Chicken with heat, juice, and soul. Coated in sauce, spices, and thick, viscous hot honey. Add fries galore, and you have Asad’s Hot Chicken’s loaded fries.
Asad’s Hot Chicken has a special place in many Pennsylvanians’ hearts, including those of Haven students.
“I love Asad’s Hot Chicken. I got extra spicy, it was fire,” senior Samuel Le said. “I know plenty of people [at Haven] are fans of Asad’s.”
Opened in 2022, Asad’s is a fried chicken joint that started from a gas station in Northeast Philadelphia.
Its founder, Asad Khan, makes inspirational and business-oriented content on his Instagram page to tell his story to the masses. Khan claims online to have worked 36-hour shifts when he began his business, and says that all you need to succeed is discipline and hunger.
Just like the story, the food is simply amazing. Their menu includes different combinations of tenders and sliders, each entrée coming with fries, sauce, and a choice of spice level.
It’s not the crispiest chicken in the world, but the flavor is in outer space, with a piquant spice blend and juicy chicken.
“I think they’ve got some unique, top-quality food for the price. 15 bucks for a good amount of food is really good. Good spot to hit,” senior Cole Dangerfield said.
Their loaded fries are also a fan favorite, covered in Asad’s sauce and hot honey. Spices and chopped chicken are mixed in there, which gives it a unique twist.
On his Instagram, Khan describes a time when a customer requested that her chicken be chopped and put on her fries. According to Khan, the customer came back after eating it and ordered three more platters.
Although I’ll never be able to verify that story, I believe it. The loaded fries are bursting with flavor. Although lacking in crispness, they get the job done in every other department.
Besides the chicken, they also offer a variety of smooth milkshakes and fruit smoothies which go perfectly with every dish.
Overall, Asad’s Hot Chicken is a great place for fried chicken. The quality of the food, bang for your buck, and the variety of shakes and smoothies are 100 percent worth your time and money.
