The Best Fried Chicken in Manchester – Jerk Shack

The best street food always starts from word of mouth, and Jerk Shack is one of them!

S has been paying attention to this place for a while because of the amazing photos on their Instagram. S is only in the city during the weekdays, so S has to rush to get to the restaurant after work since they close quite early. The restaurant is right next to the Arndale which is on the same street as the amazing brunch place, Federal Cafe.

The restaurant is not big so you may need to share a table with other people during busy period. You’ll have to get your food at the counter, and pay before taking your food away. A little reminder is that this place is cash only. There are plenty of cash machines around the area, so don’t worry if you suddenly need to get some cash.

As they don’t have a website right now, S will provide their menu below. As you can see all the mains are under a tenner! S had already decided what she was gonna order before she visited, and they were Curried Mutton (£7), Shredded Jerk Chicken (£7) and Fried Chicken Thighs (£5).

The Fried Chicken is one of the highlights of Jerk Shack. You could even say they have the best fried chicken in Manchester, and S would agree with you! The Fried Chicken was well fried and crunchy but not oily at all. The portion of each chicken thigh is rather big. The most important part is they are boneless, which means you won’t need to get your hands dirty! Furthermore, they even taste awesome after reheating since S ordered too much and brought some chicken back this time.

As you can see in the photo, the portion of the dish here is huge! The taste of Jerk Chicken was authentic and S would say it was more sweet than spicy. Moreover, the chicken was super tender and it went perfectly with the homemade slaw. S would like to try their spicy rice next time which might give this dish another layer of the flavour.

There is only one word can describe their Curried Mutton – WOW! The mutton was super tender which melted immediately the second you put it into your mouth. Moreover, the mutton had absorbed the curry well and gave the mutton a richer flavour. The portion was huge again and S had to struggle to finish it. It’s definitely a bargain!

Overall, the Fried Chicken Thighs and Curried Mutton are definitely a must eat when you visit! S could imagine herself coming here for lunch everyday if her work place was closer! Especially for their fried chicken, S just can’t get enough of it! S would love to try their Jackfruit dishes sometimes, since she has never tried it before. If you are in the city centre and want to try something different, Jerk Shack should be the one on your list!

Restaurant info: 
Address: 12 Church St, Manchester M4 1AH
Opening hours: Mon.-Sat. 11am-7pm; Sun. 11am-5pm
Site: https://www.instagram.com/jerkshacknq/