The Pretty Bird hot chicken sandwich is a Nashville-style fried chicken thigh dusted with cayenne-based hot powder, layered on a brioche bun with pickle and slaw, in five heat levels from plain to face-burning.

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.

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  • Pretty Bird Hot Chicken

    Order Hot chicken sandwich at the heat level of your choice plus a side of slaw.

    Pretty Bird Hot Chicken on Regent Street, chef Viet Pham's Nashville-style downtown fast-casual since 2018, anchors Utah's chef-driven hot chicken movement.

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Make it at home

Serves 42 hrIntermediate

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

  1. Marinate chicken thighs in buttermilk and hot sauce for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
  2. Mix flour, paprika, garlic powder and salt in a shallow dish.
  3. Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Dredge in seasoned flour, pressing to coat.
  4. Heat oil to 175C (350F). Fry chicken 6 to 8 minutes until deeply golden and cooked through. Drain on a rack.
  5. 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.
  6. Brush or dip the fried chicken in the hot cayenne oil. Let drain briefly.
  7. Toast brioche buns. Layer pickle chips, hot chicken and coleslaw on the bun base. Crown with the top bun.

Editor tip. 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.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy.