3 fried chicken joints are opening a cluck-ton of stores around Colorado

Anyone who’s secretly or openly craving chicken sandwiches, tenders and nuggets is in for a real treat this week.

Three local and national chicken chains have announced their expansion around Colorado in the coming days and months.

Dave’s Hot Chicken out of Los Angeles debuted its first Denver store back in April on South Broadway. Now it’s opening its second Colorado location Friday on Platte Street. The counter-service spot sells chicken tenders and sliders with seven levels of heat (No Spice on up to Reaper). And it’s cheap for the quantity: $12.69 for a large tender, slider and fries combo. 99 S. Broadway and 1615 Platte St., daveshotchicken.com 

Denver’s own Birdcall gets its first Boulder location on Friday, followed by a second on Monday, Nov. 22. The automated fast-casual restaurant (ordering takes place at kiosks) is coming to Whole Foods on Pearl Street as well as a standalone store on 29th Street. Gluten-free nuggets, crispy chicken strips, chicken salads and sandwiches are the rage here, priced from $4.95 (six-piece nug) to $24 (15-piece strip). 2905 Pearl St. and 1675 29th St., Boulder, eatbirdcall.com 

Finally, The Crack Shack started in San Diego but just opened its first Colorado stall inside Grange Hall, with two more locations on the way, near Park Meadows Mall and in RiNo. Unlike the first kiosk, these next Crack Shacks will be standalone operations with outdoor patios and full menus of bone-in fried chicken ($17 for five pieces), Double Clucker sandwiches ($12) and platters with miso-maple buttered biscuits ($50-$65). 6575 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., in Grange Hall, and coming in 2022 to 2801 Walnut St. and Park Meadows crackshack.com      

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