These are the best places for fried chicken in Rio Rancho

Southern fried chicken, made to order, at the Hot Mess.

Richard S. Dargan/For The Journal

Andy Glickman Andy Glickman Andy Glickman Special to the Journal

Published March 8, 2024 - 8:00 a.m. Modified March 8, 2024 - 8:00 a.m.

It's not hard to find great fried chicken options in Rio Rancho.

Here are the five best places to find fried chicken in the city:

1. K'Lynn's Southern & Cajun Fusion

Address: 4300 Ridgecrest Dr SE O

Hours: Wednesday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Website:https://www.klynnsfusion.com/

Phone: (505) 453-3068

Classic and authentic cajun roots are honored at K’Lynn’s, so in addition to delicious fried chicken, you get staples like okra and crawfish etouffee. In fact, the menu is peppered with tributes to creole cuisine. Many sample a variety of the offerings in one sitting, including the catfish and a full variety of Po Boy sandwiches.

2. O’Hare’s Grille & Pub

Address: 4100 Southern Blvd.

Hours: Tuesday – Thursday 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Sunday

10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Website:https://www.oharesgrillepub.com/

Phone: (505) 896-0123

O’Hare’s has a fairly extensive menu and pretty much what you would expect from a grille and pub, but it’s all about the Chicken Fried Chicken – so good they named it twice. Diners differ on what makes it so good. Some say it’s homemade breading, but most agree that the Green Chile Cream gravy makes it extra special.

3. Stripes Burrito

Address: 2510 Southern Blvd NE

Hours: Monday – Saturday 5:30 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sunday 5:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Website: https://stripesco.com/

Phone: (505) 565-5351

With a name like Stripes Burrito, you’re not likely to think of great fried chicken. But the fact is that, in addition to serving a variety of amazing burritos, the diners come from all over for their buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich. A portion of all of their net proceeds are donated to the VA hospital.

4. M’Tucci’s Moderno

Address: 1908 Wellspring Rd SE

Hours: Monday – Thursday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Website:https://www.mtuccis.com/moderno

Phone: (505) 891-2432

In an effort to steer clear of the same old familiar fried chicken options that you can find in any town, we present Italian Fried Chicken, which is dark meat chicken confit fried to a crisp in sheep’s milk and herbs and topped with lemon. When it comes to fried chicken, it’s unique. When it comes to Italian food, it’s different. Many patrons enjoy pairing it with one of M’Tucci’s fine Italian wines.

5. Weck’s

Address: 1620 Rio Rancho Blvd SE

Hours: 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Website:https://www.wecksinc.com/

Phone: (505) 896-1411

Weck’s has been serving a wide variety of breakfast and lunch meals to grateful diners in the Southwest for over 30 years. And they have a special affinity for fried chicken as they offer several variations. The most popular is the chicken fried steak. The batter-to-gravy ratio is especially lauded by diners who particularly love the seasoning. It’s so popular that they serve a breakfast version with eggs and hash browns and a lunch version that comes with lunch sides. You can also find fried chicken in their chicken fried steak burrito, crispy chicken salad, and chicken and waffles.