Liquid Riot’s chicken skin sliders are great, but not the best in America

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On June 3, Restaurant Hospitality named Liquid Riot Brewing Company’s chicken skin sliders the best chicken sandwich in America. 

Naturally, as a lover of fried chicken sandwiches, I was eager to try out such a prestigious award winner.

The sandwich is very simple, a couple of pieces of crispy fried chicken skin, with oranges and Sour Trouble brown ale jam.

I’ll not mince words here, they are delicious. Chicken skin can be overpowering, especially as the meat of a sandwich. But the oranges and jam provided enough acidity to neutralize the heaviness of the skin. Our own Kathleen Pierce advises to enjoy them with a cold, crisp sour ale.

The order, which I shared with a friend, came with three sliders and cost $9. It’s excellent bar food, but not exactly lunch. I could have eaten three or four orders.

If you were drinking at Liquid Riot, these sliders would, probably, be even better. You might also be in a foggy state where spending $9 on a plate of three Oreo-sized sliders wouldn’t be as disappointing.

But if we’re talking award-winning here, I’m not sure it’s deserving of its title. In my experience with fried chicken sandwiches, I can name two that are better just in Portland:

  • The Crispy Chicken biscuit from Dutch’s on Preble Street

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I urge you to try them all and tell me your favorite.