Spicy San Antonio: Dirty Bird Loaded Fries from Pete’s Hot Chicken

Bottom Line: The Dirty Bird Loaded Fries from Pete’s Hot Chicken offer a hefty amount of food and plenty of burn depending on which heat level you order.

There are plenty of places in San Antonio that I have yet to get to so that I can try their spicy offerings (though I am working my way through the list), but I do make return trips to places I have already visited, usually bringing somebody along so they can give it a try as well. I sampled the hot chicken at Pete’s last year and gave them a big thumbs up (more on that here), and I paid another visit this past week (bringing along Father David from my church, whose heat tolerance is above mine).

I had seen the Dirty Bird Loaded Fries on the menu previously and had planned on getting them at some point, so I stuck to that on my return visit. They come with the following: fresh-cooked fries, a cut-up chicken tender, mac n’ cheese, bacon, and comeback sauce. For the tender, I went with the Hot Damn! which is their second-highest heat level.

The Dirty Bird is certainly a load of food and meant to be shared, but I was particularly hungry that day and dove in with no looking back. The chicken tender is cut up and spread across the fries, and you know it’s there with the bursts of heat it delivers. It has a good crust that gives some crunch, and it is plenty meaty as well. It also has an intense peppery kick, but the other items in this stack of food help to offset the burn to a degree.

The fries are perfectly cooked with just a bit of crunch along with a soft interior, and they act as a good base. There’s not too much mac n’ cheese, but enough that those cheesy bites bring some cooling creaminess with just a touch of sharpness. The bacon adds some saltiness and smoke, and who doesn’t like bacon with loaded spuds? The comeback sauce adds a bit of sweetness and just a touch of tang, and you will definitely not be needing any ketchup on these. Basically, this is one good mess of fries that will certainly not leave you hungry.

As for the heat, the Dirty Bird does deliver a bite. I previously rated the Hot Damn! tender at Fiery on my scale, and it still holds up. But when tempered by the fries, mac n’ cheese, and comeback sauce, etc. overall this averages out to around Hot. That will vary from bite to bite, ranging from Medium to Fiery, but there is definitely some heat here.  If you go with the Aww Hell No!!! tender, be prepared for even more of a burn!

Pete’s does not give the calorie information for their menu items, and that’s probably for the best because the Dirty Bird packs those in. As I said above, this is probably meant to be shared, but I was piggy and ended up eating the whole thing at lunchtime. (And skipped dinner that evening!)

This order of loaded fries will set you back twenty bucks, but if you are sharing that cost with another person that’s not bad, and it will still be rather filling. Pete’s Hot Chicken just has the one location on South Presa, but it is certainly worth the trip. They offer dining inside now, and I highly recommend getting one of their agua frescas to go with your meal and cool your mouth down. And if you are looking for some heat, Pete’s has you covered with their hottest flavors, having earned their place on my Spicy San Antonio list.

Pete’s Hot Chicken
2418 S Presa St
San Antonio, TX 78210

Hours:
Mon – Tue: Closed
Wed – Thu: 11 AM to 9 PM
Fri – Sat: 11 AM to 10 PM
Sun: 11 AM to 9 PM