We are known for our Nashville style hot chicken. We offer a few heat levels to choose from depending where you are on your Crimson Coward hot chicken flavor adventure. Don’t forget to get to know your inner Crimson Coward and the level of BURRRN you can handle.
We got voted Top 20 Fried Chicken places in America by USA Today. Now we have two locations to serve you at, either our flagship in Downey or at our newest location in Artesia. Both locations are open for take out, seven days a week. Our incredible team is ready to serve you freshly cooked to order halal Nashville hot chicken, tenders, chicken sandwiches, Nashville hot chicken wings and delicious sides.
We really appreciate our loyal Crimson Coward fans! You can read over 1,700 of our reviews on Yelp. If you prefer for your Crimson Coward order to be brought to your door then look us up on Uber Eats or Postmates for delivery.
We tested hundreds of different spice combinations before finding the Crimson Rub. Incredible fried chicken should be crisp, juicy and flavorful (even without the fried chicken sweats). Nashville style hot chicken is different from the game day favorite buffalo wings. Nashville hot is a kind of fried chicken that is usually marinated, coated/breaded as well as being heavily seasoned with herbs and spices.
Buffalo wings get their heat from the hot sauce used to toss the Nashville hot chicken wings in. Buffalo wings and Nashville hot chicken wings are usually served deep fried but they also can be baked or even roasted. Nashville style hot chicken is fried and known to be very crispy. Another difference is that wings are served bone in or boneless, and/or as drums, flats or drumettes.
Another factor that brings a serious dose of flavor to our tasty Nashville hot chicken is the coating or rub and the spicy sauce that gets dipped depending on your chosen heat levels. Some folks drizzle on the heat while others do a dip. Classic buffalo wings only get their heat from the sauce they are tossed in after cooking. Although we cannot share our secret spice blend recipe there are a handful of spices and seasonings familiar to Nashville style hot chicken including cayenne pepper which grows on a shrub.
Dr Axe shares that it “contains vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin E, potassium, manganese and flavonoids – which provide its powerful antioxidant properties.” Cayenne has been used in cooking and as medicine for over 9,000 years. There’s even more to love about exploring and tasting hot chicken now!
Bon Appetit magazine published the legendary Hattie B’s restaurants recipe for their Nashville Style Hot Chicken. Their recipe includes a vinegar-based hot sauce, in particular Hattie’s suggests Tabasco or Texas Pete brands. Their Nashville hot chicken recipe also includes cayenne pepper (of course), chili and garlic powder, paprika and dark brown sugar. Did you know that there actually are three different kinds of paprika?
Cooking Light describes the differences (and preferred uses) for each of the three kinds including sweet paprika (no heat), hot paprika and smoked paprika. The smoked variety is sometimes referred to as Spanish paprika and its unique flavor is from the oak used to smoke and dry the peppers. The particular variety of paprika that you use would really affect how your hot chicken or deviled eggs would taste. It is not suggested to use smoked paprika if your recipe actually calls for sweet paprika.
Now let’s get back to fried chicken! We only ever use premium, all-natural, hormone, and antibiotic-free chicken no matter what spice level you choose. For those fried chicken lovers who prefer their chicken with no heat, we suggest they should try the country. The country level has no heat but is full of flavor.
Get ready for perfectly fried chicken tenders, breasts and wings. Next level up is mild, just right. At Crimson Coward we only fry our chicken in vegetable oil. For those who want to go higher in spicy, then we recommend them to read How to increase and enjoy your spicy food tolerance to enjoy this adventure.
Your Crimson Coward hot chicken journey really heats up with our medium heat level. Imagine just a slap of spice perfection, just a sting. Once your taste buds are warmed up then try out our Crimson hot heat level. Cool off that blaze with a crispy and tangy bite of fried pickles dipped in honey, ranch or Crimson sauce. Or real heat purists can enjoy the Crimson hot level delightfully as is.
For those fried chicken aficionados really chasing the burn should note that, “On the Scoville Rating Scale, cayenne pepper is rated typically anywhere from 30,000 to 190,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). (Pure capsaicin has the highest SHU rating.)”
Keep chasing the heat trail with our BURRRRN, BABY, BURN level. You might want to have a glass of milk or milk substitute ready at this point. It’s seriously hot and our hottest heat level. We serve our tasty Nashville hot chicken with bread and pickles both of which help to balance the heat.
Some Crimson Coward fans just can’t get enough of the heat or the BURRRRN, BABY, BURN! What unites all Crimson Coward fans is a love of hot chicken that is fried to perfection and seasoned like a dream. No matter where your taste buds fall on the Crimson Coward heat scale we know for sure it ends and begins with chicken perfected.
We look forward to serving you our halal Nashville hot chicken and sides seven days a week, in Downey, Artesia or via delivery.
“20 of the best fried chicken restaurants places in America.”
“35 best fried chicken places in America.”
Locally honored by
the Press-Telegram and LAStartups!
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