Hallmark+ To Release The Chicken Sisters With Lea Thompson, Wendie Malick & More

A new, original series is set to premiere on Hallmark, based on the bestselling 2020 novel by KJ Dell’Antonia, The Chicken Sisters.

The eight-episode series is a family drama with southern charm and romance, set in the fictional town of Merinac. Read on to find out more about the new series and watch a teaser trailer for The Chicken Sisters.

The Chicken Sisters On Hallmark+

According to Hallmark’s description, Merinac is the town “where a generations-old rift between dueling fried chicken restaurants – Mimi’s and Frannie’s – has left the founders’ families fractured and the locals taking sides.”

When popular cooking competition show Kitchen Clash comes to town, this could be the recipe for ending this feud once and for all. But things are fixing to heat up both inside and outside of the kitchen as the reality show spotlight causes sparks to fly as secrets are spilled and feathers get ruffled.

Where have you seen the cast before?

Lea Thompson is known for her roles in Switched at Birth and the Back to the Future movies. She stars alongside Wendie Malick of Hot in Cleveland fame, Schuyler Fisk, of Castle Rock, and Genevieve Angelson of Good Girls Revolt.

Meanwhile, other cast members include James Kot (Christmas on Cherry Lane, Virgin River), Rukiya Bernard (Yellowjackets, Van Helsing), Ektor Rivera (StartUp) and Jake Foy (Ride), with Margo Martindale (The Americans) as the narrator.

Behind the scenes of The Chicken Sisters

According to TV Line, Annie Mebane (Shrinking) serves as the showrunner and executive producer of the series that will premiere in mid-September on the streaming service Hallmark+.

Lisa Hamilton Daly, EVP of programming, Hallmark Media, said in a statement:

Annie Mebane blew us away with her vision for The Chicken Sisters – her unique spin and enthusiasm for this fried chicken feud had us excited from Day 1. And talk about a dream cast! Schuyler, Genevieve, Lea and Wendie are the perfect actors to lead this witty and heartfelt story. We are confident that each episode is going leave our viewers craving more and more.

Meanwhile, Mebane said, “When I read The Chicken Sisters by KJ Dell’Antonia, I fell in love with these characters. On the surface, the show is about two restaurants competing on a reality show, but it’s about the baggage we pass down through the generations and learning to unpack it.

I love telling this multigenerational story focused on women: their frustrations, their desires, and ultimately, their healing. We’ve assembled an incredible cast, and we can’t wait to welcome audiences to Merinac.”

When will The Chicken Sisters premiere on Hallmark+?

At this stage, the exact premiere date is not available, but The Chicken Sisters will start streaming on Hallmark+ in mid-September, 2024. Enjoy a teaser trailer for the new series here: