That Chicken Never Had a Chance

Ahhhhhh ahhhhhh ahhhhhhh, ahhhhh ahhhhhhh ahhhhhhhh, ahhhhhhhhhh! (The angelic sounds of pure happiness – similar to  The Little Mermaid tune – usually sung when discovering something amazing and in this case, delicious.)  Brothers Fried Chicken reincarnated is probably the best way to describe Chicken House located on the East Dallas corner of Gaston Avenue and North Fitzhugh.  A long time staple in the neighborhood, Chicken House was previously run as Brothers Fried Chicken, and I have to admit I was a little scared to return to the now Chicken House to see if they had embarrassed the neighborhood legend or had made Brothers proud after taking over.  I’m happy to report, they done good.

Without leaving out a detail, Chicken House continues to produce the same unconventional yet satisfying experience, including the deteriorating drive-thru menu board and scratchy, non-functioning speaker.  They even left the jailhouse bars in the window where they gingerly pass the mysterious brown bag of goodness through.  Just as I remembered, the menu was confusing to look at but very simple in substance.  Two pieces of chicken for $2 or a combo meal under $6 if you know what you’re doing plus a reminder to ask for jalapeños and pickles – all items ridiculously reasonable and plastered with hand taped pieces of paper all over the place.

As I parked across the street in a public car wash area to unwrap the treasures that awaited, I crossed my fingers and hoped it would be as good as the long time legend’s recipe had been.  Once the dark golden chicken emerged from the unassuming presentation that was a brown paper bag, I knew that chicken never had a chance.  Two words – yum, yum.  Chicken House owners are geniuses and apparently live by the motto, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” because this was the same, juicy, mouth-watering, crispy, happy making, tongue tantalizing chicken I had remembered loving from years past.

I had ordered the three piece combo with thigh, breast and leg, including my two slices of bread, jalapeños and pickles all on a bed of well-seasoned fries.  As I sat there at the car wash,

facing traffic so that anyone stopping at the light could bathe in the glow of happiness beaming from my vehicle, I was enraptured, unaware of a woman approaching my driver’s side window.  When I finally looked up from the basket, fingers covered in jalapeño juice and crispy bits of crust, there she was, holding up a pair of socks for me to purchase.  I held up a chicken leg in response, and I heard from outside my window, “Oh, you can’t buy these – that stuff is good” as she turned around and walked away.  We shared a moment.  She knew…  She knew.

Check it out,  you won’t be disappointed.