I have tried The Chicken Connection three times in the last 10 years I've lived in Haverhill and for the life of me I can't figure out why people go here. We order the half chicken meal and the chicken was dried up and tasteless and the stuffing was a mash of bread and indescribables scooped out into a round mound which was not pleasing to the eye. The only decent thing was the mashed potatoes which I don't think were real potatoes. Don't bother. read more

Quality has gone down within the years. Lots of young kids running the place. They added a very limited salad bar. The prices are a little high. I liked the old version of Macaroni and cheese better. Corn bread was super dry and sold separate. My kids like it and they sell large bags of ice for cookouts. read more

Chicken was bland and dried out. Probably the worst food I've ever eaten. On a positive note ice is cheap for cookouts or filling a cooler for a beach day. read more

My family and I used to go here weekly because it was so wonderful. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what has happened but the food has been very dry. Juicy chicken and ribs are a thing of the past, I think. Also, the past 2 times we ordered here, they gave us the wrong side orders. Finally, we have asked for extra barbecue sauce and it is no longer ever given. I'm not sure if it's a change in people working there or what the problem is, but I hope they get their stuff together because we sure miss the wonderful food they used to have! read more

Ordered from Door Dash. Waited over an hour and my order never arrived. Why? Because they're closed. If Chicken Connection wants to use delivery services they should figure out how to use them correctly. read more

Usually I really like this place. Tonight I picked up an order, and it was not even busy like it typically is. They forgot the sauces and the rolls. When I called they said I could come back and pick them up. After driving 20 mins there to pickup and 20 mins home I was annoyed. I asked if they'd be willing to remake one of the dinners so when I did another 40 mins round trip to pickup the sauces I'd have a hot meal. She said no, I'd have to pay for it. When i mentioned they were not in the order she replied that sometimes they need to be reminded???? When I asked for a manager she said he was not in today and I asked her to leave a message with him to call me when he was in next and she didn't sound like she knew what to do. Very poor customer service. I will NOT be back. read more

Went here because I am a big fan of the phantom gourmet and they recommended it. It really was just not good at all. The food literally looked and tasted like hospital cafeteria food. Tried the chicken tenders and 2 sides (squash and stuffing). I really wanted to like this place but I definitely won't return. read more

The Chicken Connection is a dud. When I went here, I was hoping to uncover yet another hidden gem in Haverhill. That did not happen. I give the place a C at best. I've been to gas stations that had more atmosphere. A few of the home cooked sides were good (e.g., stuffing) but most were mediocre (e.g., mashed potatoes). The meals we had did not impress. Their idea of a pulled chicken BBQ sandwich was some dry shredded chicken with a couple of squirts of bottle BBQ sauce on it. My girlfriend had the chicken; the verdict: so-so. With all of the great places in Haverhill, I cannot imagine why I would go back to the Chicken Connection. Possibly if I wanted a to-go order of a few sides for a meal that I would eat somewhere else. read more

Drove 45 minutes to this restaurant after checking out their website - would have been nice if they updated their site to let people know that they were closed the Wednesday after Christmas. There were 4 other cars full of disappointed people. Why make the effort to travel to their restaurant when they don't make the effort to provide a minimal amount of courtisy to their customers. :( boooooo read more

This place use to be very good years ago when it first opened but has really gone down hill. The chicken they serve is always very dried out and has a very bland taste, and their sides are really not good tasting at all. Will not be going back again that's for sure. read more

I went here this past weekend with my bf and I wasn't a big fan of anything we got. We both tried the fried chicken and the BBQ ribs. I thought the chicken had a weird texture and wasn't tasty. The BBQ ribs were extremely fatty; hardly any meat. The sides were bad too. The Mac N Cheese was tasteless and poor quality. The french fries were too salty and the roasted red potatoes w/ lemon pepper were too lemony! I love lemon, but these were awful and over powering. Also in general everything was barely warm; I wasn't a big fan of my cold food. Overall, don't bother coming here for anything of quality or taste. I'll pass... read more

Good food. The restaurant is lacking customer service. There have been a few night that the don't have enough chicken cooked at the time of order. In the last year. Then we have been told that the weight will be 20 more minutes. Tonight took the cake. Ordered a 3 pc dinner with all white meat. I paid an up charge for that. Got one breast, leg and thigh not all white meat. No corn bread ready. I asked for a second roll and was told I couldn't have one. I've been going there for 15 years . At night the place is run by kids and it shows. read more

Dont waste your time... The fried chicken was the worst I ever had, roasted chicken was so-so, pulled pork was the same. The sides just suck... What separates this place from other bad restaurants is the staff... zero personality, zero professionalism... they make you feel like you're bothering them by being there... robotic order- takers. There's a new Market Basket about a mile away that blows this dump out of the water, if you're looking for a quick, affordable, "home cooked" meal for you and the family. read more

I find the chicken good a step above KFC but the place is run down and always seems dirty. The steam table where they serve the sides is blocked by a display so you can't get a view of what they are all about. When you do crane your neck to look at the sides it is probably better they are hidden the sides were all disheveled and slopped around. As a side I ordered the Mac and cheese, it was true to its word boiled macaroni and a minuscule sprinkling is some nondescript cheese, no creamy sauce just a kind of greasy mix, very tasteless and not really what you would call Mac and cheese. The kicker was the girl that was taking my order was pleasant enough but she must of had a desperate itch on her back because she interrupted my ordering to really dig into the itch. I am sure she had some flesh under her fingernails. Perhaps she put on glove to switch over to serving but it just grossed me out. I don't mind dives but that was a star downgrade. We try this place once a year we will see if it improves next time. read more

I called in an order two hours ahead of pick up time. I repeat-two hours ahead! When I arrived at the appointed time, I stood in an aimless, disorganized line with a bunch of equally unhappy customers for 20 minutes...only to receive dried out, mediocre food. Mediocre with a capital M. Maybe you were short staffed..maybe you serve a subpar product as part of your general business practice. Who knows..I know that was the worst $60 I have spent in a while.This was not my first bad experience at your establishment, but it will be my last. .I also know I am not the only dissatisfied customer that day. Please know there are MANY other places to spend money in Haverhill. read more

Awesome homestyle cooking. I'm a vegetarian, but I love the side dishes here. The potatoes & the mac&cheese are tasty. I took some of their wings to a Super Bowl party & everyone loved them! read more

This place is a step below KFC and not the good KFC on the rich side of town. It's a step below that old run down nasty KFC that never serves you fresh food. My wife and I went to Chicken Connection last night at dinner time. We ordered the chicken fingers that according to the sign at the counter, were the "best chicken fingers anywhere, according to the Phantom Gourmet. Now, I have watched the Phantom a few times. The food always looks so good and I have taken suggestions from the show with great success, but the Phantom must have been on a serious LSD trip or something when he went to this place. I would have rather eaten chicken Mcnuggets out of a urine soaked bag than eat these things. They were dried out and had obviously been sitting around for a long time. We also got mac and cheese and the red potatoes in lemon salt for sides. The mac and cheese was what would happen if you made a bunch of the box stuff and added too much water... nasty. The saving grace on the meal were the potatoes and the rolls(they don't make these, I saw them take them out of a bag) they give you. We also got a couple turnovers for dessert... don't waste your time. We eat took a couple bites of one turnover and threw the rest out. It was garbage. We did get some chicken salad to go to make lunch for the rest of the week. After having sampled some this morning, I can say... The chicken salad is the best part of this place and it's nothing special. It's not even seasoned properly. Save yourself the disappointment. If you are thinking about eating here, consider pounding your testicles flat with a rubber mallet first. If you're female, consider giving yourself a purple nurple with a pair of pliers first. Absolute disappointment and disgusting at best. read more

The bone in chicken was moist and tender that was a plus. I must say the seasoned home fries they have, have this awful lemony-type of flavor that lingers on your tongue after eating its just a sour nasty flavor. Yuck I tried adding some salt and garlic powder and still it just tasted weird. My bf company ordered from here recently and they too disliked the potatoes. I'll possibly be giving it a try in a few months to see if it improves. read more

This was a popular stop when I was visiting some relatives at the nearby nursing home. The chicken is really good, though I don't think there's anything unique that results from the "broasted" cooking technique. The sides that I've tried were all good & I lean towards the Mac & Cheese. read more

after the closing of David's Chicken Pot Pies in Bradford i've been looking for a replacement. i've heard good things from several people so with the return of the Fall weather i decided to give The Chicken Connection a shot. i bought two frozen pies, one white meat with vegetables and another with dark and white meat with vegetables, a few fried chicken drumsticks and three pork BBQ ribs. the pies were pretty meh. not much meat and a sauce that was under seasoned and separated. the crust was sufficiently flaky but that was the only good thing i can say about the pies. the fried drumsticks i had the next day and were decent once i crisped up the skin in the oven. the BBQ ribs were tough but showed signs of bone retraction which i found odd. they had a smoky flavor but left me burping that same taste that a BK Whopper does if you know what i mean. i also got a pint of squash which was good. i might make a return visit but i'm in no hurry. read more

We really wanted to like the Chicken Connection. We were in the mood for fried chicken and we pass by this place all the time, so we stopped in last night for dinner. The food is disappointing and as others have said, the sides are horrendous. We tried both the roasted chicken and the fried chicken. The chicken is the only reason why we are giving two stars - it was okay, but certainly not great. It was very salty, but nice and crispy. We got mashed potatoes, rice, and butternut squash and all of it was awful and not even warm. The gravy was salty and tasted like the kind you get in a frozen pot pie. The atmosphere is also depressing and oddly quiet, even with a lot of people sitting in the booths. The tables were greasy and the decor is that of a dark cafeteria. We all had indigestion (and I still do today!). We will not be back. You are better off getting a rotisserie chicken at Market Basket or going to KFC or Boston Market, where the sides are better. read more

We heard about the chicken connection on the phantom gourmet and we too wanted to like it.and could not wait to try the chicken pie.the only good thing we received from this place. the sides were steamed veg and they were horrible. the service was the worst part. maybe.. the person who gave us our food. was rude when i told her we ordered the chicken parm with out the cheese. she said.. it was not written..so she just scrapped it off. and said have a good night. if i was not completly shocked i might have left it. but, my family was hungry. because of the rude service. i do not think we will return. we also got the ribs. they were pretty good. like someone else already said. i think we would have been better of going to market basket,kfc or bostonmarket. next time i would read yelp before i head out to any place to eat. read more

The fried chicken and chicken pie are really good here. However, the sides are pretty much terrible. I have been here a few times, most recently last week.The mashed potatoes I think are flakes from box for sure, last weeks I had were very watery. The mac n' cheese is spotty, that was very watery last visit too. The stuffing, tastes like it is straight out of a Stoffers box. The corn is from a can for sure cause that is bad too. All that being said I would still come here for the fried chicken and pot pies. Order take out and make your own sides at home. I just can't believe that this place could fail this badly on the sides. I would not even dare to try their BBQ. read more

So much delicious comfort food and incredible portions. Friendly service, clean atmosphere, great to-go options (frozen and non) for chicken pot pies, etc. Especially love the chicken salad sandwich, mac and cheese, stuffing, and butternut squash. Can't wait to go back. read more

The pot pies are wonderful, with one exception. Sliced, larger carrots would be a big improvement over the small, (slightly tough) ones in the pie. That is all that spoiled it for me. Joan Houle read more

LOVE this place! Mac 'n cheese...incredible. Pot pie...AMAZING. Best chicken fingers I have ever had. Great pulled pork! Their fried chicken is best! I love the Chicken Connection. read more

My cousin introduced me to this place and lets just say... the best fried chicken ever! It was even voted best chicken on Phantom Gourmet plenty of times! I've only tried the fried chicken and pot pies here and I def. recommend the fried chicken, but for the pot pie... it was good, but I've had better. The pot pie crust was way to thick and sweet for my preference, but the gravy and chicken was delicious! So if youre not in the mood for KFC or Popeyes, def. come to chicken connection! read more

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Stopped in today for the first time. I had the open faced chicken sandwich with a side of stuffing and mac n cheese. I thought it was delicious! Have not tried the pies but have heard they are really good. Not usually in the Plaistow area but had heard good things about it so decided to try it out and I was extremely pleased. Also, my portion was enough to have leftovers tomorrow. Bonus! read more

Two words for the owner: Add Salt! Every time I go there everything is bland and has no flavor. Don't waste your money go to KFC

Not bad, but very average food. I would be willing to go with someone who wants to eat there but I wouldn't choose it myself. Kind of like a Boston Market overall. Friendly staff, and easy ordering experience. read more

Don't plan on calling your food in. Your food will sit in a heater for 30 minutes. And the manager is extremely rude and seems very inexperienced... considering her on the phone in front of a girl alone at the register with a line of people... the manager also seemed so oblivious to the situation , and the fact the store doors were locked for an extra hour... read more

By far the best chicken I've ever head. Bar none. Make sure you get the Mac 'n Cheese as well, it's the best version of this classic I've ever had. The mashed potatoes aren't half bad either. read more

We've had 2 big parties catered by The Chicken Connection and have been so pleased both times. Favorites are the mac & cheese, bbq chicken & the sausage and peppers (wow!). They came on time, with smiles & hot food. The only thing I would suggest (as Italian customers ) is to either put more sauce on the stuffed shells (a little dry), or provide it on the side so we can give guests that option. Great food overall!!! read more

I've been hearing about this place for years. It was good but definitely not the best. Service was friendly and attentive.

Good thing you don't call yourselves the Pork Connection. Pulled Pork sandwich is probably the worst sandwich I've had anywhere. Couldn't even eat half of it tonight. Dry and bland. read more

This place is not like it used to be. Chicken fingers are more like chicken nuggets, and don't taste like they used to. Chicken wings were not good either and potatoes were cold. Disappointing. read more

Seems hit or miss. Tried again because of Phantom Gourmet after swearing off 5 yrs ago... Fried Chicken was pretty good, sides were kind of bland read more

If you like chicken this is the place to go. I've been going here for years now and so has my family and friends. I've read some other reviews that were probably from KFC lovers. There is not another place around that even comes close to Chicken Connection. KFC is terrible. I always get the chicken breasts which are huge along with a couple of sides like the Mac and cheese, stuffing or mashed potatoes. The buffalo chicken dinner is one of my favorites. I also love the chicken pies. Do yourself a favor, if you like chicken you've got to try this place. read more

I'm originally from Haverhill and knew about this place. I had it once and was hooked. I love the chicken, potatoes and the sides. I think that it's the best chicken place around Haverhill. read more

My family absolutely loves the chicken pot pies and the chicken fingers ( can only speak for original and BBQ)! There are a good selection of comfort food sides ranging from stuffing to mashed potatoes and veggies!!! The portions are HUGE my husband and myself can deffinately eat, and we each make two meals out of our dinners and it is nice that the meals reheat with ease!!! For us the roasted potatoes have a bit too strong of seasoning, but even those we wouldn't say are bad, just not to our liking. All in all we love this place it's home cooked comfort food, very reasonable prices, friendly staff, and huge portions, what more can one ask for??? read more