hintze and his crew had been smoking and frying up crispy, flavorful chicken thighs for fun, inventive sandwiches. This has not changed. The spicy fried chicken sandwich is a marvel with a generous amount of potato salad piled on the chicken with crystal hot sauce, sambal mayo, shredded lettuce on a toasted butter roll. Specials like orange chicken can be found on Jojo’s very follow-able Instagram account.

This was an orange chicken special back in November.
Orange chicken sandwich at Jojo Food Truck
Nick Woo/EPDX

Reverend's BBQ

Sellwood’s Reverend’s BBQ is probably most known for its namesake barbecue food. However, the fried chicken, which is smoked before frying, stands among some of its best menu items. Shredded iceberg, pepperoncini, and spicy mayo top a smoky, tender chicken thigh on a toasted sesame bun. Side options, like mac and cheese or collard greens, are included with the sandwich. While this place can get a little busy, it is a great place to watch a sporting event because there are television screens at nearly every angle.

Smoked and fried chicken thigh, pepporoncini, mayo
Fried chicken sandwich at Reverend’s BBQ
Nick Woo/EPDX

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