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Did Portland really need another chicken joint?
According to chef Doug Miriello: Yes. And only because he boasts that his approach to preparing the poultry parts is a little different than most, resulting in a particularly good bird.
Charlie's Hot Chicken is a food delivery partnership between Miriello—who also helms the kitchen at recently opened Dimo's Apizza—and ChefStable Catering. Named after his 2-month-old son, Charlie, the project is something he's long wanted to launch after witnessing the success of a friend's hot chicken business in Boston.
"I've seen some great chefs feature hot chicken as specials or sandwiches, but haven't seen any establishments solely focus on hot chicken," Miriello said in a press release. "That's what we're setting out to do. Charlie's is a 'cheffed' up chicken concept, but still cheap and approachable for the masses."
Even though the heat index begins with "Mild" and peaks at a dangerous-sounding "Holy Cluck!," Miriello says he doesn't make his chicken spicy just to shock the palate.
He pays equal attention to flavor and crunch, using a double-brine method—first a saltwater solution, then a buttermilk hot sauce—followed by a seven-herb spice blend that remains a secret recipe. For weak tongues, however, there is a "Plain" option.
The delivery-only model is one that the restaurant group ChefStable will be rolling out more often over the next few months, as Portland's weather gets colder and wetter, leaving fewer feasible options for dining outside.
"Given the changing landscape, instead of solely brick-and-mortars, some of our upcoming concepts are delivery-only to accommodate how people are dining right now," says ChefStable founder Kurt Huffman. "It's an experiment for us but one we're excited about since it allows us to continue providing new and exciting food options to Portland during this difficult time and gives our talented chefs like Doug a chance to innovate and test. It's a bit of an incubator but with much less risk than a traditional restaurant."
The menu includes hot chicken in everything from a sandwich to a salad to a pile of loaded crinkle-cut fries. There are also large family-style meals and a slew of Southern-style sides, like coleslaw and Texas toast.
Charlie's Hot Chicken can be ordered on Postmates and Uber Eats. Current hours are Tuesday-Sunday from 11 am to 8 pm.