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A San Antonio staple that's become world famous is going back to its roots. Church's Texas Chicken is bringing back its original recipe, which was originally developed in 1952, with a few tweaks.

According to a news release, the "rejuvenated" recipe now includes richer spices. The chicken is marinated — to the bone, it assures — then hand-battered and breaded, resulting in a crispy texture. It also emphasizes that only one "batter" and one breader is needed, which it says makes for a more consistent product.

It's not clear exactly when the chain moved away from its original recipe, but it must have been fairly recent; it was still boasting that the recipe had never changed as late as 2018 . In 2019, it underwent a rebrand that added "Texas" as a "middle name" to signify its origins.

Although Church's started in San Antonio — and it still has Texas right in the middle of its name — it's now headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. That's because the brand was purchased by a different chicken company that was already located there.

"This return is not only a return to our roots, but also a strategic move to drive our business forward," said CEO said Joe Guith. "We're confident that our guests will enjoy our exceptional recipe and iconic flavor, fueling our growth and success."

George W. Church was the originator of the recipe. The first restaurant was located across from The Alamo, but now there are more than 1,500 stores worldwide .

What Church's used to look like.Photo courtesy of Church's Texas Chicken

Despite more than 70 years in business, Church's has kept its menu simple. Some chicken is served on the bone, and some as tenders; some goes on a sandwich, and that's about it for variations on the main offering. Sides switch things up a bit, but still stick to fries or Southern classics like mashed potato, mac and cheese, corn, and fried okra, among others.

This doesn't mean the chain hasn't innovated. In 2024 it was featured on a Hulu docuseries called Superhot: The Spicy World of Pepper People . Over two episodes, it put out a call for a proprietary pepper to claim for a new ridiculously hot sauce. That became the "signature" hot sauce made with red chili peppers, red bell peppers, habanero, and roasted garlic.

However, it sounds like nothing can beat the classics for a brand that's banking on nostalgia.

"We're excited to bring back our OG recipe to satisfy our guests' cravings for even more flavor, ensuring every bite is infused with our blend of spices our guests love," said the brand's corporate head chef Kevin Houston. "We extend a warm welcome to those who haven't visited our restaurants in a while to rediscover our legendary chicken."