From Mild to Inferno Spices at Big Boss Fried Chicken

If you’re headed out for a picnic this weekend and craving some fried chicken, a new spot in Bridgeport offers every level of heat – from mild to inferno.

They make gigantic sandwiches too, but it’s definitely not a part of the emerging Nashville hot chicken trend. The spicy chicken at Big Boss is more influenced by Asia than anything else, but the spice blend at the base of so much of what they do is really globally inspired.

Chiles from Jamaica, Thailand and Mexico are just a few of the spots influencing this fried chicken shack with some truly unique sandwiches.

You’re used to seeing wings and tenders, sometimes dipped in a brick red chile sauce, other times left naked. But at Big Boss Spicy Fried Chicken, they wanted to offer chicken lovers a little something different.

“There’s nothing like that in Bridgeport, and we wanted to change the landscape a little bit, have different kinds of spices, not just hot; there’s sweet, tangy,” said DJ Mei, the owner of Big Boss Spicy Fried Chicken.

Chickens are marinated in a combination of seven different chiles, including fiery scotch bonnets and Thai bird chiles.

“Goes through a marinating process that usually takes about two days, depending on the spice. We also try every single day to see if it is at the right level or not. After that it goes through a batter, after that we put seven different kinds of spices on the chicken and we deep fry it,” Mei said.

From the marinade, the chicken goes into flour, where the coating is pressed onto each piece. Into the fryer for about 15 minutes or so, then removed to drain.

If you do want your chicken on fire, choose either medium or hot spice. Then they’ll submerge each piece into the cauldron, place it onto a rack to drain, then coat it in either a medium or hot dried spice blend.

For sandwiches, an oversized fried breast is placed slightly askew on a bun – one side clearly stretching over the edge. Slaw, hot sauce, white onions and jalapenos are the standard garnish. Good luck trying to eat this with one hand.

“Some people were telling us we’re not spicy enough, and I feel like that’s more than I can take. I recommend medium. For those extreme guys? Big Boss Hot,” Mei said.

Big Boss Spicy Fried Chicken
2520 S. Halsted
312-877-5031