Cluck'in Chicken is a family-owned fried chicken restaurant on Kerikeri Road, proudly serving what many locals call the best chicken in Kerikeri. The kitchen runs on a secret recipe — a blend of herbs and spices perfected over generations — and every piece of chicken is fresh hand-battered and cooked to order, never pre-cooked or held under heat lamps.
The menu goes well beyond classic fried chicken. Alongside wings, boneless thigh, buttermilk, chilli and Korean-style fried chicken, you'll find chicken burgers stacked with coleslaw and house sauces, soft bao buns, chicken and ginger wontons, steamed pork buns, loaded fries and a kimchi-topped rice bowl with tofu or fried chicken. Daily specials cooked fresh keep things interesting, and six house sauces — from blue cheese aioli to Sichuan — let you flavour everything your way.
Find Cluck'in Chicken at 84C Kerikeri Road for dine-in or speedy takeaway, open Wednesday through Sunday. Call 09 401 6339 to order ahead or check the day's specials.
On Kerikeri Road, in the heart of Kerikeri, Cluck'in Chicken has earned a reputation as the town's top-rated fried chicken restaurant. It's a family-owned kitchen with a simple mission that hasn't changed since the doors opened: serve the most delicious, fresh hand-battered chicken that makes customers smile with every bite. Whether you're settling in for a casual dine-in meal or grabbing takeaway on the way home, everything comes out hot, crispy and cooked to order — no heat lamps, no compromises.
The secret to Cluck'in Chicken's flavour starts long before the fryer. At its core is a secret recipe — a blend of herbs and spices the family has perfected over generations — that gives the chicken its distinctive, unforgettable taste. The team pairs that recipe with quality ingredients and traditional hand-battering techniques, treating every piece with the care of proper craftsmanship. As a family business, they treat staff and customers like family too, which is a big part of why the room feels warm and welcoming to everyone who walks in.
Ask anyone what sets this place apart and you'll hear the same answer: freshness. Every piece of chicken is hand-battered and cooked to order — no pre-cooking, no holding under heat lamps, no cutting corners. The From the Fryer lineup covers all the bases: classic Wings, a Classic Boneless Thigh, and three house styles — Fried Chili Chicken, Korean Fried Chicken and Buttermilk Fried Chicken — each carrying that signature seasoning. Because everything is fried fresh, you get crispy, piping-hot chicken every single time.
The Burgers & Bao section shows a kitchen with real range. The Fried Chilli Chicken comes with charred cabbage, pineapple jam and a caramelised soy and ginger sauce; the Korean Chicken stacks coleslaw, pickled cucumber and Korean BBQ sauce; the Nash Vegas Spiced Chicken adds Kapiti cheddar and sour cream mayo; and the Buttermilk Chicken & Bacon layers onion jam, cheddar and BBQ sauce. There's even a Crispy Chicken & Cranberry with brie for something a little different. Bao buns come filled with your pick of chilli, Korean or buttermilk chicken, served with a choice of garlic aioli, BBQ or Sichuan sauce.
The Cluck'in Signature list is where things get creative. The Flaky Croissant with Crispy Chicken & Bacon, drizzled with maple syrup and served with a side of chips, is the dish people talk about — part brunch, part fried-chicken feast. Chicken & Ginger Wontons arrive with sweet chilli sauce, and Steamed Pork Buns with soy and chilli round things out nicely.
The Rice Bowl is a full meal in itself: tofu or fried chicken over pickled cucumber, kimchi, pickled ginger, soy and garlic pok choy and bean sprouts, finished with a drizzle of caramelised soy and ginger, bibimbap or Sichuan sauce. Sides lean indulgent — fries with bacon and cheese sauce, curly fries with blue cheese mayo, potato wedges with bacon and cheese — with soy and garlic pok choy for something greener. And don't skip the sauces: blue cheese aioli, lemon and honey, buffalo mayo and more are all on offer, with extra sauce available if you like to dip.
Cluck'in Chicken is built for both a relaxed sit-down feed and a fast turnaround. Service is quick and friendly, you can order ahead online or swing by for speedy takeaway, and the Specials of the Day mean there's often something new — they cook fresh every day, and the menu is regularly refreshed with seasonal offerings. As a proud local business, the team also gives back through community partnerships and initiatives.
You'll find them at 84C Kerikeri Road, Kerikeri, open Wednesday to Sunday and closed Monday and Tuesday. Call 09 401 6339 to check the day's specials or place an order — and if you have any allergies, just let the friendly staff know. For anyone hunting down the best chicken in Kerikeri, this is the spot the locals will point you to.