{"id":49229,"date":"2024-12-07T11:02:55","date_gmt":"2024-12-07T17:02:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=49229"},"modified":"2026-04-05T14:01:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T20:01:56","slug":"happy-chickenzz-albuquerque-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=49229","title":{"rendered":"Happy Chickenzz – Albuquerque, New Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
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As of October, 2024, the New Home For Happy Chickenzz is Albuquerque’s Bourbon House<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cAnd believe me, a good piece of chicken can make anybody believe in the existence of God<\/em>.\u201d
\n~Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian<\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Two things came to mind when my friend Nader and I approached Happy Chickenzz during our inaugural visit in September, 2019. First, I mused, \u201cif happy cows come from California<\/em> (a 2002 marketing campaign for California cheese), where do happy chickenzz come from<\/em>.\u201d My second rumination was to wonder if the \u2018zz<\/em>\u2019 at the end of the word chicken is an indication that the chicken is so boring, it\u2019ll put your taste buds to sleep. You know, zzzzz. As we were quick to learn, it’s not only the chickenzz who are happy here.\u00a0 So are diners.\u00a0 Endorphin-rush happy! Fully sated and blissfully happy! As for putting taste buds to sleep, these chickenzz have so much personality, so much depth of flavor, so much\u00a0 that they\u2019ll wake up the most staid of taste buds and delight even the most pedantic of palates.<\/p>\n

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Happy Chickenzz Occupies the Corner Area Just Beyond the Bar at the Bourbon House<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Happy Chickenzz started off as one of six original food pods at the pristine El Vado multi-use complex on Central Avenue just east of the Rio Grande.\u00a0 In October, 2024, Happy Chickenzz relocated to the Bourbon House, a bourbon and craft bar with a large space for dancing.\u00a0 Happy Chickenzz occupies a corner spot.\u00a0 On a concession stand type window, you’ll be greeted by chef-owner Tony Chalenphonh, a friendly guy with a perpetual smile.\u00a0 It won’t be the only time you’ll see Tony.\u00a0 He makes it a practice of visiting diners at their tables to ensure they’re enjoying their meals.\u00a0 At El Vado, the food pods may have proffered wonderful food, but their success was largely predicated on the weather.\u00a0 It’s a challenge to attract diners when it’s cold, windy or even too hot.\u00a0 The Bourbon House is comfortable year-round.<\/p>\n

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Tony, Chef-Owner of Happy Chickenzz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tony told us a little about his eatery’s concept.\u00a0 Essentially, Happy Chickenzz is about actualizing the flavor of fried chicken and showcasing its distinctive flavors with exciting sauces all served in a welcoming environment.\u00a0 Tony also hopes to introduce Duke City diners to elements of Laotian cuisine (hopefully to include laarb and Lao jerky).\u00a0 Now that he’s no longer ensconced in a shared space, he’s been able to introduce more diversity to the Happy Chickenzz menu.\u00a0 Now you can find smash burgers, sandwiches and even pizza on that menu.\u00a0 At El Vado, he was pretty much bound by a “non-compete” agreement that prevented him from offering foods available at other pods.<\/p>\n

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Garlic Soy Happy Wingzz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most people love chicken which to me is the most boring of all proteins (except when fried)–at least the way it’s prepared at far too many restaurants.\u00a0 We didn’t quite know what to expect from Happy Chickenzz though it was a virtual certainty it would be far superior to the Colonel’s cluckers (not that it takes much).\u00a0 Whether at El Vado or within the Bourbon House, Happy Chickenzz lives up to the vision Tony has.\u00a0 It’s also made a believer of my Kim who loves fried chicken even more than her dutiful husband does.<\/p>\n

14 August 2018<\/strong>: When it comes to chicken wings, many experts say fry, fry, fry again.\u00a0 Alas, the problem with some double-fried wings is that the second frying renders them as desiccated as a mummified body.\u00a0 Not so at Happy Wingzz where\u00a0 wings (available in quantities of six or twelve fried chicken wings) are as moist, tender, crispy and delicious as any wings you’ll find anywhere in the Duke City.\u00a0 With six flavors (garlic soy–spicy or regular, Cluckin’ Hot (Laos\/Thai inspired),\u00a0 buffalo, lemon pepper, Cajun, BBQ), you’re sure to find one to make your day.\u00a0 You can also enjoy your wings “naked” (no sauce, not eating nude).\u00a0 Being fire-eaters, Nader and I enjoyed a six piece order of Happy Wingzz with Cluckin’ Hot\u00a0<\/em>sauce<\/strong>.\u00a0 That sauce has a pleasant piquancy with a little chaser of fruity sweetness.\u00a0 It infiltrates the light batter and lends its fiery personality to the entire chicken.\u00a0 What a great introduction to Happy Chickenzz.\u00a0 During my second visit, my friend Kelley Warnock and I shared an order of Happy Wingzz with a spicy garlic-soy sauce.\u00a0 Another winger!<\/p>\n

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The El Vado Chicken Sandwich<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

14 August 2018<\/strong>: When he delivered our meal, Tony also brought us a disposable plastic cup with an even more incendiary sauce than the Cluckin’ Hot.\u00a0 At the time, the Carolina Reaper-Ghost Pepper sauce paired two of the most potent peppers in the world.\u00a0 At 2.2 million Scoville units, the Carolina Reaper is currently the hottest pepper in the world<\/strong><\/a> and the Ghost Pepper (1.04 million Scoville units) ranks seventh.\u00a0 What we appreciated most about this sauce is that it’s not about heat for heat’s sake.\u00a0 This sauce not only had a fiery personality, it has flavor.\u00a0 Both are intense and memorable.\u00a0 They imprint themselves on your taste buds and remain active well beyond your meal.\u00a0 We mostly used it on the rice and the “Shut Your Mouth” chicken, thoroughly enjoying the endorphin rush.\u00a0 Tony has since replaced those incendiary peppers with Thai peppers which are still too hot for most people.<\/p>\n

22 August 2018<\/strong>: Haf\u00fe\u00f3r J\u00fal\u00edus Bj\u00f6rnsson, better known as Gregor \u201cThe Mountain\u201d Clegane on HBO\u2019s \u201cGame of Thrones” can’t be typecast, especially after recently portraying the Kentucky Fried Chicken Colonel and hawking KFC’s Double Crispy Colonel Sandwich.\u00a0 In the huge hands of the 6’9″ 397-pound former professional strongman, the sandwich looked puny.\u00a0 Had he been holding Happy Chickenzz El Vado OG Chicken Sandwich<\/strong><\/em>, it would have appeared much more proportionate with his gigantic hand.\u00a0 The El Vado is one seriously large chicken sandwich, a fried (or grilled if you prefer) chicken breast, fresh greens, Sriracha aioli sauce and a three-blend cheese.\u00a0 With huge flavors to match the sizeable sandwich, it’s sure to become a local favorite.\u00a0 The large chicken breast is moist, juicy and best of all, lightly breaded.\u00a0 With its pleasant piquancy, garlicky, tangy-sweet personality the Sriracha aioli is a great touch.<\/p>\n

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The Diablo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

19 September 2019:\u00a0 <\/strong>In a recent article for Business Insider, Irene Jiang described true love in terms only a foodie would appreciate: “True love is a chicken sandwich that makes you feel full, whole, and taken care of. It’s a bun that envelops your chicken in a comforting embrace, a thick slab of juicy, crispy chicken that reminds you of a Southern city you’ve never been to<\/em>.” \u00a0 For the longest time, denizens of the fruited plain have found true love in chicken sandwiches from Chick-Fil-A, the most popular chicken chain under spacious skies.\u00a0 When Popeye’s debuted its own chicken sandwich, America showed how fickle it could be, with social media and local television talking chasing after the pretty new face.\u00a0 For a few weeks, a war ensued in which devotees of both sides declared their allegiances.<\/p>\n

When a well-meaning colleague asked me to weigh in, my personal and very local bias was on full display.\u00a0 “Why<\/em>,” I asked “aren’t local loyalists being asked who’s truly got the best chicken sandwich: Happy Chickenzz or <\/em>Chile Chicken Nashville Hot Chicken<\/strong><\/a>?<\/em>” \u00a0 And shame on you if you declare your love for those chump chains without having tried the locale fare.\u00a0 In addition to the El Vado described above, Happy Chickenzz offers the Diablo <\/strong><\/em>(fried chicken breast topped with Cluckin’ hot sauce, fresh slaw, chipotle aioli and a three-blend cheese served on a toasted bun with a side of seasoned fries).\u00a0 Not only might it make you cry tears of joy, you may shed a few on account of that Cluckin’ sauce which packs some serious heat.\u00a0 The fried chicken is magnificent–among the very best in town with neither Popeye’s or Chick-Fil-A even close.<\/p>\n

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Luau Pizza<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

7 December 2024<\/strong>:\u00a0 The Land of Enchantment’s perpetual “red or green” debate has nothing on another dining dispute.\u00a0 Most New Mexican’s may have a preference while still loving the other.\u00a0 Most of us recognize that some dishes go better with red while other dishes can only be made with green chile.\u00a0 A much more contentious debate exists regarding pineapple on pizza<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 Among detractors is Chef Gordon Ramsay who doesn’t mince words: “You don\u2019t put f\u2014ing pineapple on pizza<\/em>.”\u00a0 \u00a0Famous foodie Stanley Tucci also weighed in: “It\u2019s so repellent, were I to think of it, I might not survive.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 Paris Hilton and Justin Bieber, on the other hand, love pineapple on pizza.\u00a0 So does Duane “The Rock” Johnson.<\/p>\n

As a cynic who eshews parasocial interaction (a perceived relationship between an audience and performers, particular on television and online) and tends to dislike egocentric personalities, celebrity opinions carry as much weight as a mouse’s point of view.\u00a0 Pineapple on pizza may not be my favorite topping, but I won’t kick if off the table if offered or if I trust the pizzaioli.\u00a0 Tony’s menu includes five different pizzas including one called Luau<\/strong><\/em> (mozzarella, bbq pork, pineapple, Sriracha drizzle).\u00a0 It’s an excellent pizza, clearly demonstrating the chefs talents go far beyond chicken.\u00a0 About as thick as a Detroit style pizza, it’s got a crust reminiscent of fresh bread.\u00a0 Toppings are generously applied and the bourbon-tinged barbecue sauce is fantastic.\u00a0 It’s got just a bit of bite and tempers the sweet pineapple very well.\u00a0 On this pizza at least, I’ll have to agree with Paris Hilton and Justin Bieber probably for the first and last time ever.<\/p>\n

“Happy Chickenzz is Albuquerque\u2019s, first and true international house of chicken!”\u00a0 That’s how the Happy Chickenzz website describes this purveyor of pleasing poultry.\u00a0 Not only will it make you happy, you’ll happily recommend it to your friends.<\/p>\n

Happy Chickenzz<\/strong>
\n9800 Montgomery Blvd.,\u00a0 N.E.
\nAlbuquerque, New Mexico<\/strong>
\n(505) 417-6823
\nWeb Site<\/strong><\/a> | Facebook Page<\/strong><\/a>
\nLATEST VISIT<\/strong>: 7 December 2024
\n1st VISIT<\/strong>: 14 August 2018
\n# OF VISITS<\/strong>: 4
\nRATING<\/strong>: Very Good<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013\u00a0Good to very good food; generally solid; delivers consistent quality, strong technique, and a comfortable, enjoyable dining experience
\nCOST<\/strong>: $ – $$
\nBEST BET<\/strong>: “Cluckin’ Hot” Happy Wingzz, Spicy Garlic Soy Happy Wingzz ,El Vado Chicken Sandwich, The Diablo, Th
\nREVIEW #1058<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cAnd believe me, a good piece of chicken can make anybody believe in the existence of God.\u201d ~Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Two things came to mind when my friend Nader and I approached Happy Chickenzz during our inaugural visit in September, 2019. First, I mused, \u201cif happy cows come from California (a 2002 marketing campaign for California cheese), where do happy chickenzz come from.\u201d My second rumination was to wonder if the \u2018zz\u2019 at the end of the word chicken is an indication that the chicken is so boring, it\u2019ll put your taste buds to sleep. You know, zzzzz. As we were quick to learn, it’s not only the chickenzz who are happy here.\u00a0…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[440,522,703,36,141,5631],"tags":[4543,2609,4547,732,4545,4546,4549,4550,789,4544,4548,4542],"class_list":["post-49229","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-albuquerque","category-chicken","category-dog-friendly","category-fusion","category-new-mexico","category-very-good","tag-bourbon-house","tag-el-vado","tag-el-vado-og-chicken-sandwich","tag-fried-chicken","tag-garlic-soy-wingzz","tag-happy-wingzz-with-cluckin-hot-sauce","tag-luau-pizza","tag-pineapple-on-pizza","tag-pizza","tag-smash-burgers","tag-the-diablo","tag-tony-chalenphonh"],"yoast_head":"\nHappy Chickenzz - Albuquerque, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=49229\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Happy Chickenzz - Albuquerque, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cAnd believe me, a good piece of chicken can make anybody believe in the existence of God.\u201d ~Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Two things came to mind when my friend Nader and I approached Happy Chickenzz during our inaugural visit in September, 2019. 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