Listen up hot heads, Prentiss Harris, Oak Park resident, OPRF dad and owner of Big Shrimpin, 5963 W. Madison St. in Austin, is poised to bring his version of Nashville hot chicken to Forest Park. Chubby’s Hot Chicken, is mere weeks away from opening in the former home of Small Batch Barbecue, 7441 Madison St.
For food lovers in the know, this won’t be the first time they’ve tasted Harris’ hype-worthy fried chicken. In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, he opened Chubby’s Char House, known for burgers and chicken sandwiches, in the same location that now houses Big Shrimpin.
Harris closed Chubby’s in favor of embracing a more streamlined seafood menu to cut down on prep and staffing needs during the challenging time for restaurants. With hand battered shrimp, catfish, and signature Cajun salmon flying out of the Austin counter service establishment, Harris set his sights on opening a second restaurant where he could bring his passion for serving pristine fried chicken front and center.
The entrepreneurial spirit runs deep in Harris who grew up in Cabrini Green, falling in love with music and eating food prepared by his mother and grandmother. His mother was known for being experimental in the kitchen and turned-out uncommon meals and scratch-made baked goods.
“She was a really good cook,” said Harris. “I mean everyone thinks their mom is a great cook, but I realized when I was older and started eating at other people’s houses that she really was one of the best.”
Following in his mother and grandmother’s footsteps, Harris began his own cooking journey when he was just eight years old. He took early inspiration from cartoons, teaching himself how to flip pancakes for his siblings by watching Looney Toons, The Smurfs, and even Disney’s Gummi Bears. As he started embracing his natural abilities in the kitchen, Harris made his way to the library to get his hands on picture-laden cookbooks to fuel his creativity.
Harris credits his artistic side to being a Pisces — he was drawn to making music, cutting hair and drawing nearly as much as he enjoyed cooking. Despite his varied interests, Harris, a self-described “open book,” admits he turned to the streets.
“There was so much money to be made out there and we didn’t have roles models in many other careers,” said Harris. “Desperation breeds mistakes and I made some mistakes, but I never gave up on my restaurant dreams.”
After a period of deep reflection Harris channeled his energy in a new direction. He focused first on making music with considerable success and ultimately opted to fulfill his childhood dream of opening his own restaurant. Initially he wanted to open a hot dog and burger stand, but one trip to Roost Chicken and Biscuits, 2011 W. Roscoe St. in Chicago, shifted his focus to chicken.
“I had never had Nashville fried chicken before and the Roost made these hot chicken tacos,” said Harris. “ I just loved them and thought I could make something like it.”
Just like he did as a boy in the library, Harris threw himself into researching the differences between Nashville and Chicago fried chicken recipes. Eventually he created a unique approach all his own. Enter the Foghorn Leghorn, the hot fried chicken sandwich Harris named after a cartoon character he adored as child.
The sando is bound to be a standout on Madison Street in Forest Park just as it was in Chicago. A duo of perfectly fried Nashville style hot chicken tenders are served on a bun with house-made cucumber jalapeno slaw. Chubby’s Hot Chicken will also offer fried bone-in breast and leg quarters as well as sides including collard greens, coleslaw, fried okra and macaroni and cheese.
“I want people who visit Chubby’s to understand the amount of love that goes into everything we do,” said Harris. “I want people to know we buy the best ingredients and sell our food at a good price. We make consistency a priority in every item that comes across the counter.”
Chicken heads should expect Chubby’s Hot Chicken to open in the coming weeks. Harris is planning a month-long “soft opening” with limited menu options. Diners can expect Chubby’s to be open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
You need to know
• Before embracing the culinary side of life, Prentiss Harris, was part of the Chicago based hip hop duo, Dude ‘n Nem. They snagged a record deal and their 2007 single “Watch My Feet” made it to number 20 on the Billboard Magazine Bubbling Under Hot 100 list. You can give it a listen on Spotify.
• Harris visited Nashville for the first time after he opened his restaurant in 2020. He said he “visited every chicken place twice” before determining his hot chicken was “spot on” and left feeling like a “country boy.”
• The Foghorn Leghorn, as served at Chubby’s Char House, made Melissa Elsmo’s list of best dishes of the year on Oak Park Eats in 2021.
