There’s another new regional chicken chain coming to New Jersey. Slim Chickens will open 17 new locations in the Garden State.
Slim Chickens Expands to the Northeast
The Arkansas-based fast-casual chain specializes in hand-breaded chicken tenders, crispy wings, salads, mac bowls, and whimsical sweets like Nilla Banana Bread Pudding, which comes layered in a mason jar.
It’s a part of a broader strategy by the company to grow their presence in the Northeast. Right now, Slim Chickens locations are spread across the country, with an increased presence in the South and Midwest. The restaurant chain has largely avoided the Northeast and West Coast until now.
Chains Keep Coming to Jersey
It’s one of several new chains to come to New Jersey within the last year—and the second regional chicken restaurant to expand its presence here.
Raising Canes opened their long-anticipated Fairfield outpost this year. Bojangles followed. And In 2025, popular hamburger slider chain Krystal announced it would open a Union location.
Hand-Breaded Tenders, Mac, and More
So, what sets Slim Chickens apart?
Slim Chickens is known for their buttermilk-marinated, hand-breaded chicken tenders, which they call the “building block” for the entire menu. That famous chicken comes on its own, on sandwiches, in bite form called “Slim’s Tender Bites,” chopped on top of mac and cheese, and even with waffles for a classic Southern staple.
To go with the chicken are a variety of house sauces, including Slim Sauce, Cayenne Ranch, Garlic Parm, Gravy, Sweet Red Chili, Korean BBQ, and more.
Now, they bring that same comfort food to New Jersey. It’s actually the brand’s second attempt to expand to the state. In 2021, Slim Chickens opened a Flemington location, but it closed after a few short months.
According to Jersey Digs, the 17 Slim Chickens locations will be spread across Middlesex, Mercer, and Essex Counties, with a planned opening sometime in 2017. No official addresses have been released yet.
It comes at a time of rapid growth for Slim Chickens, and New Jersey gets yet another regional favorite because of it.
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
