Smoked Spanish spice stars in this Old Fourth Ward restaurant’s chicken dish

The crispy pimenton chicken from Buena Vida Tapas & Sol is essentially everyone’s favorite food — fried chicken tenders — with a hearty dusting of pimenton, also known as smoked paprika.

It helps that the chicken itself is beautifully prepared, with a crunchy, crumbly fried exterior that can withstand a bit of time spent in a takeout container. The white-meat chicken is tender and juicy.

The tapas restaurant’s liberal use of the Spanish spice gives Buena Vida’s fried chicken an added smoky dimension, with a mild bit of peppery verve without verging into spicy territory. This is flavorful chicken, not hot chicken.