There’s no denying that the golden crispiness of fried chicken never fails to put a smile on my face. If you're anything like me, you can’t resist the juiciness and tenderness of fried chicken, no matter where you get it from. Although fried chicken may taste the same to most people, a lot of fried chicken chains tend to put their own spin to their recipes. I’m not talking about who has the best fried chicken sandwiches, but more about who has the best fried chicken period. If you're looking to enter the debate on who has the best fried chicken, take my honest opinion (and ranking) for it. Out of all of the chains listed, there are the ones that I grew up eating, mainly due to them being in or near my hometown. Some are my all-time favorites while others are ones that don’t have my best interest at heart. Without further ado, here are the 8 fried chicken chains I have tried.
1. Popeyes
Its motto is “love that chicken from Popeyes” for a reason. Everyone seems to always be hyped for Popeyes fried chicken, specifically its chicken sandwich. To me, I admire the different seasonings and the breading of the chicken, which makes me crave it all of the time. Also, you will never be disappointed whenever you visit with the fresh crispiness and flavorful meat that will satisfy your fried chicken craving.
2. Chick-fil-A
I will admit, Chick-fil-A holds a special place in my heart. With its endless menu filled with a variety of food items, there’s a little something for everyone's liking. Mainly known for its chicken sandwiches, the restaurant chain uses pickle juice brine to marinate their chicken, giving it that juiciness that everyone knows and loves.
3. Church's Texas Chicken
If you have never heard of this restaurant before, it’s probably because you don’t live in the South. Church’s fried chicken has a unique flavor that stands out on its own, although most of the time it’s pretty solid. Truthfully, Church’s is highly underrated and it could be due to the fact that it’s only found in Southern states. However, it is a must-try for lovers of fried chicken.
4. Bojangles
Growing up in the South, you could always spot a Bojangles restaurant at every street corner. Bojangles has managed to solidify itself as a “Southern staple” with its famous fried chicken, sweet tea, and everybody’s favorite: the Bo-Berry biscuit. The fried chicken has the right amount of crunchiness and tastiness thanks to the customized famous seasoning, which has a mixture of bold spices like paprika and cayenne pepper. However, it’s best to hit up this place as soon as they open. The chicken tends to get dry very quickly, and it also loses its flavor, too. Overall, it’s a decent restaurant with good-quality food.
5. Raising Cane's
This is another restaurant chain that is only known for one item — chicken tenders. There’s no denying that Raising Cane’s chicken is juicy and tender, coupled with the famous signature sauce. With a limited menu, there’s not much else to order outside of the chicken. One thing that I want to see change within its recipe is providing better seasoning, so we won’t have to rely on its amazing sauce to give us the missing flavor.
6. KFC
No matter how much I tried, I could never get myself into KFC. Known for the 12 herbs and spices, the seasoning and batter seems to lack quality on each visit. I prefer the chicken legs and tenders over the chicken breasts, which tends to come out dry.
7. Zaxby's
Surprise! Another Southern chicken joint lands on the list. Zaxby’s is a hit or miss for me. Sometimes, I am met with great quality chicken, while other times it never satisfies my cravings. Especially in recent years, its fried chicken has more of a soggy texture to it, which loses my interest in the chain.
8. Checker's
I think it’s safe to say that the best thing from Checker’s is the french fries. The fried chicken is a different story. It lacks flavor and quality, no matter how much hot sauce you put on it. The chicken sandwich couldn’t even live up to its name. The end result is a complete disappointment.