Brian Nagele
Church’s Chicken may be a globally recognized name today, but it certainly didn’t start out that way. In fact, the company quite literally started from scratch when George W. Church opened the first Church’s Chicken over 70 years ago.
Today, Church’s Chicken has served over one billion people. Its biggest success factor is hands-down the commitment to flavor, as the restaurant offers several menu options that I would vouch for any day.
The down-home flavor is available seven days a week now with a menu that includes convenient combos, large family meals, and sides and sweets that are to die for.
Let’s check out some of the best Church’s Chicken menu items!
Chicken Sandwich
It’s in the name: Church’s Chicken is a restaurant that’s famous for its chicken. So, I simply had to start with the original chicken sandwich.
With so many chicken sandwiches in the fast-food industry today, it can be tough to pick a favorite. But this one ranks high on my list.
The sandwich features Church’s legendary hand-battered chicken. It’s topped with the company’s signature honey-butter brushed brioche bun and complemented with mayo and pickles.
Just talking about it makes my mouth water.
And if you’re looking for an extra kick, you can opt for the spicy chicken sandwich.
This upgrade adds spicy mayo along with a jalapeno on the side to really take your taste buds for a ride.
Apple Pie
I know I can’t be the only one here with a sweet tooth. Sometimes that honey-butter brushed bun can fulfill my sweet cravings, but when it can’t, I add a Church’s apple pie to my order.
This home mini sweet treat is filled with baked apple slices packed into a flaky crust.
It’s topped with the perfect sprinkle of cinnamon and drizzled with a sweet white icing.
Each pie is the perfect size for one. And trust me—you won’t want to share this delectable treat oozing with goodness.
Baked Mac & Cheese
We’ve all seen baked mac & cheese done a lot of different ways, from basic to over-the-top and everything in between.
Church’s Chicken keeps theirs simple and homestyle, which is why it always tastes so fantastic.
The homemade mac & cheese comes sprinkled with shredded cheddar. It’s baked just until the top gets golden and crispy with plenty of melted cheesiness through the bowl.
I love ordering Church’s baked mac & cheese on dreary, gloomy days.
The warm, melted cheese is homey and delicious, and it pairs perfectly with any of the chicken items on the menu.
Cole Slaw
Answer me this: What’s a good piece of fried chicken without any cole slaw? In short, it’s simply incomplete.
Cole slaw is another side that other restaurants mess up. But when one gets it right, you can always tell the difference.
Church’s cole slaw is the perfect combination of sweet, zesty, and tasty. It’s got all the classic ingredients mixed to perfection.
I highly recommend pairing Church’s cole slaw with their spicy chicken sandwich.
The sweetness is the ideal match for the punch that the chicken packs.
Fries
The great thing about fries is that they effortlessly complete any meal.
And the great thing about Church’s is that they sure have the expertise when it comes to making fried foods.
Church’s offers crinkle-cut fries as a side to any order. Their fries are always fresh, always crispy, and always salty. I’d choose these fries over a burger joint any day, and I’ll stand by that statement.
Try a regular with your order or upgrade to a large size to share.
Pro tip: always order large whenever someone says they don’t want fries. They will once they smell them!
Jalapeno Cheese Bombers
If there’s one thing Church’s Chicken is known for (other than its delicious chicken) it’s the restaurant’s love of all things jalapeno-related.
That being said, let me introduce you to the magical menu item that is the jalapeno cheese bomber.
Jalapeno cheese bombers are crispy, fried pockets of melted cheddar cheese mixed with chopped-up pieces of jalapenos.
They’re ooey, gooey, cheesy, and warm, and they make the perfect side to top off any Church’s meal.
Order them in a regular size just for you, and get a large size to share. These savory bombers go fast—I can attest to that.
Jalapeno Peppers
Did you know that at Church’s, you can order just a simple side of jalapenos to go with any meal?
It may seem odd to us, but the restaurant and its guests have been doing this from the very start. It’s an oldie but goodie on the menu.
Order a side of jalapeno peppers and that’s exactly what you’ll get: five juicy peppers served with your meal.
One trick that frequent eaters love is to squeeze the pepper juice on their chicken or sandwiches.
It gives the meal a little extra kick and an added crunch at the end.
Mashed Potatoes
Nothing screams homestyle comfort food quite like mashed potatoes.
And truth be told, mashed potatoes are one of my all-time favorite sides when it comes to fried chicken—or any meal, really.
But Church’s knows how to do mashed potatoes right.
Not only is this side smooth, creamy, and buttery, but it’s served with a thick, rich gravy that you can’t find anywhere else. I’m serious; I can’t find a gravy that’s better, in my opinion.
And what’s more, Church’s isn’t stingy on this side.
When you order a heaping bowl of mashed potatoes, that’s exactly what you’ll get.
Spicy Chicken Sandwich
We mentioned the spicy alternative to the original chicken sandwich earlier, but it’s good enough to deserve a slot on this list all to itself.
The original chicken sandwich is ideal if you don’t like spicy foods. But if you’re a fan of hot flavors, you have to try this version.
This sandwich uses the same beloved hand-battered chicken, along with the customer-favorite honey-butter brioche bun, but it adds a couple of spicy elements to make it even better.
The spicy chicken sandwich has a special spicy mayo on it, and it’s served with a jalapeno on the side.
Remember our tip from earlier about squeezing the jalapeno juice on your meal? I highly recommend using that tip right about now.
Butterfly Shrimp
Church’s butterfly shrimp is somewhat of a hidden gem on their menu.
It’s never listed as a separate menu item, so you might not even know that they serve this delectable seafood option.
But if you look closely, you can see it included in their Texas tenders and shrimp meal.
The meal comes with Church’s buttermilk marinated Texas tenders along with their limited-time signature butterfly shrimp.
The shrimp come hand-battered and fried, just like Church’s famous chicken, and served with cocktail sauce.
Go for spicy or original on this meal—whichever suits your palate
Honey-Butter Biscuits
According to Church’s website, the restaurant sells millions of biscuits every year.
I think my orders account for about half of that number alone because I just can’t get enough of these sweet, sweet biscuits.
Just like the chicken sandwich’s brioche bun, Church’s biscuits come slathered in irresistible honey butter.
Each restaurant makes its biscuits daily in small batches, so they’re always warm and they’re always fresh.
I would go to Church’s just to order the biscuits. I never have, but I’m sure they’d understand if I did. If you decide to stop by, you can’t leave without ordering at least one of these melt-in-your-mouth biscuits.
Original Chicken Breast
As of now, Church’s original chicken breast is only available on the menu in mixed meals.
The mixed meals include chicken breasts, wings, and legs. The sizes vary, but you can opt for either spicy or original.
The original chicken breast is a classic go-to. It’s hand-battered and simple, with a crunchy outside and a juicy inside.
Pair it with your favorite side (hello, mashed potatoes and biscuits) as well as a soda and some jalapenos.
Small Green Beans
It’s probably about time we introduced a vegetable on this menu other than jalapenos.
It sounds pretty basic, but one of my favorite sides to pair with any meal is a small serving of Church’s green beans.
Something about their green beans just hits different to me. Maybe it’s their unique seasoning mixture or the buttery coating.
But if we’re being honest, it’s probably the little pieces of bacon mixed in.
The whole ordeal really makes it much easier to enjoy your veggies.
Texas Tender
Texas tenders are like any other kind of chicken tender—except these ones are way better.
Imagine your favorite chicken tender covered with Church’s signature hand-battered, crispy coating and seasoning.
Now pair those juicy and crispy tenders with one of the knock-out sides we talked about above. I’m talking green beans, mashed potatoes, cole slaw—you name it, it’s a match made in heaven.
The Texas tenders also come with those mouth-watering honey-butter biscuits we made a huge deal about earlier. So, if you’re on the fence about ordering them, use that as your tipping point.
Also, keep in mind that you can go for the Texas tenders and shrimp meal that we talked about earlier to mix things up and satisfy all of your tastebuds.
It seems like there’s a Church’s Chicken in every town in America. So, if you haven’t been there yet, what’s your excuse?
The next time you get a craving for crunchy, juicy fried chicken, homestyle mashed potatoes, and cool and crisp cole slaw, do yourself a favor and check out Church’s. No matter what location you visit, they will take good care of you over there.
Church’s also now offers Church’s To Go, which lets you order online and get your meal delivered right to your house. It’s a dining experience like no other. Bring your friends and family and try one of the amazing menu items we talked about today for the best meal ever.
Looking for a new fried chicken restaurant? Check out the menu at Raising Cane’s to try their famous chicken tenders!
2or three years ago Churches had the biggest wing breast I ever seen , now that they have the “Texas” name in them now there wings are the same as every body else. Got no real desire to eat there