Rob’s Famous Fried Chicken
If you want to test the waters before diving in (which I recommend), Plain Jane, Rob’s mildest heat level, might be a good place to start. But I know there are some who will jump at the chance to try their Cluckin’ Hot Drumsticks — which is exactly what we did. Their ghost pepper and Carolina Reaper blend hits a brutal 1.5 million SHU — a detail we probably should’ve respected more.
Jodi Glen, our director of operations, says this chicken “wasn’t for the faint of heart.” We could not deny that Rob’s was hot, but we could also not look past the flavours, which Caitlin Hart, staff writer, raved about: “The balance of spice with crispiness and juiciness. It wasn’t just spicy, it was a good piece of chicken.” I knew Jodi agreed — she mumbled something affirmative as she devoured a drumstick.
Rob’s Famous Fried Chicken
Boyle Street | 8540 Jasper Ave, Edmotnon | robsfamous.ca
Nashville Hot Chicken Flirty Bird
This Nashville chicken spot has six levels of heat intensity to choose from — depending on how flirty you are feeling. Their Level 6 Scorchin’ Flirt, a cayenne-Scorpion-Reaper mix, is also in the 1.5 million SHU range.
Even as my throat dried up and the heat flushed my skin, I managed to keep it together. Yes, there were tears and coughing here and there… OK, it was hot. Even my brother, who laid on the ground, cursing at me, stated that Flirty Chicken’s spiciest wing felt like death but he’s a bit of a lightweight.
My father demolished a Scorchin’ Flirt wing and let out a single cough. “I mean, yeah, I can understand why this would be hot for someone.” And he proceeded to go about his day. To contextualize: this man snacks on habaneros in between dishes. And this was hot for him.
Nashville Hot Chicken Flirty Bird
222 Baseline Rd, #238, Sherwood Park | flirtybirdchicken.com
Dave’s Hot Chicken
Dave’s is the only place in Edmonton that makes you sign a waiver before ordering their hottest chicken — which sounds funny until you read it. According to them, their hottest chicken — which hits two million SHU — has the potential to do some damage, “including, but not limited to, bodily injury, property damage, emotional distress, or even death.” It is not called the Reaper for nothing.
The weakling of my group of taste-testers, art director Kim Larson, took one bite and tapped out. Who could blame her? “Too hot for this Scandinavian,” she says.