Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken on Westnedge in Kalamazoo.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve had to drive to my parents house. It’s been a nice break that’s about the change. This trip is the first of many between work and wedding related events.
I waited until J went to work, but I didn’t eat much before I left the house. I was on my way to my brother’s for dinner, but that was still four or five hours away by the time I hit Kalamazoo. I was hungry, so I knew I needed to get off and get something.
I don’t know much about Kalamazoo, but I do know Westnedge is a pretty good bet if you’re looking for something quick. I wasn’t going to go to far down, but I drove a little ways off the Interstate to see what was around. Just as I was getting ready to turn around, I found a chicken place.
Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken has three locations in Kalamazoo. The one I found is on the corner of Westnedge and Kilgore Road. When I pulled into the lot, I had no idea this was a chain, but when I got inside and saw the signage, it was pretty obvious this place wasn’t your Mom & Pop chicken place.
Lee’s is pretty similar to the other major chains. They have a drive-thru, a small dining room, and an order counter. There was one lady in front of me when I got there that couldn’t make up her mind. Of course, I was in a hurry and not wanting to be stopped for long. As I was standing in line, I noticed a window advertisement for a Jumbo Boneless Wing Meal deal. The price was under five bucks and it included potato wedges and a drink. It’s hard to beat that price even if the meal was little more than a snack to hold me over for dinner.
Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken on the south side of Kalamazoo.
After paying, I was handed a cup that I promptly filled up with Pepsi. As I was putting on the lid, the lady behind the counter asked me if I wanted sauce. Since I was driving, I declined, grabbed my food and headed back to I-94.
I wasn’t expecting much for five bucks, but there was more food than I realized. I opened the box as I was getting on the on ramp and two exits later, it was gone. It’s not that there wasn’t a lot in the box. It’s just that I was pretty hungry.
There were a half dozen or so Jumbo Boneless Wings which were pretty meaty. There was still more breading than meat, but it wasn’t a ridiculous ratio like most boneless wings. It tasted like white meat chicken. Nothing special, but they tasted good. The potato wedges were really soggy and a little cold. Still, they did have a little bit of a spicy side. Had they been crispy and hot, they may have been really good.
Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken was a pretty good stop for a quick, cheap meal. I can’t complain at all about anything when I only paid five bucks. To me, they didn’t really stand out from the competition, but I didn’t try the actual chicken which would have been more of a benchmark. I would stop at Lee’s if I came across one again.
Mid-Michigan Dining 
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