quick bite: Nan’s Fried Chicken Sammie

May 30, 2021

Over the pat few months, the love for Nan’s chicken sandwich has been off the chart. My Instagram feed has regular reminders of how much all of my food friends love Nan’s Rustic Kitchen & Market and more specifically their fried chicken. I had no choice but to give it a go. So a couple of weeks ago, I took a ride to try what I was sure would be a life changing chicken sandwich.

Nan’s is located in a beautiful, restored farmhouse in Stow, MA. There is a large lawn with a couple of tables and people spread out blankets and eat picnic style too. An old well covered with glass sits just inside the front door. There is a nice selection of beer and wine, cookbooks, and sundries. But of course, we are not here for all that, but for the chicken sandwich.

There are a few things that make this sandwich stand out. First it is unbelievably crispy. Additionally, the crust is fantastically seasoned with herbs and spices, and the chicken breast it protects is tender and juicy. Compared to the soggy, flavorless breading surrounding thin rubbery chicken you get at most fast food restaurants, this sandwich doesn’t even belong in the same sentence. But despite all that, I left disappointed. It was good, but it just wasn’t the amazing sandwich I had been promised by so many people.

Could they all be wrong? Could this just be a fad? Can I even write that I wasn’t blown away and keep my credibility? Did I do something wrong? It turns out the answer to the last question is YES. Learn from my mistake. To really make this a great sandwich, you have to order it with extra slaw and extra mayo. The first sandwich had the slightest amount of both, and as good as the chicken is, it needed more.

So I found myself back at Nan’s last Thursday to give it another try. This time, ordered correctly, there was plenty of slaw made from shaved cabbage, broccoli, kale, and brussels sprouts. There was also plenty of smoky mayonnaise. I also got it with a side of spicy green beans, which were quite tasty. Now I at least understand what everyone raves about. Topped generously, this is a very good chicken sandwich.

My final verdict, not life changing, not the best chicken sandwich I ever ate, but definitely very good. There are a lot of people who really love this sandwich, so maybe it will be the best you ever ate. It’s worth a try. Go on a pretty day, order it with extra toppings, sit on the lawn, and you will have a good time.