MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — There's something about a fiery kick that people can't get enough of.
The sweet burn of Nashville Hot Chicken is unique.
But over in Murfreesboro, Mylikia and Germayle Franklin are on a mission to prove that good hot chicken, isn't only served in Music City.
"I think all over the state specially Middle TN, we can appreciate and love Nashville-style hot chicken, so we want to have it here as well. And we have a lot of great food trucks that serve Nashville-style hot chicken right here in Murfreesboro," Mylikia said.
The two are so confident in their city's hot chicken artisans that they started a festival to put them in the spotlight.
"We rally around each other and support each other. And that's why we sit here sweating today to make sure they have a good successful business day," she said.
Many of the vendors have been in the chicken business for a long time and said it's special to do what they love in their own backyard.
"We haven't changed the recipe or anything that we've done in 30 years. And we've been in Murfreesboro since 2006. We do it the same way every time," the owner of the Chicken Shack, Kenyatta Pumphrey, said.
The festival also featured a friendly competition to determine the winners of 4 categories: People's Choice, Hottest of the Hot, Most Creative, and Best in the Boro.
In the category of Best in the Boro, Momma Joy's, took first place, but participants say it's all a friendly competition because they all win when people support local small businesses.
The Franklin's say when it comes to good food, there's enough space for everybody.
"We're on our second year but I think there's room to eat chicken just about every day of the week and everywhere. So we would love for people to come and enjoy our festival as well," Mylikia said.
The winners of the Murfreesboro Hot Chicken are listed below:
- People’s Choice: Bills Hot Fish and Chicken
- Best in the BORO: Momma Joy's Hot Chicken
- Hottest of the Hot: Bills Hot Fish and Chicken
- Most Creative: Gramma's Hands Sweetery
