US cult fried chicken brand Houston Hot Chicken is to make its UK debut, joining the Pizza Express portfolio of brands.
HHC will initially launch in the UK with three restaurants, but there are plans for it to roll out to 50 locations nationally over the next three years.
The fried chicken chain, which was founded in 2020 and operates around 30 locations in the US, offers a menu built around Nashville hot chicken.
It features items including tenders & waffles, nuggets, fries and the Original Hot Chicken Sandwich, which is available in spice levels from mild to ‘Houston, We Have A Problem’, which is a two million on the Scoville scale and requires a waiver to order.
In the UK, HHC will be backed by the team behind Pizza Express and Mac & Wings, with the move marking a “major milestone” for the Pizza Express group and HHC’s international expansion, the pair said.
“We’re thrilled to be adding Houston Hot Chicken to our house of brands, bringing something truly distinctive to the UK market: bold flavour, real energy and an experience that stands apart,” said Pizza Express, Mac & Wings, and HHC group CEO Paula MacKenzie. “This is chicken unlike you’ve seen it before.”
HHC president Brian Simowitz added: “Working with the Pizza Express team to expand for the first time internationally is truly an exciting moment for us.
“No one knows fried chicken better than HHC, and no one knows the UK market better than Pizza Express, making this the perfect partnership. We can’t wait to fly the coop and land in the UK, bringing something unexpected and exciting to chicken consumers.”
It launches as a rival to Dave’s Hot Chicken, which also specialises in Nashville-style hot chicken and launched in the UK in December 2024.
The same year, the fast food chain’s private equity-backed owner Azzurri Group, which also owns Ask Italian, Zizzi and Coco di Mama, won the master franchise rights for the brand in the UK and Ireland. At the time, the pair unveiled plans to launch 60 locations across the UK.
Meanwhile, the wider chicken market continues to boom in the UK. According to data from Meaningful Vision, chicken was 2025’s best-performing fast food category. The number of chicken-focused outlets grew by 6.5% year on year, and visits were up 5.6%, while chicken accounted for 35% of fast food menus.
Competition in the sector has also continued to build in recent months, with New Orleans-born chicken brand Popeyes having expanded to more than 100 UK restaurants. Rival US chain Raising Cane’s is set to enter the UK market with a flagship site in London’s Piccadilly Circus at the end of this year.
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