Cane's is legit and undoubtedly a level above Golden Chick, Chicken Express and those bland chicken joints. Don't sleep on Popeyes strips, they are top freakin notch. But I maintain to this day that the best chicken strips in town can be found at Pappadeaux. I know, who the hell goes to a seafood restaurant and orders chicken strips? Well I have a seafood allergy and it was my parents' favorite restaurant growing up so it turned me on to them.
My favorite meal at the cajun place up here is a fried leg and thigh and a bowl of gumbo. Dip the fried chicken in the gumbo, as needed.
I have had fried chicken all over the USA (and world). The best quality chicken I have had was at a place called White Fence Farms in Romeoville Illinois. It has been around nearly 100 years and has only one location. The chicken is not heavily spiced but it is incredibly good. There is not comparison when it comes to quality. It is a sit down restaurant that seats 100's of people. Harold's Chicken Shack in Chicago is also very good but you risk being killed or assaulted and they won't always give you change. Fried chicken on the West Coast and in the North East is garbage. Popeyes is the best chain (better than Gus'). I still like Hartz, Church's, Chick n Spice and others. KFC, Chester's and any chain on the West Coast are just terrible. Bojangles, PDQ and RC are meh.
I used to order the roasted chicken at Pappadeaux, and substitute it being fried....... it was one of the 2-3 best pieces of chicken I have had.... added a side of red beans and rice and mashed potatoes.
For @MadMax I do like spicy chicken, so I'm not allowed to cook it for the old people around here. Gotta have 2 pans.
I STRONGLY prefer spicy chicken......... but White Fence Farm is the best chicken I have ever had. They know it is good, that's how they can charge like $20 a person for half a chicken.
I watched Granny when I was about 4 years old go into the chicken coop and bring one out, grab the hatchet, etc.... I didn't really know where chicken came from until that day. It's a messy but delicious process.
honestly... buy some chicken breasts at the store, put them in a ziplock, flatten them a bit with a roller... cut them into strips, season with salt and pepper.. then dip in flour, then into egg wash, then into some seasoned panko.. then into the oil for a few minutes if you do it right, oh my, nobody is selling you fast-food strips better than that!
Chicken breast cut into strips is just not the same as true "chicken strips" "chicken fingers" or "chicken tenders" per se, it's got to be the actual tenderloin, the underside of the breast bone. A strip cut from the actual breast aint the same.
Hartz was a chain. I remember on the last day of high school, we all went to the one in Missouri City off of Cartwright road, I think. About 20 of us got out and started eating chicken faster than they could make it and then proceeded to act like idiots in the parking lot, so they called the cops. We had to leave.... very slowly and full. If you're a Houston fried chicken gangster, though, you have to remember a chain by the name of Ron's Krispy Fried Chicken. Chicken so greasy, you could change your oil with it. Even Long John Silver would say "damn!" looking at all the grease at Ron's.
I used to like Popeye's, and it's probably still my favorite chain, but after trying chicken around Tennessee/Nashville, I just don't think it can hold a candle. I like spicy chicken, and by spicy, I mean hot as hell, and Popeye's doesn't really qualify, although I do like the spices they use. I loved the Gus' I tried in Memphis - way more than any Popeye's. I also love real Nashville hot chicken from places like Prince's, Helen's, Pepperfire, etc. I've never eaten at Willie Mae's Scotch House in New Orleans, but I've heard they have good chicken. But, to be honest, I'd put all these several levels above places like Golden Chick or Chicken Express, at least from what I've heard.
Nashville hot is good chicken. So is Gus's. Try Jacques Imos if you're ever in New Orleans, that stuff is good.
West Coast definitely varies, but it's not garbage depending on where you are. South Central and West LA have some decent places along with the famous (or they are over there) Howlin' Ray's, Dave's Hot Chicken, and Yardbird. I like Street's in Dallas over Mike's.
Well, first it was a Del Taco, then a Golden Chick. This spot is now a teahouse called 7 Leaves Cafe.
I always wondered why my Granny hated chicken when I was growing up. I didn’t realize until much later it was because of that process. Did your Granny hate chicken too or nah?
