The Spicy Bird at Roots Chicken Shak, proud as a peacock
Lauren Drewes Daniels
Chef Tiffany Derry is expanding her empire to Addison this week. You may know her best for her lauded Southern fare spot, Roots Southern Table in Farmers Branch. Or for her Italian restaurant, Radici, which is just next door to Roots. But don’t forget about the humble chicken shack, which serves some of the best chicken sandwiches and fries in North Texas.
Roots Chicken Shak opened its first location inside Legacy Hall in Plano back in 2017, where everything that can be is fried in duck fat. The new location in Addison is a franchise location, headed by Corey and Marian Epperson.
The menu is the same, with duck-fat fried chicken served as wings, tenders and sandwiches as well as atop salads. There’s also a Mississippi catfish sandwich and filets. Sides include duck-fat fries, greens, red beans and rice and mac and cheese with banana pudding for dessert.
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The spicy chicken sandwich, aka the Spicy Bird, is the crown jewel. A thick duck-fat fried chicken breast is served on a sweet potato bun, with a seasoned kale salad, pepper jack cheese (they use a blow torch to sear it to the crispy chicken), with pickled peppers, pickles, tomato, red onion and kimchi mayo. See? They’re not playing around.
The Addison location will also have a fried chicken biscuit sandwich, with Steen’s butter (no idea what that is, but very intrigued) and pepper jelly.
Roots Chicken Shak’s grand opening is Monday, Dec. 8, and thereafter is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily at 3748 Belt Line Road.