Josh McIver Brings Nashville Hot Chicken to Camp Verde

Flew the Coop Nashville Hot Chicken Shack owner Josh Mclver believes his style of chicken may be unique to Northern Arizona. Customers believe his spicy chicken rub, made from Caroline Reaper peppers, may well be the hottest around.

Considered to be the hottest pepper in the world, the Carolina Reaper, used in Flew the Coop’s hottest rub, measures more than two million Scoville Heat Units.

“Our basic proprietary 12-spice recipe for our rub is derived from my wife, Jen’s, style, which is all the flavor and no heat. So, we named it after her,” said McIver. “From there, we add peppers for spicier tastes. Even our hottest still has a good flavor.”

Growing up in Cottonwood, McIver developed a palate for spicy chicken during annual summer visits to his grandparents’ home in Texas. “I love to cook, and I love to eat. I wanted to make a chicken that wasn’t just spicy but had good flavor and a lot of crunch,” said McIver, who uses only chicken tenders and boneless thighs. “When a friend mentioned Nashville-style chicken, it was a concept that was simple and at the time, there weren’t any restaurants in Arizona making this style of chicken.”

“I really like the menu,” said Flew the Coop employee Ezra Duncan. “The quality of the food is exceptional. Customers are always raving about how good the food is here. Josh knows what he’s doing and has a lot of experience. He has planned every little thing here perfectly.”

When McIver approached his wife to tell her about his concept for a restaurant and the fact that this venture would cost them their life savings, he was surprised at her response.

“She said yes without any hesitation,” said McIver. “It was a huge

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BY BONNIE STEVENS, FBN