The other night David worked later than normal and he asked me what I wanted for dinner. I said I didn’t know just pick up something for Gerald, David and himself. David being himself and knowing I like to walk called me on his way to Buffalo Wild Wings for Gerald and Charlie as a way to get me out of the house and walking.
Actually it was his way of helping me decide what I wanted for dinner. Because sometimes dinner starts with something as simple as, “What do you want to eat tonight?” That was exactly how this Lisa’s Chicken trip started. We were all deciding what we wanted. I didn’t have a clue what I wanted but I hadn’t had chicken strips in a while.
I old David I would get Chicken Strips and Fried Okra which I had actually been thinking about getting them from another chicken place, but David had a different idea. “Lisa’s Chicken is cheaper, and it comes with a two-liter drink. Let’s go get it.” So off we went because David said he would eat it with me.
Lisa’s Chicken has several locations around the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but the one we usually visit is the location on Broadway in Haltom City, next to the police department. It is usually busy, but I’ve always found it to be clean. The people working there have always been nice to us and seem willing to go the extra mile to make sure we get what we ordered. The current listing for that location confirms it is at 5100 Broadway Ave. in Haltom City.
Now, Lisa’s Chicken is not my favorite chicken place but it is my mother in laws, Charlie’s and David’s favorite. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think there are things worth ordering there. The chicken strips are one of those things. They’re always hot, and were cooked to order. That makes a difference to me.
There is nothing worse than getting chicken strips that have been sitting around and are no longer hot and crispy. These were fresh when we got them, and the chicken itself was good. They were cooked all the way through which scares me with Chicken we purchase at restaurants. I chose fried okra as one of our sides. Now, I like my okra well, well, well done. Give me that crispy outside and I’m happy.
Unfortunately, this time the outside was a little too well done while the inside was still gooey and mushy. It seemed like the okra had been cooked too quickly at a high temperature, leaving the outside burned before the inside had a chance to finish cooking. That was definitely not my favorite part of the meal.
I also don’t care for Lisa’s mashed potatoes. They taste like instant potatoes to me, and I find them bland. There isn’t enough seasoning or flavor for my taste. So David did what David does sometimes and fixed the problem by getting us French fries instead. And these are the kind of French fries I like: crinkle-cut fries my favorite.
The fries were much more my style, especially once I added some of the white gravy. That gravy has a really good flavor, and putting it over the fries and then dipping the chicken strips into it made for a much better combination for me. The second side David choose for dinner was the macaroni and cheese.
That one was not my cup of tea either. I know plenty of people like Lisa’s macaroni and cheese, and just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean somebody else won’t. That’s one thing I always try to remember when I review food. My taste buds belong to me. Your family’s may disagree completely. If Charlie had been eating with us I would have gotten the Corn on the Cob.
The rolls, however, are something I really do like. My only complaint is that I wish they were hotter when we order them. By the time we get home, they’re never as warm as I would like. I usually put mine in the microwave for a few seconds and add butter. Sometimes the microwave makes them a little tough, but a warm roll with butter is still a pretty good addition to dinner.
And then there is the drink. One of the reasons David likes the deal we get is that it comes with a two-liter drink. Around our house, the answer is almost always Dr Pepper for Charlie and I and they sell Alcohol to-go so David can get his Beer. The other thing we like about ordering a large amount of chicken strips is the leftovers.
I believe we paid around $40 for the large order we got, although I would want to check the current menu before quoting the exact price. Lisa’s current online menu shows several tender-strip meals and sides, so prices and combinations can change. Because they always have specials listed on the windows when walking into the restaurant which you can eat in or take your food home.
But here is the funny part about this particular order. We usually get enough chicken strips for 4 people that we can make two meals out of it. This time, I’ve been eating these chicken strips for four or five days. And somehow, I am completely out of okra. I am out of French fries. I am out of gravy. But I still have chicken strips.
How does that even happen? That might be the best demonstration of just how much food you can end up with when you order a large amount. Would I call Lisa’s Chicken my favorite chicken restaurant? No. But would I go back for the chicken strips? Absolutely. The chicken strips are hot, they’re cooked to order, and they give us enough food to stretch one purchase into several meals.
For a family trying to make a food budget stretch, that matters. And that is really what I appreciate about doing these reviews. A review doesn’t have to mean I loved every single thing on the menu. Sometimes the most useful review is the honest one that says, “This is what I liked, this is what I didn’t care for, and this is what I would order again.”
For us, that would be the chicken strips, crinkle-cut fries, white gravy, and those rolls with a little butter. And yes, David will probably tell you that the two-liter Dr Pepper is part of the deal too. So if you’re in the Haltom City area and looking for a place where you can bring home enough chicken to feed the family more than once, Lisa’s Chicken is one of the places we have tried.
It may not be my favorite chicken restaurant, but it has earned a place in our rotation when David says, “It’s cheaper, and it comes with a two-liter.” Sometimes that’s how family dinner decisions are made. And sometimes, those decisions leave you eating chicken strips for five days and that is okay because it saves money and time I would spend cooking.
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates