I was first introduced to hot chicken in Nashville. After all, that’s where the craze began. But as people have caught on to just how good this Southern dish is, we’re starting to see it pop up everywhere, including right here in Reno. In fact, Crazy D’s claims to be the first and only real Nashville-style hot chicken in the city.
Crazy D’s Hot Chicken stays true to the formula—a simple menu where chicken served in varying degrees of heat takes center stage. If you tend to shy away from spice, you’ll appreciate the complex taste of the country-fried option, free of any heat but not lacking in flavor. From there you can choose mild, medium, hot or crazy. Each level kicks it up a notch—and you know when the chicken is red what that means!
The combos keep it simple, which is another component of most authentic hot chicken eateries. You can basically choose between giant tenders, a giant slider, or a combination of both.
Personally, when I hear the word slider, I expect something small, but these bad boys are each a full-size bun stuffed with one large tender, hence why they are dubbed “giant sliders.” The tender is so big it doesn’t even fit in the bun, it just juts out the back. Add some coleslaw and pickles and this simple meal is good to go, served with crinkle-cut fries that are golden-brown and crispy.
The other option is to get just the tenders, which is, honestly, exactly what is inside of the sandwich served with a slice of white bread, pickles and the same crinkle cut fries. Each combo comes with a dipping sauce, and I can’t tell you what it is, but it’s delicious. At first glance it appears to be a Thousand Island, but when you taste it the base seems more like a mayo. Whatever it is, it’s delicious enough that you may need two. They call it the comeback sauce.
The chicken is cooked to perfection. A crispy outside surrounds juicy white meat chicken. It’s hot and steaming when you first dive in, but it will cool off. The buns are buttered and the bread is toasted. Everything looks simple in its delivery, but it’s clear that work goes into the recipes, especially the batter.
If you dive into the full menu there are some other options like salads, onion rings, cheese fries and cake. It’s important to note that the menu also has sweet tea, a staple of Southern restaurants that gives this place a little clout for authenticity. Overall, I’m giving it two thumbs up, and licking my fingers when I’m done.
Details
Visit: 3652 S. Virginia St., #C1 (inside the shopping center on the southeast corner of South Virginia and Moana Lane)
Order Online: https://www.crazydshotchicken.com/
Call: 775-420-9786
