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A fried chicken sandwich topped with tomatoes and papaya slaw on a red and white plate.
The fried chicken sandwich at Little Tijuana.
Gene Pease

11 Tasty Fried Chicken Sandwiches in the Twin Cities

From fiery Tennessee hot chicken to juicy dill-brined thighs

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The fried chicken sandwich at Little Tijuana.
| Gene Pease

There’s a certain art to transforming a simple piece of meat into a juicy, crispy fried chicken sandwich. Luckily, Twin Cities restaurants have taken up the cause with aplomb — and the local fried chicken scene keeps getting better by the day. Look for sandwiches with careful meat-to-breading ratios and adventurous seasonings, from a light dusting of pepper to fiery coatings of cayenne, paprika, and chili powder. Here are 11 excellent fried chicken sandwiches around Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Note that these restaurants are listed geographically.

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Khue's Kitchen

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A newcomer on the fried chicken scene, Khue’s Kitchen is making waves with its chili crunch fried chicken sandwich. This sandwich hits some spicy notes — chili seeds coat the breading, and the bun has a tantalizing glaze of chili oil — but it’s all balanced out by the creamy herb aioli. The whole thing is impossibly buttery.

Soul Bowl

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Chef Gerard Klass has your fried chicken cravings covered with not one but two creative chicken sandwiches. The A.A. sandwich features fried chicken on a cornbread bun with mac and cheese and collard greens. The Big K.R.I.T features fried chicken topped with turkey bacon, drizzled with sweet and spicy Mambo sauce, and served on an everything bun. It’s well worth picking the seeds from your teeth afterward.

Zen Box Izakaya

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The hot and spicy chicken karaage sandwich at Zen Box Izakaya has a tender, crispy dose of heat from gochujang that’s tempered by cool and crunchy pickled cucumbers and Asian slaw. It all comes on a brioche bun — and yes, you’ll want napkins.

Nashville Coop

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This wildly popular food truck first found a full-time home on Snelling Avenue, but as of summer 2022, its new Stadium Village location is up and running. Order a fried chicken sandwich at varying degrees of mouth-scorching heat, from the MN Nice to the Cluckin’ Hot, which promises “24-hour pain.” The Coop sauce and coleslaw add some much-needed creaminess.

A seriously spiced, crispy fried chicken breast dominates a buttery bun with pickle rounds on the top and bottom with a layer of slaw on the bottom. Juices are dripping off the sandwich and pooling on the plate.
Be ready for some heat.
Nashville Coop

Abang Yoli Malcolm Yards

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Head over to the Market at Malcolm Yards for a stellar fried chicken sandwich from Abang Yoli. The tangy, house-pickled vegetables are an excellent foil to the heavier fried chicken breast, and fresh-made buns from Vikings & Goddesses pastry have an irresistible creaminess and soft crumb. Abang Yoli’s second location is now open on Nicollet Avenue, too.

Bebe Zito Ice Cream

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Bebe Zito’s honey butter chicken sandwich comes classic or Tennessee hot. Its sweet glaze makes it a fun alternative to the Cities’ mostly savory and spicy-leaning fried chicken sandwiches — and to Bebe Zito’s equally enticing cheeseburgers. Pair a sandwich with a scoop of seasonal ice cream.

Little Tijuana Neighborhood Lounge

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The crispy, craggy thigh on Little Tijuana’s fried chicken sandwich is as wide as a dinner plate, but somehow it’s easy to scarf the whole thing down in one sitting. A star of the menu’s “sando” section, it’s topped with chili sauce and zippy papaya slaw. The waffle fries come with a side of sour cream — to add some creamy balance, spread a little on the bun.

A fried chicken sandwich, cocktail, and other dishes on a wooden table.
Little Tijuana’s sandwich comes topped with zippy papaya slaw.
Gene Pease

Lake & Irving Restaurant & Bar

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This sandwich is buttermilk-dipped and served with duroc bacon and sriracha aioli — kick it up with the addition of ghost pepper jack cheese. It comes served on a couple of pieces of white toast for lunch and dinner, or get it as chicken and waffles during brunch. It’s the little black dress of fried chicken sandwiches.

A fried chicken sandwich on a white plate with vegetables on the side.
A Lake & Irving fried chicken sandwich.
Lake & Irving Restaurant & Bar

Bull's Horn Food and Drink

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This south Minneapolis wood-paneled bar looks like it’s straight out of the northwoods, complete with taxidermy, pull tabs, and a meat raffle. Sink your teeth into Bull’s Horn’s fried chicken sandwich, which features a succulent chicken thigh plopped on a glossy milk bun. It’s all generously smeared with pimento cheese and sweet and savory house-smoked pickles.

Bap and Chicken St. Paul

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Bap and Chicken serves a whole menu of Korean fried chicken dinners, and its sandwiches are standouts. The ‘OG’ is features a classic KFC-style thigh topped with ginger slaw and spicy mayo, while the Buffalo Brie leans even further into decadence, loading the chicken with thick slices of brie cheese and drizzles of buffalo sauce.

Revival

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Revival’s boned, breaded, and fried thighs make for a great sandwich, but a dip in the Tennessee hot spice blend takes it to the next level. Served on a soft bun with mayo, a couple of sweet-sour pickle chips, lettuce, and tomato, this is a four-napkin situation you don’t want to miss.

Revival’s Tennessee Hot fried chicken sandwich
Revival

Khue's Kitchen

A newcomer on the fried chicken scene, Khue’s Kitchen is making waves with its chili crunch fried chicken sandwich. This sandwich hits some spicy notes — chili seeds coat the breading, and the bun has a tantalizing glaze of chili oil — but it’s all balanced out by the creamy herb aioli. The whole thing is impossibly buttery.

Soul Bowl

Chef Gerard Klass has your fried chicken cravings covered with not one but two creative chicken sandwiches. The A.A. sandwich features fried chicken on a cornbread bun with mac and cheese and collard greens. The Big K.R.I.T features fried chicken topped with turkey bacon, drizzled with sweet and spicy Mambo sauce, and served on an everything bun. It’s well worth picking the seeds from your teeth afterward.

Zen Box Izakaya

The hot and spicy chicken karaage sandwich at Zen Box Izakaya has a tender, crispy dose of heat from gochujang that’s tempered by cool and crunchy pickled cucumbers and Asian slaw. It all comes on a brioche bun — and yes, you’ll want napkins.

Nashville Coop

This wildly popular food truck first found a full-time home on Snelling Avenue, but as of summer 2022, its new Stadium Village location is up and running. Order a fried chicken sandwich at varying degrees of mouth-scorching heat, from the MN Nice to the Cluckin’ Hot, which promises “24-hour pain.” The Coop sauce and coleslaw add some much-needed creaminess.

A seriously spiced, crispy fried chicken breast dominates a buttery bun with pickle rounds on the top and bottom with a layer of slaw on the bottom. Juices are dripping off the sandwich and pooling on the plate.
Be ready for some heat.
Nashville Coop

Abang Yoli Malcolm Yards

Head over to the Market at Malcolm Yards for a stellar fried chicken sandwich from Abang Yoli. The tangy, house-pickled vegetables are an excellent foil to the heavier fried chicken breast, and fresh-made buns from Vikings & Goddesses pastry have an irresistible creaminess and soft crumb. Abang Yoli’s second location is now open on Nicollet Avenue, too.

Bebe Zito Ice Cream

Bebe Zito’s honey butter chicken sandwich comes classic or Tennessee hot. Its sweet glaze makes it a fun alternative to the Cities’ mostly savory and spicy-leaning fried chicken sandwiches — and to Bebe Zito’s equally enticing cheeseburgers. Pair a sandwich with a scoop of seasonal ice cream.

Little Tijuana Neighborhood Lounge

The crispy, craggy thigh on Little Tijuana’s fried chicken sandwich is as wide as a dinner plate, but somehow it’s easy to scarf the whole thing down in one sitting. A star of the menu’s “sando” section, it’s topped with chili sauce and zippy papaya slaw. The waffle fries come with a side of sour cream — to add some creamy balance, spread a little on the bun.

A fried chicken sandwich, cocktail, and other dishes on a wooden table.
Little Tijuana’s sandwich comes topped with zippy papaya slaw.
Gene Pease

Lake & Irving Restaurant & Bar

This sandwich is buttermilk-dipped and served with duroc bacon and sriracha aioli — kick it up with the addition of ghost pepper jack cheese. It comes served on a couple of pieces of white toast for lunch and dinner, or get it as chicken and waffles during brunch. It’s the little black dress of fried chicken sandwiches.

A fried chicken sandwich on a white plate with vegetables on the side.
A Lake & Irving fried chicken sandwich.
Lake & Irving Restaurant & Bar

Bull's Horn Food and Drink

This south Minneapolis wood-paneled bar looks like it’s straight out of the northwoods, complete with taxidermy, pull tabs, and a meat raffle. Sink your teeth into Bull’s Horn’s fried chicken sandwich, which features a succulent chicken thigh plopped on a glossy milk bun. It’s all generously smeared with pimento cheese and sweet and savory house-smoked pickles.

Bap and Chicken St. Paul

Bap and Chicken serves a whole menu of Korean fried chicken dinners, and its sandwiches are standouts. The ‘OG’ is features a classic KFC-style thigh topped with ginger slaw and spicy mayo, while the Buffalo Brie leans even further into decadence, loading the chicken with thick slices of brie cheese and drizzles of buffalo sauce.

Revival

Revival’s boned, breaded, and fried thighs make for a great sandwich, but a dip in the Tennessee hot spice blend takes it to the next level. Served on a soft bun with mayo, a couple of sweet-sour pickle chips, lettuce, and tomato, this is a four-napkin situation you don’t want to miss.

Revival’s Tennessee Hot fried chicken sandwich
Revival

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