06/07/2025

ON SUNDAY JULY 6, 2025 theSunday Special IV Fried chicken brands that are Malaysian

D’Apple Fried Chicken K elantan’s crispy contender

Hailing from Kota Bharu, Kelantan, D’Apple Fried Chicken began in 2010 as a humble café and evolved into a full fledged brand in 2024 with restaurants and a growing line of frozen Western food products. They offer hearty fried chicken meals with black pepper or mushroom sauces and sides that are pure comfort food. Though still more regional than national, D’Apple is steadily gaining trac tion beyond the East Coast. Fun fact: They produce their line of sauces and ready-to-cook items, making D’Apple a contender not just in restau rants but also in retail.

BY ASHRAF WAHAB

Nope, not everything crispy and golden comes from the US W HEN it comes to fried chicken, we often default to big names like KFC or Texas Chicken without giving it a second thought. But here’s the crispy truth: Malaysia is home to some pretty legit homegrown fried chicken franchises, too. These local brands don’t just serve up crunchy, juicy ayam goreng – they’ve got their own flair, flavours and cult followings. So, if you’re looking to switch up your fast food routine or just want to support local businesses, here are some Malaysian fried chicken brands that deserve your at tention. Some of them might even surprise you. Founded in 1981 in Johor Bahru by husband-and-wife duo Lawrence and Nancy Liew, Marrybrown is Malaysia’s first homegrown fast-food chain and now has more than 500 outlets across 16 countries. Marrybrown was a trendsetter in localising fast food. They introduced nasi lemak into their menu long before others followed suit and continued to create fusion items like salted egg chicken and mi kari MB. Fun fact: The name “Marrybrown” is a three-syllable name which aligns with naming conventions in the fast-food Marrybrown Malaysia’s fried chicken OG

Ahmad’s Fried Chicken The widely shared online sensation turned into a national chain Born in Cyberjaya in 2020, Ahmad’s Fried Chicken exploded in popularity with its crisp-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the inside fried chicken. The brand now has dozens of outlets across Malaysia, thanks to its simple, nostalgic take on classic Malaysian-style fried chicken – spicy, no frills and always satisfying. Trivia: Their retro signage and nostalgic stall vibes are intentional, tapping into fond childhood memories of roadside ayam goreng .

Muiz Hot Chicken Towards a fried chicken empire Started by a local entrepreneur at the age of 20 and with an initial capital of RM800, Muiz Hot Chicken now has over 180 kiosks and several restau rants throughout the country. Their aim of becoming a fried chicken empire is on track, with sales at the end of 2021 reaching RM10 mil lion. With chicken menus including original, spicy, cheese, Korean and many more options, any visit will be hard to leave on an empty stomach. Trivia: The company recently cre ated an Aidilfitri commercial that stays true to Malaysian tradition, being heartfelt and emotional.

Hot Bird Malaysia K lang Valley’s fiery fried chicken spot Hot Bird Malaysia brings Nashville-style fried chicken to Klang Valley. Brined and seasoned to perfection, their chicken is crunchy, tender and always Insta-ready. In love with spice? Well, their chicken offers spice levels that suit almost any one – mild, hot, super hot, ‘burn baby burn’ and reaper. Keeping in line with Nashville-style flavours, they also serve items like cajun fries, mac and cheese and milkshakes. Trivia: Their least-selling heat level is also their spiciest one, the reaper. Let’s face it, only the very brave can handle that level of spice.

FowlBoys Klang Valley’s fried chicken sandwich darling FowlBoys started as a pop-up during the pandemic and now runs one of the most hyped fried chicken joints in KL. Specialising in American southern-style buttermilk fried chicken, they’ve earned a cult following for their crispy thighs, house pickles, secret sauces and pillowy soft buns. The OG sandwich is a crowd favourite, but don’t sleep on the “Hot Chick,” which brings the heat and the crunch in equal measure. Trivia: FowlBoys often drops special collaborations and limited menu items, so it’s worth following them on socials for the latest cravings. beyond. Their claim to fame? Giant, golden-brown chicken thighs fried to perfection, served with curry, sambal and veggies for a proper Malaysian style meal. Fun fact: Lim Fried Chicken didn’t franchise for decades, choosing instead to focus on consistency and quality. The OG stall is still one of the busiest lunchtime spots in town.

industry. It was a catchy, feel-good name that worked. And it sure did.

Lim Fried Chicken Subang’s legendary lunch line

Final Crunch These seven brands prove that Malay sia’s fried chicken game is more than just imports. From old-school hawker legends to spicy new-age sensations, these Malaysian-born heroes serve crispy, crunchy, flavour-packed experiences that are well worth the calories. So, the next time you feel the need for something deep-fried and delicious, support local and dig into one of these proudly Malaysian fried chicken joints.

Before Instagram and franchises, there was Lim Fried Chicken – a no-nonsense local legend that’s been serving massive portions of fried chicken with rice and curry since the 1980s. What began as a humble hawker stall in Klang Valley grew into a small but mighty chain with outlets in Subang, SS15 and