Never figured out what the missing ingredient was.
All these post and the original article are wrong.
The best in the Universe is Mrs Wilkes in Savannah, GA.
An extremely close second is Q’s Chicken Shack on Lady’s Island near Beaufort, SC.
Nationwide, Popeyes, with Publix a very close second.
There are two thing in my entire life that I have concluded non southerners just don’t know how to make...
1 is fried chicken and 2 is sweet tea.
Don’t ask me why, but after nearly 40 years of living and traveling all over this great country, you leave the south and somehow they just can’t seem to get those two things right to save their lives.
And sweet tea has literally 2 ingredients, yet they can’t seem to get it right.
I used to be a regular at Mama Dip's in Chapel Hill... but I've heard it's not as good since she died and her family took over. They should have mentioned Parker's BBQ in Wilson, NC.
I'm still looking for decent fried chicken in Phoenix. Lolo's is okay, but still haven't found the "it" place.
KFC Original Recipe is still the best tasting chicken in existence.
A lot of time is not a ‘missing ingredient’ it’s a cooking technique.
Grandma might have know to soak chicken in buttermilk/salt/garlic/sugar/paprika etc mixture for more than two hours but less than three hours. Then rinse off chicken let sit in fridge etc. etc. That’s all technique stuff. Timing matters.
That said, adding a half teaspoon of baking powder and a half teaspoon of baking soda to the final buttermilk wash will make the chicken crispier. (possible missing ingredient)
Philly, fuku, dc, chicago, miami... What’s wrong with these people.
Nashville. Hot. South. Better- Deep South. Done.
If Texas has every burger fast food joint known to man, Arkansas has all the chicken chains.
Too many froo -froo restaurants in that article list.
no thx....
Like so many other “bests”, fried chicken is a matter of personal preference and often goes back to what we ate growing up. I prefer a light breading that’s not too crunchy, myself.
King’s Restaurant in Rainsville, Alabama had the best broasted chicken. I believe it closed many years ago. The Cabbage Bowl in Ider, Alabama had the best fried chicken until it was bought out by new owners. Street’s Restaurant in Bay Minette, Alabama is as good as it gets - go for Sunday buffet and pig out.
For the chains, Popeyes Mild and KFC Original USED to be quite good. Both now have a funny chemical taste that I can’t stand. Wonder if they changed their frying oil or something - frying in rapeseed / canola oil would account for the taste. Publix chicken is also good - that’s my go-to since Popeyes and KFC are now inedible.
As a southerner, this is hysterical! You folks really believe some restaurant in New York City or DC or California has better fried chicken than you can find in the south? And the one place you do name in the south is Hattie B’s (a chain not even close to the best)? Thanks for the chuckle. I’ll be laughing about this one all day.
I have found only two places where I actually crave their fried chicken. One is in Sioux Falls, SD and the other in south Minneapolis. Both prepare their chicken fresh with each order and use an incredible marinade and coating.
My grandmothers chicken that my sister makes now. Fried Chicken with Tomato Milk gravy.
Babe’s Chicken Dinner House (multiple DFW locations) is unequaled in my opinion. Pepper Fire for hot chicken in Nashville. Blows the others away and their fried okra is also the best.