× Expand Courtesy Chicken Out The signature Chicken Out sandwich is served on a potato bun with pickles and Duke's Mayo.

Sugarfire Smoke House and Hi-Pointe Drive-In are opening a new fried chicken joint in The Loop this spring.

The restaurant, aptly named Chicken Out, will be in the former location of Piccione’s Pastry at the corner of Skinker and Delmar (6197 Delmar), will serve chicken sandwiches that range from mild to hot. Menu items will include “The Chicken Out” with fried chicken and crispy pickles on a potato bun and “The ChicRib,” with fried chicken breast, Sugarfire BBQ sauce, red onions, and crispy pickles. Sandwiches can be made with grilled chicken as well.

Future offerings will include chicken-themed riffs on popular sandwiches...look for a chicken philly, chicken meatballs...and even plant-based "chicken" meatballs.

Courtesy Chicken Out

Non-meat eaters will be introduced to “The Faux Hawk,” a plant-based spin on a classic fried chicken sandwich. "The fast casual segment has ignored the vegan and vegetarian sandwich market for so long," says restaurateur and partner Ben Hillman. "We plan to address that issue."

Chicken Out will find its footing with the help of local culinary icon Mike Johnson, the chef and co-owner of Sugarfire and Hi-Pointe Drive-In. Johnson, along with Sugarfire co-owner Charlie Downs, plan to bring an “elevated chicken experience” to the St. Louis food scene, Hillman said in a statement.

“Mike has an ability to bring classic food concepts to life, just as he’s done with barbecue at Sugarfire and burgers at Hi-Pointe,” Hillman added. "Traveling across the country, Mike and I found a lack of creativity in the chicken sandwich segment. We're simply filling that need."

Johnson first brines the breasts before dry breading, then broasting (rather than frying) them, a research process that took months, according to Hillman. "Brining helps hold in the moisture and broasting to order assures a fresher, juicier product, as well," Hillman says.

Side dishes will include "grandma's mac and cheese," kale slaw, and crinkle cut fries seasoned with "chicken salt," a popular seasoning spice Johnson discovered in Australia that's unavailable in the states. "So we're making our own," says Hillman, who says the spice blend includes garlic, onion, turmeric, powdered chicken stock, plus other seasonings. A vegan version is the works as well. The crinkle cut fry was selected because if its ability to better hold onto the seasoning.

Guests who want to get a sneak peek at Chicken Out can stop by a pop-up event this weekend. On Saturday (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m. to 9 p.m.), the restaurant will unveil some of its menu items at the Hi-Pointe Drive In flagship location (1033 McCausland). See pop-up menu below.

Chicken Out plans to host more pop-up events at Sugarfire locations before its grand opening in spring. The 2300 square foot space will seat 32 and be open for lunch and dinner seven days, plus "occasional late night TBD."

For updates, follow the restaurant on Instagram or Facebook.

Editor's Note: This article was updated with additional comments from Ben Hillman.