You don’t have to travel to Nashville to get excellent “Nashville hot chicken.” Thought by some as the best Hot Chicken out of Nashville, Helen’s Hot Chicken and Fish is available in Murfreesboro and Smyrna. The Smyrna location is relatively new, opening in the fall of 2020 and the Murfreesboro location opened in March of 2017.
missing or outdated ad configHelen’s Hot Chicken was started by Jeremy Mallard in a small food truck on Rosa Parks Boulevard in about 2008. Named after his grandmother, the restaurant has since grown into a franchise, with seven stores in three states, and soon to open a new location in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
They boast explosive flavors on their website, noting that, “It’s Hella Hot and Hella Good!” As the lines tend to grow quickly wherever they open, if you’re a hot chicken lover, this is the place to go. The flavors come in plain, mild, hot, and hella.
Chicken offerings include, wings, breasts, quarters, tenders and combos. They also offer gizzards and chicken and waffles drizzled with syrup and melty butter. Depending on your appetite, they offer everything from a single piece of chicken up to 24 wings.
Fish and seafood are other favorites. They come as a sandwich or as a combo platter with a choice of pickles, onions, hot sauce, mustard or tartar sauce. Options include whiting, catfish, shrimp, lobster tails, or a combo plate that provides a little of everything.
Sides include traditional Southern style items like French fries, coleslaw, potato salad, fried okra and baked beans, as well as crispy waffles. And there is a kid’s menu.
Known for their popular mango tea, they also have fruit tea, lemonade, pink lemonade, green apple juice, blue raspberry juice, fruit punch, iced tea, and fountain drinks.
Make sure to save room for one of their tasty desserts. They have lemon strawberry crunch, mandarin orange, or red velvet.
A single piece of catfish can be had for four dollars, and prices go to $27 for lobster tail. Desserts are $3.75 each.
Happy Hour prices are from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Smyrna location. This special is for a $5.00 chicken breast quarter or an $8.00 catfish sandwich.
The first brick and mortar Helen’s location was opened in 2014 near Fisk University, there are now several locations in Nashville, Clarksville, Smyrna, Madison, Murfreesboro, Texas and Georgia.
Helen’s Hot Chicken
479 Sam Ridley Parkway West
Smyrna
&
2042 Lascassas Pike Suite A12
Murfreesboro
Website: helenshotchicken.com
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 11:00 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Sunday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.