Pretty Bird Hot Chicken ★ 4.5
Pretty Bird on Regent Street, chef Viet Pham's Nashville-style fast-casual since 2018, runs a hot chicken sandwich combo for $9 to $14 at the order counter.
Try: Hot chicken sandwich combo
History
Chef Viet Pham, an Iron Chef America veteran and multi-time James Beard Best Chef Southwest semifinalist for his earlier Forage SLC restaurant, opened Pretty Bird Hot Chicken on Regent Street in 2018, bringing chef-driven Nashville-style hot chicken to Salt Lake. The concept built on Pham's training at Forage. By 2025 Pretty Bird operated in Downtown, Sugar House, Park City and Midvale and won the Best Fried Chicken in Utah from Food and Wine Magazine.
Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 500ml buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 200g all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Neutral oil for deep frying
- 60ml frying oil (reserved hot, for the hot oil dust)
- 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper (use less for milder)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 4 brioche buns
- Dill pickle chips
- 200g coleslaw
Method
- Marinate chicken thighs in buttermilk and hot sauce for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Mix flour, paprika, garlic powder and salt in a shallow dish.
- Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Dredge in seasoned flour, pressing to coat.
- Heat oil to 175C (350F). Fry chicken 6 to 8 minutes until deeply golden and cooked through. Drain on a rack.
- While hot, reserve 60ml of the frying oil in a small bowl. Whisk in cayenne and brown sugar to form a paste, then a glaze.
- Brush or dip the fried chicken in the hot cayenne oil. Let drain briefly.
- Toast brioche buns. Layer pickle chips, hot chicken and coleslaw on the bun base. Crown with the top bun.
Tip from the editors. Cayenne quantity is the heat dial; Pretty Bird's hot level is around 2 tablespoons, very hot around 3. Don't skip the buttermilk marinade; it tenderizes and gives the coating texture.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
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