Supply chain issues and product and labor shortages notwithstanding, theChicken Sandwich Warscontinue to rage on.
That’s what we’re shining our high-wattage heat lamp on today.
In the South, especially, the cooking methodology varies, and seasoning blends are highly guarded.
Su-Jit Lin
But which ones really deliver?
Is it better to go with spicy or original?
Read on to find out once and for all which fried chicken dish rules the roost.
Su-Jit Lin
METHODOLOGY
Due to the aforementioned shortages, a side-by-side comparisonsometimes even within the same restaurantwas challenging.
Instead of a side-by-side taste test, I took detailed notes for scoring the rankings.
But alas,KFCisn’t doing KY’s reputation for chicken any favors with its Original Recipe.
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Those famous 11 herbs and spices were present, but overshadowed by an excess of salt.
Because it’s prepared in a pressure cooker, it was moist and served at a safe temperature.
Popeyes vs. KFC: Which Has the Best Bone-In Fried Chicken?
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The predominant flavor in this inconsistently seasoned chicken was oil.
There was slight rancidity to the crunchy batter, giving it a subtle burnt, acrid flavor.
Of course, quantity isn’t everything, but sometimes it can make up for a lack of quality.
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This time, neither came through.
The dark meat was juicier and saltier, but also stringy.
But it was far from perfect.
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Then again, it’s probably not the worst that the portions are restrained.
It was nearly triple the size of Church’s breasts and included rib meat.
Evenly coated, every bite came with a solid crunch that was unadulterated by grease.
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This contender was unapologetically unique in every sense.
The dark meat remained juicy.
If only it were crunchier, it would have broken the tie.
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has convinced me that Pollo Campero’s citrus grilled chicken on the bone may be worth another trip.
Popeyes: Mild
Popeyeshas it down.
Every piece is savory and crunchy and good.
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The batter holds tightly onto the chicken with tenacity and the crunch of the skin is pure perfection.
In fact, this brand is the crunchiest of them all, with the best batter-to-chicken ratio.
It may be because of its aggressive frying that the large-cut chicken breasts veer slightly on the dry side.
If we’re being really nitpicky here (which is the point, right?
), it loses points for this minor infraction.
The flavored flour batter is well-seasoned, and the chicken follows suit.
I found myself eating gingerly, protective of its fragile shards and fearful of losing these tasty bits.
It doesn’t have to.
After all, it’s fried chicken.
What would you expect?
