ST. GEORGE —Picture this: Crispy Nashville hot chicken sandwiches dripping with a signature house sauce, nestled between a pillowy brioche bun alongside fries, pickles and slaw that’ll have your taste buds doing a happy dance. But wait, there’s more. 

They have tantalizing tenders, mouthwatering waffles, loaded fries that’ll make your heart skip a beat, salads bursting with freshness and a lineup of refreshing lemonades, creamy milkshakes and irresistible cookies to round out your feast.

Welcome to St. George’s brand new Houston TX Hot Chicken, where they’re all about bringing the heat in a fun and flavorful way. 

“It’s been insane,” St. George Franchise Owner Cody Steck said. “The community response has been exceptional. We had somewhere between 1,200-1,400 people show up to the grand opening and it was a huge hit.” 

Before diving into the world of franchising, Steck had a 10-year stint in real estate – a detour he never saw himself taking forever. He viewed it more as a launchpad for his grand adventure into other exciting business opportunities. 

Steck’s YouTube rabbit hole led him straight to Houston TX Hot Chicken. One of the founders ran a channel, and as a Vegas car aficionado, he had Steck hooked from the get-go. He hopped on a plane from Salt Lake and jetted off to Las Vegas to dive deeper into the opportunity.

“I met with some guys and tried the food,”  he said. “I fell in love with the food, honestly. That’s a big reason I’m here, because it really is something different. I think a lot of people are realizing that now.”

The franchise concept has always fascinated him because it provides the best of both worlds – support to kickstart his venture, with the ability to still be the captain of his own ship. Taking on the high risk and high reward was something he was ready for. It was nearly two years ago that he stumbled upon the franchise, and on March 9, his St. George spot flung open its doors to the world.

The grand opening included a car show with around 70 cars with values up to half a million dollars. Houston TX Hot Chicken gave away over 900 free sandwiches.

Steck emphasized that the perfect balance can be found in their pricing, reflecting the exceptional quality of their food. There are 10 main items on the menu, which include three types of chicken sandwiches — original, cheesy and plain with pickles. There are three tenders and fries combos, as well as two salad and two fry options.

“It’s a pretty simple menu and people really like that, because you come for the chicken,” he said. “Everybody’s always had this food, we just do it differently. We figured out a higher quality way to create chicken and fries.”

The chicken comes in a variety of flavorful options and heat levels. Things kick off with the classic plain chicken breast. The flavor is turned up with honey butter – no spice, all taste. Things really ramp up with five spice levels ranging from mild to medium to spicy. Steck warned that while some may think mild or medium is light on spice based on other experiences, these flavors pack more punch than you expect.

For the brave souls out there, spice goes to a new level with “Lift Off.” And their hottest spice level “Houston We Have a Problem” requires a waiver before consuming. It packs a punch at 2 million SHU, matching the heat level of weapons-grade pepper spray utilized by police forces worldwide.

During the grand opening, 10 people were challenged to eat three of the “Houston We Have a Problem” chicken tenders with nothing to drink. If they held it down without throwing it back up for three solid minutes, they could win $1,000.

“We only had one guy that did it and he was literally like pouring sweat and crying and it was coming out of his nose and it was way bad,” he said. “It’s no joke. It’s hot.”

When it comes to ingredients, they’re all about keeping it real with all-natural, anti-biotic and hormone-free, responsibly sourced, free-range goodness. No frozen stuff here, folks. For those seeking Halal options, their chicken is raised and processed humanely per Arabic community practices.

Their mission? To serve up fresh and delicious eats that’ll keep you coming back for more, every single time. Steck said they’ve cracked the code on blending the expertise of a top-notch chef with the speed and convenience of a casual dining experience. 

But it’s not just about the food. They’re here to create an atmosphere that allows visitors to kick back, relax and savor.

Houston TX Hot Chicken is located at 1216 S. Bluff Street, #120 in St. George. For more information, see their website.

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