Oxford, Mississippi is famous for being the home of literary legend William Faulkner and the University of Mississippi, or Ole Miss as it’s also known. But it has another claim to fame: chicken on a stick. It’s been hailed by former Louisiana State University football coach Ed Orgeron and eulogized in poetry. And it can be found in a gas station. The 4 Corners Chevron has been around for more than 50 years, and has been serving college students and locals their signature kabob made of boneless fried chicken for around 30 of those years. The chicken and gas station are so entwined that the Chevron itself is often referred to as “Chicken on a Stick.”
When you think of delicious culinary fare, especially in Oxford, which is known for its foodie culture, you probably don’t think of gas stations. But sometimes they hold hidden delights within. For example, North Carolina’s Island Burgers & Bites is home of some of the best burgers in that state. Similarly, 4 Corners Chevron’s chicken on a stick has garnered a huge fan base. What other gas station chicken has inspired a poem? Someone penned the aptly titled “Ode to Chevron’s Chicken on a Stick” on the oxfordmississippi.com site. It’s not Keats or Shelley, but it gets the point across.
What separates Chevron’s chicken on a stick from the rest
There seems to be a few things that separate 4 Corners Chevron’s chicken on a stick from the competition. The boneless chicken cutlets are hand battered and double dipped for an extra crispy outside. And like KFC’s secret blend of 11-herbs and spices created by Colonel Sanders, the gas station chicken also involves a closely guarded spice mix that makes it special. The other reason they’re so popular may involve the particular habits of Ole Miss students.
The 4 Corners Chevron stays open 24 hours and is especially popular with students who can walk there after Oxford’s bars close at 2 a.m. The ode to Chevron’s chicken includes a few lines that sums it up nicely: “A no finer snack can be found after midnight/for locals and students needing assistance to stand upright.” And while the late, great chef, writer, and TV personality Anthony Bourdain may have had a love for a Jackson, Mississippi, pig’s ear sandwich, we’ll stick with Oxford’s chicken on a stick.
