Church’s Texas Chicken: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Church’s Texas Chicken is a fried-chicken chain, so it’s not the first stop most vegetarians picture, and the menu doesn’t pretend otherwise. There’s no vegetarian entree here. The sides do all the work instead, from crinkle-cut fries and fried okra to mashed potatoes, buttered corn, mac and cheese, and the chain’s famous honey-butter biscuits.

What to order at Church’s Texas Chicken

Build a plate from the crinkle-cut fries, mashed potatoes without the gravy, and buttered corn, which goes vegan if you ask them to hold the butter. Pickled jalapeno peppers are one of the only naturally vegan items on the whole menu. The honey-butter biscuits and baked mac and cheese round things out if you’re fine eating dairy, and apple or cherry pie covers dessert.

What to watch out for

The crinkle-cut fries share a fryer with chicken, so they’re vegetarian-friendly at best, not a guaranteed vegan pick if cross-contact matters to you. Fried okra and cole slaw both look plant-based but carry dairy or egg in the breading and dressing. Skip the Cajun rice entirely, it’s made with meat despite sounding like a simple side. The mashed potatoes are only vegetarian if you skip the gravy, a chicken-style white gravy made with dairy and egg. The Jalapeno Cheese Bombers and baked mac and cheese are vegetarian only too, thanks to the cheese in each. Menus vary by location, so confirm with staff before you order.