This chicken is hot.
Several restaurants in the region are introducing the hot chicken trend that is sweeping the nation — a spicy, crispy and saucy chicken sandwich.
Shams Hot Chicken opened several months ago in the Sunoco Gas station at Wyoming Avenue and Northampton Street in Kingston and recently moved into its own location at the former Dagwood’s Deli at 418 Market St. due to its popularity.
“I put my last dollar into this to the point I didn’t have the money,” said owner Shams Said, 21. “God didn’t let me go. He was on my side.”
Said said he tries to make his chicken featuring a unique Pakistani flavor with a variety of levels of spice from mild to inferno.
“It’s unique. The flavor is what matters and the experience we try to give them,” Said said. “I try to make every platter look in a way I would want to eat it too and it goes out picture perfect.”
Mike’s Hot Chicken in Wyoming on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Shams had people camped out for its opening day of the new location on Feb. 1. He was raffling off a Playstation video game system, a 55-inch TV, cash and other gift cards.
“It’s going really well. We constantly have many customers. Every single day, it’s been pretty packed,” Said said.
Mike’s Hot Chicken opened up on Super Bowl Sunday at 295 Wyoming Ave. in Wyoming months after the national chain Dave’s Hot Chicken opened at 700 Commerce Boulevard in Dickson City.
Asad’s Hot Chicken will open within the month in the Wilkes Plaza at 200 Wilkes-Barre Twp. Boulevard in Wilkes-Barre Twp. in the former Little Mexico storefront.
The owner of Asad’s, Tariq Shah, has been serving chicken to area residents for many years.
Shah, a former longtime employee of the Crown Fried Chicken on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre, opened his own location on the Sans Souci Parkway in Hanover Twp. in the fall of 2020.
He notes hot chicken is very much different from traditional fried chicken, but he thinks he can handle both.
“Hot chicken is very popular in Wilkes-Barre. And in places like New Jersey and New York,” Shah said. “Wilkes Barre Twp. is a busy location. We think we will have a good response.”