Surprisingly, Scottish immigrants to the southern United States brought their tradition of frying chicken in fat, which dates back to the Middle Ages, unlike their English cousins ​​who tended to roast or boil it. The colonists accepted it and many of the first African slaves cooked it, adding whatever seasonings were available, not only for them but to introduce it into the elegant dining rooms of the plantation owners. Thus was born the national dish called simply, “Southern Fried Chicken.”

It soon became a traditional Sunday dinner throughout the American South, complete with mashed potatoes, gravy, coleslaw, and biscuits. 19th-century cookbook author Mary Randolph first recorded the recipe in her historical classic, “The Virginia Housewife.” It appears that Mary’s brother was married to Martha Jefferson, the daughter of Thomas Jefferson, who grew up with it. And speaking of foodie president Thomas Jefferson, their resident chef trained in France but was a former slave at Monticello, so he probably cooked a fried chicken dinner for Jefferson’s guests and Sunday dinners. .

Fast forward a century to a small restaurant owner named Harlan Sanders (“the Colonel”) who opened his first restaurant in a gas station in the 1930s. Located in Corbin, Kentucky, it was called Sanders’ Court & Café and Though slow for years, word of his tasty fried chicken spread, and in 1952, the Colonel began franchising his popular product, which was a success not only because of “11 Herbs and Spices” but also because of his method of cooking. faster cooking using high pressure fryers. With its slogan “Scrumptious,” Kentucky Fried Chicken (or simply KFC) began popping up across the country, and the Colonel, in his signature white suit, became an American icon.

Not to be outdone, New Orleans businessman Al Copeland opened an establishment called Chicken on the Run in 1972. His spicy, crispy chicken caught on with his hometown foodies, and four years later it changed the name to Popeye’s (in honor of a hero of the film). , not the spinach-eating cartoon character) and began selling franchises. Bojangles, another popular chain, soon followed in 1977 in North Carolina. Other lesser-known but popular ones in the region include Texas-based Church’s and Chicago-based Brown’s.

Still a favorite family dinner and soul food dish, many fast food restaurants jumped on the bandwagon and wisely began offering a chicken sandwich in the 1970s and 1980s for their customers who preferred something different from beef burgers, adding nuggets and strips with a spicy and creamy dressing. sauces Now Americans could devote their passion for fried chicken to many different versions of fast food:

buffalo chicken wings
Chicken fingers (not actually fingers)
nuggets and strips
Chicken and Waffles: Soul Food and Pennsylvania Dutch Cuisine
fried chicken sandwiches
Some countries eat chicken feet, but we won’t go into that.

Wings N Things and Buffalo Wild Wings, both founded in 1982, captivated audiences with what was once considered the least desirable part of chicken, a craze that has taken on a life of its own. Actually created in Buffalo, New York as your staple bar food or appetizer, they have become popular across the country consisting of a section of unbreaded chicken wings that is usually deep-fried and then covered in a spicy sauce based on of vinegar.

(Note: This author has intentionally excluded America’s favorite chicken sandwich fast food restaurant, founded in the 1940s, due to trademark restrictions, but everyone knows who they are: they’re closed on Sundays, hint, hint ).

Just for the record, Asians have been frying chicken for centuries (Cantonese and Korean styles), but that’s another story.

Hands down, the best fried chicken could be debated forever and no one would agree. Some family restaurants are local legends, big franchises dominate the roadsides, and even celebrity chefs put their personal stamp on their favorite versions. But one thing is certain: America’s love affair with fried chicken in all its forms and variations. And that’s not likely to change anytime soon.