We found the 10 tastiest fried chicken restaurant chains in the United States. Is your favorite fast-food restaurant near you on the list?
For us, the Holy Grail of fast food has to be fried chicken. That crispy skin with the tender, delicious meat inside is hard to resist, no matter which chain you go to. Everyone has their own way of making juicy, crispy pieces of fried poultry, and some definitely do it better than others. Based on the Food Beast team’s travels, national impact, and overall quality of fried chicken, we’ve put together this list of the 10 tastiest fried chicken restaurants you can find in the country.
To be clear on this list: no chicken nuggets or chicken fries were considered, sorry to the nearest McDonald’s and Wendy’s fans (especially Wendy’s fans as you know how much we miss all those spicy nuggets). Also, we stick to chains with 20 or more restaurants, so to you hyperlocal fast-food fried chicken fans (aka Kokio’s and Flyrite in Texas), we apologize. With that said, let’s sink our teeth into some tasty fast-food fried chicken, shall we?
10. KFC: chicken restaurants: fast food near me
Let’s start by saying that putting KFC last does not mean being negative, KFC is like McDonald’s fried chicken. They do a decent job on quality and keep the flavor train going with Nashville Hot, Georgia Gold, and whatever other fried chicken trends they’re monitoring. However, all the other chicken restaurants on this list were designed to be better than the good scrumptious poultry you can get from KFC. Still, KFC definitely deserves the love of fried chicken because they still make pretty good chicken.
9. Zaxby’s: American food restaurants
If you’re not from the Southeastern United States, you probably haven’t heard of this fried chicken restaurant. However, his influence on the game of fingers and wings in his part of the country is strong. Zaxby’s specializes in original, buffalo-flavored chicken that is inches from KFC poultry.
8. Bojangles: fast food restaurants: fast food near me
Bojangles
The Bojangles opened its doors 40 years ago for this glorious day of fried chicken. They celebrate their fried chicken in the simplest way possible – by pairing it with warm, airy cookies. They know how to get their basics right. Imitate the perfect fried chicken from Bojangles with these homemade recipes.
7. Guy Fieri: fast food restaurants
To quote Guy Fieri, “You could put it in a flip-flop and it would taste amazing.” If you don’t feel like eating shoes, grab some of Raising Cane’s chicken wings and fries to dip in their next-level creamy sauce. That pairing is an outright winner, and that’s why so many Instagrammers flock to this chicken restaurant to snap photos of their poultry. Raising Cane’s has the popularity and flavor to place it above the others on this list so far. It’s even Arizona’s favorite meal chain!
6. Shake Shack: fried chicken restaurants: fast food near me
It is known for its burgers, but you have to respect its fried chicken game too. The Chicken Shack, which is the chain’s signature fried chicken sandwich, is a delicious combination of fried chicken, buttermilk mayo, pickles, and lettuce. No faffs, no frills, just a good homemade chicken sandwich. The fact that a well-known burger joint is nonchalantly making this amazing chicken sandwich gives it a worthy place in the middle of this list. It doesn’t have the breadth of the top 5, but it definitely matches them in terms of flavor.
5. Wingstop: fast food restaurants in the United States
Honestly, we’ve never had a wing flavor at Wingstop that we didn’t like. Whether it’s the classic Buffalo, the hot and fiery Brazilian, or even the mouth-puckering lemon pepper, Wingstop knows how to put a little wild flavor into a consistent high-yield wing. We’d love to see them put the flavors in other sections of a chicken, but what Wingstop has so far is enough to elevate them as America’s best chicken restaurant. Do you want wings? Here are the best chicken wing restaurants in America.
4. Church’s: fried chicken restaurants near me
The church knows how to make a hand-fried breaded chicken right? They are well-known across the country. They never skimped on flavor. Church’s is essentially the KFC of gourmet fried chicken, as they have the national reach of KFC. But elevate every aspect of their chicken to a level that not even Colonel Sanders can match.
3. Jollibee: fast food restaurants
It is the Philippine fast-food restaurant chain that will take over the United States because of its BOMB fried chicken. They keep it simple like Church’s, and you can get it in cute form or in assorted-piece cubes. You almost want a whole cube of sauce just to dip the chicken in, it’s that good. The unique salty notes of that sauce complement the fried chicken in a way that no other chicken restaurant on this list can replicate, which is why Jollibee deserves such a high place on this list.
2. Chick-fil-A: fried chicken restaurant
America’s favorite fast food joint deserves to be near the top of the list. Their chicken is essential, but what we especially enjoy about Chick-fil-A is that they have made fried chicken and breakfast an art. Most other places don’t even serve fried chicken in the morning, but at the Chick-fil-A menu, it’s all the rage and it’s the perfect way to start your day. And while the lack of traditional pieces of fried chicken keeps it out of the top spot, Chick-fil-A’s mantra of great service and mouth-watering food is unmatched in any other country in the country… save for one.
1. Popeye’s: fast food place: fast food near me
Oh man, we love that Popeye’s chicken. Louisiana-style chicken is the best interpretation you’ll find in any fast-food restaurant. Their restaurants feel more like a traditional fried chicken shack than any other chain. Don’t you believe us? Maybe Popeye’s legendary chicken sandwich will change your mind. With all the classic southern sides and TLC levels applied to every piece of bird, you are almost transported to a familiar fried chicken joint in any of its thousands of locations. No one else has yet to fully replicate the cultural resonance of fried chicken like Popeye’s has, and that’s why they rank first on our list of chicken restaurants. Make delicious fried chicken at home with these helpful tips, straight from a professional chef.
FAST FOOD DISHES IN YOUR RESTAURANT, QUALITY CUISINE: fast food near me
They are hugely successful in the world. Everyone is attracted to Pizza and hamburgers, or delicious sandwiches. However, this type of food has a big problem: it contains too many calories, fat, sodium, cholesterol, and many other things that are harmful to health.
The consumption of these fast food dishes contributes to obesity and the development of serious diseases. That is why nowadays more and more restaurants have chosen to prepare healthy fast food, thus trying to change the negative image of this type of dish.
If you want to incorporate fast food dishes into your restaurant, while still thinking about the health of your customers, here are some recommendations.
Why is fast food so successful?
Most people are easily seduced by fast food or “junk” food. Despite being aware that it is harmful to health, this type of food is still a favorite, mainly because it produces a pleasant effect on the palate. There are many studies that explain the reasons for the preference for these foods, which have existed for decades worldwide.
The ingredients in a fast food near me help the brain to produce dopamine, a substance that provides a feeling of well-being and satiety. For this reason, it is very common to consume this type of food when you have sadness, anxiety, or stress.
Along with the above, we must consider that fast food is a true way of life for many people. For this reason, this diet will be an important factor when it comes to socializing or family relationships. For many people, it is difficult to stop using it, and if they go to a restaurant they will probably look for these types of dishes.
The new standards
Currently, healthy habits are very fashionable. This trend is enhanced by the social taste for a slim and slim body image; Added to this is the desire to take care of the environment, which has generated a preference for organic and natural. Vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free diets are among the latest trends.
However, despite this global trend toward health, fast food continues to have a very important place in consumer preferences. How to combine these two apparently opposite positions? Is it possible to prepare healthy and quality fast food in a restaurant? The answer is definitely yes. Fast food is no longer necessarily synonymous with junk food.
There is a new concept of fast food that can satisfy everyone’s needs and tastes. It is an excellent option. People find the healthy and even gourmet alternatives they were looking for.
Healthy fast food at your restaurant
It is possible to offer nutritious, natural, and healthy fast food dishes in your restaurant. It is enough to create new versions of the classic fast food recipes, using fresh, quality, less caloric, and more gourmet ingredients.
The fundamental thing is that everything is prepared in the same place. They use the least possible amount of industrialized ingredients. It is also important that they are less caloric products that contain less fat and less salt. The main ingredients should be the main ingredients and not the dressings or sauces.
You can also incorporate new fast food ideas, such as vegan burritos, salads with quinoa, or chickpea burgers. The possibilities are very varied.
Here are some ideas for quality, dishes that can be served in a restaurant.
Healthy pizzas: fast food near me
Pizza is undoubtedly one of the stars of fast food. However, in recent years a large number of restaurants dedicated to “gourmet” pizzas have emerged, which are far from that concept of junk food.
These are pizzas with a much finer dough, prepared with extra virgin olive oil, with fresh tomatoes and the most varied ingredients: from goat cheese and mushrooms of all kinds to pears, candied figs, dehydrated tomatoes, and the most varied herbs.
The options are very varied. The result is a delicious, light, and healthy meal that will captivate the customers of any restaurant.
Healthy sandwiches
Sandwiches are always a good option to include on a restaurant menu. And they don’t have to be synonymous with junk or unhealthy food; you can make sandwiches with just about anything. But the choice of ingredients will make all the difference.
Bread is a key element when preparing a healthy and quality sandwich. Ideally, use low-fat, whole-grain artisan bread; As for the ingredients for the filling, the possibilities are many and they adapt to all tastes and nutritional needs.
There are options for all tastes: from vegetarian sandwiches with avocado, candied tomatoes, arugula, asparagus, peppers, etc., to sandwiches with smoked salmon, goat cheese, or tofu.