From left, Javier Ernesto Garza Jr., Javier Ernesto Garza Sr. and Victor Gabriel Garza pose outside Ernie’s Barbecue at Golondrina Food Truck Park on July 20, 2026. The family-owned business recently introduced its Texas Hot Chicken concept, blending Nashville hot chicken with South Texas flavors.
Maria Ruiz/Laredo Morning Times
Since 1997, Ernie’s Smokehouse Texas Barbecue in Laredo has built its reputation on brisket, ribs and the traditional fixings found at a South Texas carne asada. Now, the family-owned business is adding a new menu item by introducing what it calls Texas Hot Chicken, blending Nashville hot chicken with South Texas flavors.
The new menu debuted July 19, at Golondrina Food Truck Park, when owner and chef Javier Ernesto Garza Jr. said the food truck sold out roughly 3,000 plates in about six hours.
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The meal features what Garza describes as Texas-sized chicken strips served with coleslaw, Texas garlic toast, house sauce, barbecue sauce, ketchup and hot honey.
The response drew long lines, with some customers sharing on social media that they waited up to three hours to try the new menu item. The overwhelming demand also prompted Ernie’s Barbecue to open at the beginning of the week after initially selling out, despite normally operating from midweek through the weekend.
A sign announces Ernie’s Barbecue’s Texas Hot Chicken concept at Golondrina Food Truck Park on July 20, 2026. The family-owned business debuted the new menu in July with a South Texas twist on Nashville hot chicken.
Maria Ruiz/Laredo Morning Times
As he reflected on opening day, Garza said customer traffic has remained steady at the Golondrina location.
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“It feels great knowing that the community is receptive of the idea,” he said.
Garza said creating a hot chicken that reflected South Texas took more than six months of recipe testing.
“We’re locals, we’re Laredoans and we’re trying to bring that here but with a Texas twist,” he added. “So we’re doing it like bigger tenders, bolder flavors.”
The Texas influence extends beyond the portion size. Garza said the chicken is double dredged, double fried and coated in a masa-based breading before being served with buttery Texas toast, pickles and jalapeños. The menu offers four spice levels — No Heat, Mild, Hot and Texas Heatwave — with the final level featuring ghost pepper, Carolina Reaper and scorpion pepper.
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“I do my own secret blend … of different peppers that are more native to Laredo or to South Texas, so you’ll see like the ancho pepper, chipotle pepper in there,” he said. “I kind of create a level where, when you eat it, the level of the heat kind of builds up in your mouth.
“I usually finish them off with the ghost pepper, the Carolina Reaper and then the scorpion pepper, so different amounts of all three. I had the local kind of flavor and then for the heat purpose I had those three in moderation.”
Ernie’s Barbecue’s Texas Hot Chicken meal is pictured at Golondrina Food Truck Park on July 20, 2026. The meal features double-dredged, double-fried chicken tenders served with Texas toast, fries, coleslaw and house-made sauces.
Maria Ruiz/Laredo Morning Times
Apart from looking to beat a national chain to bringing Nashville hot chicken to Laredo, Garza said adding chicken to the menu was also a business decision as beef prices continue to rise.
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“We’re gonna sell two categories, the barbecue and the chicken,” he said. “For us, I think the chicken is more profitable than barbecue right now. The economy the way it is, brisket prices are skyrocketing.”
Javier Ernesto Garza Sr. founded Ernie’s Barbecue in 1997 while serving in the military before later opening a location on McPherson Road.
Nearly three decades after Garza Sr. founded Ernie’s Barbecue, and nearly three years after Garza Jr. revived the family’s food truck operation, Garza Sr. said watching his sons build on that foundation has been one of his proudest moments.
“I feel great, honored with my sons,” he said. “They have a lot of respect for the customers, which makes the business good.”
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Brother and business partner Victor Gabriel Garza said the expansion is another step toward growing the family business.
“The food truck is something that we’ve always wanted to bring,” he said. “Hopefully we can get more people to come and just grow the brand.”