Just a fifteen-minute walk from Clark, NU Chicken opened at the end of July, bringing Nashville-style fried chicken to Main South. Upperclassmen may remember that the location was previously BTs, a small BBQ and fried chicken restaurant that closed earlier this year. “NU Chicken” is also a spinoff of “NU Kitchen”, a popular healthy breakfast and lunch chain with its original location in Main South. Because of this, the new restaurant is pitched as being a healthier alternative to spots like Dave’s Hot Chicken, opting to fry using avocado oil instead of the typical canola or vegetable oils. 

While the restaurant may be small with only a few tables inside, it is themed with lots of charm. The entire restaurant has a space theme focused around “moon boy”, a small astronaut emblem acting as the restaurant’s logo and mascot. To go along with this, each spice level of fried chicken gets a space theme ranging from the mild “moon landing” to the super hot “supernova.” I started by trying the hot chicken sandwich in the recommended medium spice level, topped with kale slaw, pickles, honey, American cheese, and their signature “moonboy sauce.” The fried chicken itself was perfectly seasoned with a great ratio of its crunchy fried outside and the chicken itself inside. Additionally, the honey and sweet moonboy sauce offered a great contrast to the spiciness of the chicken, with the dill pickles adding a salty kick. The slaw also added a freshness that the sandwich needed. The American cheese felt so overpowered by the other flavors of the sandwich, its inclusion feels odd and could have been left out. Still, even from a first impression, this is one of the best chicken sandwiches I’ve had. 

I also got to try many of NU Chicken’s sides. The best option they had was the fried pickles, which were well-battered on the outside, giving them a great crunch. Additionally, the fries which come with any meal were thin and well-cooked with a crunchy outside and soft inside. The fries are also surprisingly spicy and well-salted. However, I was slightly underwhelmed by NU Chicken’s mac & cheese, which, while still tasty, was not cheesy enough and a bland side compared to the other options. All of the sides were large enough to easily share with a group or, in the case of the mac & cheese, a full meal on its own. NU Chicken also has loaded fries and apple sauce, which I was not able to try during my visit. 

Additionally, NU Chicken has custard and shake options for dessert. I got to try both the Blueberry Smash and their Strawberry Shortcake milkshakes. The Blueberry Smash Milkshake was very flavorful with fresh blueberries and graham crackers mixed in. It also had honey mixed throughout, which helped to add even more fresh sweetness to the shake. I was less impressed by the Strawberry Shortcake shake, which, while still a nice cold treat, was less flavorful compared to the other shake beyond the sweet strawberry jam on top. NU Chicken also has apple crisp and chocolate crunch shakes, and I’d love to see their selection grow in the future.

Overall, NU Chicken is a great addition to Main South, filling the void left by BT’s. With some of the best fried chicken I’ve had, and some great sides and sweet treats to back it up, NU Chicken is a great option for comfort food in Worcester. 4.5/5