It was the best of times; it was the most finger-lickin’ of times. On the evening of May 26, 2022, more than 50 of the city’s best chefs and hundreds of self-proclaimed fried chicken fanatics took over Denver’s Elitch Gardens for the ultimate chicken championship.
From crispy, crunchy drumsticks and spicy fried chicken sandwiches to saucy, savory wings, the heat was on high at this culinary competition, but only the pluckiest of the bunch could be crowned king of the coop.
Here are your chicken-lovin’ champions of the 2022 Chicken Fight Festival:
Judges’ (Blind Tasting) Choice:
Fried Chicken:
1st place: Split Lip Chicken
2nd place: Family Meal, Co.
3rd place: Lake House Kitchen + Tavern
Wings:
1st place: Stoney’s Bar & Grill
2nd place: Spanky’s Roadhouse
3rd place: 10 Barrel Brewing Co.
Cocktail:
1st place: Union Lodge No. 1
2nd place: Spanky’s Roadhouse
3rd place Stoney’s Bar & Grill
Peoples’ Choice:
Fried Chicken:
1st place: Lake House Kitchen + Tavern
2nd place: Kickin’ Chicken Lakewood
3rd place: Split Lip Chicken
Wings:
1st place: Spanky’s Roadhouse
2nd place: Outlaw Wings
3rd place: Angry Chicken
Cocktail:
1st place: Lake House Kitchen + Tavern
2nd place: Rooted Craft Kitchen at Avanti F+B
3rd place: CD’s Wings
