Chefs, too, have their favorite fast-food indulgences, and Southern chefs know a thing or two about fried chicken. After a long work day—no matter the task—there’s nothing better than taking a crunchy bite out of fried chicken that’s made just for you.
I spoke with Southern chefs and Top Chef alums Arnold Myint and Nick Wallace to name their favorite fast-food fried chicken joints, and their answers inspired us.
Popeyes
Popeye’s
“After a long day when I want fried chicken, I will stop at Popeye’s,” says Chef Nick Wallace, who goes through over 200 pounds of chicken thighs a week for his own catering business and restaurants in Jackson, Mississippi. “I have to have the four piece: a breast, wing, leg, and a thigh.”
But it doesn’t stop there—for Wallace, it’s all about adding toppings later.
“I go home because I always have pickled jalapeños in my fridge, and I always have bacon jam or onion jam of some sort,” says Wallace. “That chicken comes home, I top it with jam, the jalapeños, and eat [over the counter]. All you need is a paper towel.”
One of my most memorable recent bites was thanks to Wallace: a perfectly seasoned crispy, juicy chicken leg topped with dukkah, a Middle Eastern seasoning blend of crushed nuts, herbs, and spices. It hit just right, so it wasn’t a surprise to me that Wallace had a little trick of his own for upgrading the takeout version.
“When I tell you that’s the best meal you’ll have after a long day of work,” says Wallace, “it’s the best.”
Publix
When Arnold Myint is not sourcing and serving his own Thai-style fried chicken out of International Market in Nashville, Tennessee, he’s touring the city’s best Hot Chicken spots. But as a chef, his personal favorite indulgence is a late night snack right out of the fridge.
“I meal prep for my nannies: I always make mac and cheese and greens because I think [they] last well in the fridge, but I always get Publix fried chicken almost every week,” says Myint. “It’s literally, for me, the best franchise or chain-fried chicken.”
Why Is Publix Fried Chicken So Good?
Because it’s cooked perfectly all the way through, from breading to bone.
- Seasoning and brine, every time: For Myint, it’s obvious when the seasoning (usually celery salt) sits right on top, and it’s clear when the chicken hasn’t been properly brined for juicy, finger-licking flavor. “Whatever they do [for the brine] has the perfect umami hit all the way through,” he says.
- The crunch: The crust is super crunchy, and it maintains the crunch,” he says.
- Hot or cold: He might pop it in the oven or the microwave just to get it hot, but he’s not afraid of eating it cold. “But nothing beats a cold drumstick out of the fridge.” Any Southerner knows: When fried chicken is good cold, it’s a testament to its quality. And Publix stands up to the test.
Honorable Mention: Jollibee
Myint says he couldn’t talk about his love for fried chicken without talking about the formative experience of eating at Jollibee, a chain of Filipino restaurants known for their fried chicken and spaghetti—always served together. When it’s not local Nashville fried chicken, his own Thai-style version, or a late night Publix snack, the nostalgia of Jollibee holds a special place in his heart. While most locations are in California, something about fried chicken with a side of spaghetti feels mighty Southern. Count us in.
