As any Southerner will gladly tell you, this part of the United States takes enormous pride in its fried chicken. Shatteringly-crisp breading and tender meat are non-negotiables, but chefs also love to experiment with creative seasonings, international ingredients, and varying levels of heat. We asked a group of Southern chefs to recommend their favorite fried chicken spots in the region, and they named these eleven eateries that include chef-driven concepts, casual down-home restaurants, gas station kiosks, and even fast food locations.
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Mother’s Best Fried Chicken
Decatur, Georgia
A much-loved pop-up that’s about to open a brick-and-mortar in the town of Decatur just outside of Atlanta, Mother’s Best Fried Chicken has received local accolades for their unpretentious and proudly old-school version of this classic Southern dish. “Beautiful crust. Nice and juicy. Just enough spice. They nail it,” is how Joe Schafer, vice president of culinary for Electric Hospitality in Atlanta, describes the offerings at Mother’s Best.
mothersbestchicken.com; 406 Church Street
Huck’s
Crofton, Kentucky
Gas-station and convenience-store eats don’t get a lot of respect in some other parts of the country, but in the South, locals know that these pit stops are often prime venues for a quality meal. Case in point: Huck’s in Crofton, Kentucky. “I was in Crofton on a hunting trip and just happened to come across Huck’s. It’s a very unassuming place for some of the best fried chicken that I’ve ever had,” Greg Garrison, executive chef & partner at Repeal 33 in Savannah, Georgia, says of this chicken spot tucked inside a convenience store. Garrison goes on to tell us that “the exterior was very crispy with great flavor and the chicken was perfectly moist. Each bite was the perfect temperature, so it was clear that they paid attention to the quality – cooking it throughout the day and not just allowing it to sit around under a heat lamp. It really reminded me of the most perfect, home-cooked Southern fried chicken.”
hucks.com; 104 S Madisonville St Rd
Shell Gas Station
Charlotte, North Carolina
Another example of great fried chicken in a convenience store can be found at the Shell Gas Station on the corner of East and South Boulevards in Charlotte, North Carolina. “It’s always fresh and hot, and [it’s] a fun experience going in to order,” insists Travis Kirkley, chef at Indigo Road Hospitality Group in Charlotte.
Corner of East Boulevard and South Boulevard
Manchu Food Store
New Orleans, Louisiana
A third installment of our “best fried chicken inside a Southern mini mart” series is Manchu Food Store, a NOLA cult classic that’s been serving residents of the Big Easy since 1991. “My FAVORITE place [for fried chicken] would be a small shop in New Orleans: Manchu Food Store. It’s a gem nestled into a small corner store that all the locals know and love,” says Peyton White, executive chef at The Select in Charleston, South Carolina. Manchu Food Store is particularly famous for their fried chicken wings with gorgeously-seasoned meat and crispy breading.
1413 N Claiborne Ave
Brochu’s Family Tradition
Savannah, Georgia
A relatively new arrival in Savannah’s bustling restaurant scene, Brochu’s Family Tradition represents an interesting combination of ideas. “It might seem strange to some that chefs who worked in Michelin kitchens in Chicago moved to Savannah to open a fried chicken restaurant, but it’s amazing,” says Jacob Hammer, executive chef of Husk Savannah. He believes that having “such amazing talent cooking such humble food is refreshing to see in this industry. Brochu’s Whole Chicken Dinner is my favorite thing to order, as it’s got a little bit of everything (fried thighs, grilled breast, and chicken salad) but their dessert program is amazing too! Don’t skip the dirty rice.”
brochusfamilytradition.com; Entrance on 40th, 2400 Bull St Suite 8
Lucretia’s Kitchen
Louisville, Kentucky
For classic fried chicken and warm hospitality in Louisville, Lawrence Weeks, chef of North of Bourbon, tells us that “Lucretia’s Kitchen has my heart. Their chicken is so crispy and comes out golden brown. Also, Lucretia is the nicest and welcomes you in like family.”
facebook.com/LucretiasKitchen; 617 W Oak St
Danny’s
Robertsdale, Alabama
Kevin Maxey, executive chef of Pendolino in Atlanta, Georgia, gives Danny’s, a laidback roadside chicken shack with a drive-thru in Alabama, a particular shout-out for their convenient and always-satisfying fried chicken. “Danny’s is epic. Always hot & crazy juicy. I always get the pickled jalapeno on the side; I take a bit and drip the jalapeno vinegar “juice” on the chicken. We always pick up a box on the way to the Gulf Coast. [It’s] a great old-school spot,” Maxey says.
eatatdannys.com; 22697 AL-59 South
Thai Kun
Austin, Texas
“Hot chicken” might be a Nashville specialty, but recent years have seen countless spins on spicy fried chicken popping up in cities all over the United States, many with multicultural twists. For Masatomo “Masa” Hamaya, director of culinary for O-Ku (locations in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C.), the best can be found at Thai Kun, a popular Thai restaurant in Austin. Here, the fried chicken “is served with a ‘Boom sauce’ that adds a nice kick to the crispy Thai fried chicken. Plus, if you like chicken skins, the fried chicken skins, also served with the Boom sauce, are a must-start to your dinner.”
thaikun.com; 11601 Rock Rose Avenue, Ste 100
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Champy’s World Famous Fried Chicken
Chain restaurants often get a bad rap among gourmands, but Southern fried chicken aficionados like to keep an open mind. For example, Matt Weinstein, chef at Oak Steakhouse Highlands in Highlands, North Carolina, tells us that Champy’s Chicken – a fried chicken chain based in Tennessee – makes “my favorite fried chicken in the South. Not only is the chicken well-seasoned and juicy, but they also have great sides, and I love their tamales. It is also one of the only places I know that you can enjoy some great fried chicken and drink a 40oz of Miller High Life.”
champyschicken.com for locations
Popeyes
Yes, Popeyes is now an international fast-food chain. But their fried chicken remains widely beloved among discerning food critics and chefs like Sophina Uong, executive Chef & owner at Mister Mao in New Orleans, Louisiana. “My introduction to Popeyes fried chicken was in Lafayette, Louisiana, in 2014 after a wet and muddy boucherie. It’s a chain, but hot damn, the fried chicken is so good – well spiced, juicy, crispy, and the red beans and rice is no joke,” Uong says.
popeyes.com for locations
Publix
Ask any group of Floridians to name their state’s most important contribution to the national food conversation, and you’ll surely hear the name “Publix” more than once. This grocery store chain has become a way of life for residents of the Sunshine State for many reasons, including the fact that they offer some very high-quality fried chicken. “Publix has the best grocery store fried chicken because it’s so consistent and seasoned well. It’s just greasy enough that it’s nostalgic, and it’s even better cold the next day for a picnic on the beach,” raves Ray England, chef of Husk Charleston.
