Critic Rating: 8.5/10
Chicken-N-Chapli, an old but newly reinvented restaurant, reopened on Horace Harding in Fresh Meadows this past summer. Also known as Halal Chicken-N-Chapli, the name advertises that their whole menu is halal. It’s only 30 minutes away from Townsend Harris and easily accessible via the Q88 or Q17. Although it’s a smaller restaurant, it still offers seating for two, four, and more than six people, as well as bar stools at a high table next to its big windows. Previously known as Chicken and Shakes, the restaurant featured a menu focused on fried chicken options, such as chicken sandwiches, burgers, tenders, and more. Recently, however, they reinvented their options, expanding on its previous dishes. The new menu now includes Chapli Kebabs, a type of patty made from minced beef or chicken, that can be paired with anything on the menu, including platters, salads, wraps, and sandwiches.
Still available from the previous menu, I ordered the Spicy Mac-N-Chicken bowl for $10.99. This is a layered bowl filled to the top; the bottom layer is macaroni and cheese and on top is cut up chicken tenders that can be customized with flavors like mango habanero, spicy buffalo, roasted garlic, and more. The bowl is then topped with their famous house kicker sauce, white sauce, paprika seasoning, and pickles or jalapenos, depending on your preference. I found this dish delectable — the chicken paired well with the mac and cheese without overpowering its taste. The workers generously loaded up the bowl with lots of sauce, ensuring the chicken was evenly covered and not left dry. I personally really like their wide variety of sauces, but my favorite is the kicker sauce because it’s a variation of the white sauce but with added ingredients that make it both spicy and tangy. The extra topping of pickles and pickled jalapenos at no additional cost is a refreshing touch as it adds a nice pickled flavor. If you do get the bowl when you visit, I would recommend the Spicy Mac-N-Chicken rather than the original due to their house kicker sauce which stands out from other spicy sauces. Overall, I’d give it a 9/10.
Venturing onto the new menu, I also ordered the Beef and Chicken Platter for $13.99. The platter consists of brown rice, sliced chicken and beef patties, fries and your choice of toppings. The staff prepare the platter and then call you over to select toppings from their sauces and vegetable bar. I added lettuce, cucumbers, olives, mixed salad, pickles, and both the white sauce and kicker sauce onto mine. I really enjoyed this platter as it was different from other chicken platters I’ve had around NYC. The patties were cooked to perfection — both tender and distinct in flavor, making it easy to differentiate between the chicken and beef. The fries were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and were a good addition at no extra cost. The vegetables and sauces complemented the dish well, enhancing its overall flavor as the vegetables added a refreshing touch and the sauces made the rice more flavorful. I would recommend this if you are looking for a more South Asian approach on food or if you like getting platters from street carts but want something a little different. All in all, I’d give it a 8.5/10. I don’t usually opt for platters, but this was definitely worth it.
I went to the restaurant with my friends, and one of them ordered the 6-piece Spicy Buffalo Boneless Wings for $10.99. Unfortunately, these were disappointing compared to the rest of the food, as they were honestly too spicy. I absolutely love buffalo sauce — it’s one of my favorites — but this version was too overpowering to the point that it couldn’t be enjoyed. While they nailed the tart buffalo flavor, maybe a bit too well, the excessive spice overshadowed the taste. The chicken, however, was fully cooked, tender, and coated generously with sauce. The wings were fried, and the coating of the chicken was perfectly crisp and pretty crunchy, even under the sauce. I wouldn’t recommend getting the spicy buffalo flavor, but rather just regular buffalo to save yourself from the heat unless you’re up for a serious challenge. In the end, I’d give it a 6/10. I like buffalo wings but this was simply too much.
Lastly, for drinks, my friend and I ordered their milkshakes since they are a big part of their menu. They have a variety of different flavors, but we opted for the Peanut Butter Brownie and Salted Caramel Pretzel milkshakes, each of which were priced $9.49. Additionally, they came with whipped cream on top, along with drizzles of their ingredients lining the inside of the cup. I preferred the Peanut Butter Brownie over the Salted Caramel Pretzel because I love brownies, and they nailed the brownie flavor. The peanut butter was definitely stronger in the drink but still a great addition to the brownie and enhanced the overall flavor. I’m not a huge caramel fan, so I didn’t have high expectations for the Salted Caramel Pretzel. However, despite being on the sweeter side, it was still delicious. The caramel was very distinct in taste but the saltiness from the pretzels and salted caramel created a nice balance. I would recommend any of their milkshakes but especially these two because they were amazing in thickness, flavor, and overall quality. Accordingly, I’d give Peanut Butter Brownie an 8/10 because I think it could be more chocolatey, and the Salted Caramel Pretzel a 7/10 because again, I’m not a sweets person and this was certainly on the sweeter side.
Overall, Chicken-N-Chapli was an amazing restaurant, and I’m very happy that I got to try their new menu items along with others I haven’t had before. Their food was served hot and fresh, arriving at our table almost immediately. The service was impeccable, as they allow you to customize a lot of items to your liking without extra charge. The milkshakes were really good, and my favorite food item was the spicy mac and chicken. That being said, the menu is a bit expensive, as most dishes weren’t under $10, and ordering even a few things can push your budget past $20. However, it is still a great place to visit with friends or family due to their sheer variety of options and their huge menu.
