The best fried chicken in Chicago

Mild and spicy barbecue and buffalo sauces applied post-fryer give the chicken at this cheerful Lakeview Korean spot the power to assume multiple identities. Personally, we’re total suckers for the Sassy, a sweet but not cloying concoction of ginger and garlic over a deep, dark base note of soy. The bird itself is fried to crispy, golden perfection, making every bite a home run. Just be aware that these are whole wings (drum and flat), so an order of five is more like ten wings.

Bavette’s takes a more casual approach to French steakhouse fare, offering staples like seafood towers and dry-aged, bone-in ribeye along with surprises like spiced fried chicken stacked atop mashed potatoes and served with sweet peas and cipollini gravy. Golden and crispy, it’s just as tempting as the beef and shellfish but at a fraction of the price, pairing perfectly with a glass of Champagne.

Chef Thai Dang’s celebrated Pilsen restaurant is a showcase of Southeast Asian cooking. Included among the many noteworthy items on the menu are Vietnamese-style wings. Dang brines the chicken first before double frying and tossing it in caramelized fish sauce. The wings are then finished with chilis, garlic and green scallions for an absolutely craveable bite. Pro tip: You can get them at the bar during happy hour for just $10.

Feast on soul food staples, including otherworldly fried chicken, at this upscale Southern restaurant chain. Yardbird’s fried chicken recipe involves brining the bird for 27 hours and seasoning it with a blend of secret spices. The chicken is served with a house-made honey hot sauce, cheddar cheese waffle, spiced watermelon and bourbon maple syrup, or with gravy and mashed potatoes. Those looking to share can order a whole bird for the table.

The fried chicken platter is one of the most popular items on the menu at James Beard Award-winning chef Erick Williams’ Daisy's Po-Boy and Tavern. Opt for a perfectly crisp half chicken served with a pair of biscuits or a whole bird accompanied by six biscuits and choice of two sides, like blackened cauliflower or fries. Those who like their meat with a bit of kick can order the hot honey chicken sliders, where crispy chicken thighs are sandwiched between biscuits.

Chef/owner Darnell Reed pays tribute to his great grandmother with his counter service, Southern comfort foods restaurant, where the best thing on the menu is buttermilk fried chicken served with liege waffles and maple syrup at all hours of the day. The juicy bird and savory crunchy crust work really well with the sweetness of the syrup and the waffle soaking up all the drippings, though you can also opt to have the chicken with smoked honey and collard greens.

Named after chef Kristen Ashley’s grandmother, Cleo’s Southern Cuisine melds beloved family recipes with Creole classics. At Ashley’s Bronzeville restaurant (not far from her childhood home), she serves authentic comfort food that leaves a lasting impression long after your final bite. No order is complete without Cleo’s wonderfully crunchy, addictively juicy fried chicken, which can be ordered by itself, atop waffles or covered in sauces. After just one bite, you’ll understand what all of the hype is about.

There are two locations—Roscoe Village and River West— to enjoy Roost's buttermilk-brined, hand-breaded chicken. The same level of care goes into the buttermilk biscuits, which are made from scratch in small batches throughout the day, so you'll never get a day-old pastry. Try both menu highlights when you order a fried chicken sandwich on a biscuit, which includes your choice of spice level.

On a quiet corner in Wicker Park, chef-owner Brian Jupiter is whipping up some of the best fried chicken this city has ever seen. Purists will dig the three-piece meal, which is served with habit-forming hot honey and buttermilk drop biscuits. But the Nashville fried chicken sandwich is not to be missed: Golden poultry is pulled straight from the fryer, bathed in tongue-tingling hot sauce, and topped with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and cayenne aioli and served with Cajun fries. Open wide!

Attempting to put her finger on the essence of the chickens in her one-time home of France, Julia Child mused, “They were so good and chickeny.” A similar assessment fits the fried bird at one of Chicago’s most iconic dining institutions, Harold’s: It’s just so fried chickeny. The meat is tender, with a faint funky undertone of grease; the breading savors simply of salt and pepper, and fresh from the fryer, it boasts a pastry-like flakiness—a result, perhaps, of the beef tallow allegedly incorporated into the cooking oil. A vinegary hot sauce (aka mild sauce) adds an optional acid zip and the complimentary slice of white bread allows you to soak up all the delicious juices once you've picked the bones clean.

Miriam Montes de Oca closed her Belmont Cragin restaurant during the COVID-19 lockdown, but brought back her beloved Dominican fried chicken in 2024 in at a new space in Humboldt Park. Made with a secret recipe, the golden meat is served alongside fried plantains and a little bit of lime to brighten up the flavor. Pair it with a Dominican soda or passion fruit juice.

With nine locations throughout the Chicagoland area, Joe Fontana’s fast casual hot chicken shop is a go-to spot for folks who love fried chicken sandwiches and tongue-tingling heat. With both brioche and glazed donut bun options, as well as six heat levels—ranging from Country (No Heat) to Insanity (RIP)—you can satisfy the cravings and spice tolerance of everyone in your group. Beyond sandwiches, Fry the Coop also offers chicken tenders and chicken & waffles. All locations serve beer, but the West Town outpost is the only one with a full service bar.

Housed in the space of a former Harold’s Chicken, this Chatham joint does Nashville hot chicken a bit differently by infusing garlic, onions, sumac, paprika and other Middle Eastern flavors into the batter. An order of two jumbo tenders is more than enough for most appetites. If you’re a purist who prefers bone-in chicken, the wings dipped in hot honey butter sauce and topped with Alabama white sauce, cotija cheese and pickles won’t disappoint either. Afterwards, cool off with an indulgent strawberry shortcake shake.

The hip aesthetic all but dares you to dismiss this Avondale spot as a trend-surfing lightweight. Boy, would that be a mistake. The namesake fried chicken—a mix of bone-in drumsticks and boneless breasts and thighs—wears a hearty breading that’s supremely crunchy and fragrant with smoked paprika. Slather it with the sweet, airy house honey butter (which melts and mingles with the poultry’s juices) and you’ve got one of the city’s best takes on fried chicken. Bonus: Chicken orders include petite, crispy-edged corn muffins, perfect for mopping stray butter and breading crumbles from your tray.

This fry house in South Deering offers a variety of crispy treasures, ranging from chicken and shrimp to liver and gizzard. No matter what you fancy, be sure to douse it in the restaurant’s signature hot sauce, a zingy mustard-vinegar condiment that has a cult of fans on the Southeast Side. It pairs nicely with the heavy seasoning on the bird.

With three locations scattered around the city and the suburbs, Uncle Remus has established itself as a fried chicken destination in Chicago. But not many residents realize that the restaurant's roots trace all the way back to 1963, when Gus and Mary Rickette opened G & G Chicken Shack in West Garfield Park. The concept has changed names and locations over the past six decades, but the quality of the chicken remains. These days, wings can be ordered by the piece and customers can specify exactly how they want it (i.e. fried hard or light on the sauce). You can try it every which way, but we love the simplicity of Uncle Remus' mild sauce.

Whether you like your fried chicken solo or in a sandwich, hot or mild, Parson’s has just the cure—if you’re willing to wait. With a line that can easily set you a few hours on a warm day, you know Parson’s is the real deal. The reward, however, is worth your time (and the negroni slushies aren’t a bad idea while you wait). The chicken here is best enjoyed on its own, and you can choose from two pieces, a half or whole bird or a skillet, which includes fixings. Boasting a perfectly seasoned crust and a mahogany-colored fry, Parson’s chicken is just right. Swing by locations in Logan Square, Andersonville and Lincoln Park.

What started as a food truck has blossomed into a brick-and-mortar business with two locations (Uptown, Humboldt Park). And it's not hard to see why—the indulgent eats at Lucy's deserve to be consumed while sitting down. Diners can indulge in stacked burgers, fried chicken, loaded fries and decadent milkshakes. Here for the poultry? Go with the spicy fried chicken sandwich, laced with cooling coleslaw and American cheese. Looking for something richer? The Juicy Lucy's double patties are hiding a pocket of melty American cheese. Get your sugar fix in the form of a milkshake, vintage soda or soft serve cone.

Try a spin on the traditional Singaporean dish Hainanese chicken rice at Phodega, where the fried meat is thinly sliced and served atop jasmine rice that’s been cooked in chicken fat along with a side of broth. That trio provides plenty of flavor on its own, but the crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside meat is also accompanied by sweet soy, ginger-garlic and ginger-garlic chili sauces so you can mix and match or find a favorite. If that’s not enough variety, you can opt for a combo that includes some poached chicken, or the salt and pepper chicken wings.

Up until the mid-2010s, most attempts to bring Nashville-style hot chicken to Chicago were hampered by unfortunate missteps, from texturally weird breading to barbecue-tinged cayenne paste to wimpy spicing. But then came the Budlong, a chain of Chicago shops frying up hot chicken that hits all the right notes. The meat is briny, the breading is shatteringly crisp, and the cayenne coating will make you sweat. In true Nashville fashion, it’s even crowned with a skewer of cooling pickles and served up on a slice of thick white bread that draws in crumbled crust and spicy drippings like a delicious sponge.

You can get wings, breasts, thighs and tenders at this Bridgeport fried chicken joint, but for the real Big Boss experience, you need to order the Big Boss Sandwich. The house specialty coats a comically large piece of boneless fried chicken in your choice of spicy sauce (ranging from mild spicy to Big Boss hot) and places it between a small butter bun with coleslaw and jalapeños. You're going to end up with sauce all over your fingers no matter how daintily you try to eat it, but that's what napkins are for. If you're still hungry, add a couple of curry puffs, curly fries or a tower of French toast sticks to your order.

Hello Jasmine has built a mini chain in Chicago, with locations in Chinatown, Lincoln Park and Lincoln Square serving bubble tea and Taiwanese street food. You’ll often find large crowds chowing down on boxes of crispy, juicy popcorn chicken cooked with Taiwanese basil and served piping hot, spiced to order. Those looking for a variety of flavors can get a bento featuring chicken with grilled tofu, kimchi and fresh bok choy.

If you crave something a little sweet to counter all that fried goodness, look no further than this South Side favorite that’s located just off the 47th Street stop on the Green Line. The sunny spot serves its fried chicken alongside cinnamon French toast and sweet honey butter (which you should slather all over the chicken, too). Each bite is the perfect blend of sugar and spice, a nice option for breakfast enthusiasts who can't decide. You can also have the fried chicken tossed in Peach's signature sweet and spicy Hangover sauce. 

No, there's no relation to L.A.’s famous Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles. But you can still get that sweet and salty duo of fried chicken and waffles any time of the day here, and that’s really all that matters. Both the Bronzeville and Oak Park locations of Chicago’s Home of Chicken and Waffles serve waffles topped with your choice of fried chicken (both white and dark meat options are available), plus sweet add-ons like whipped cream, banana, strawberry, chocolate chip or pecan. And if you're not a fan of the restaurant's namesake combo, you can opt for a fried chicken dinner served with cornbread, yams and mac and cheese.

With red accent walls that evoke a barn and a collection of chicken art surrounding the space, Feed feels like the Cracker Barrel’s cooler, more authentic cousin. The restaurant’s fried chicken is left to season overnight and then baked before it’s fried. Your juicy and crispy bird is accompanied by two sides of your choice—we recommend the succotash, okra or corn pudding—as well as cornbread or a biscuit. Feed is known to sell out of chicken, so get there early, and make sure to bring your favorite booze—it’s BYOB.

GG’s Chicken Shop helped Boka stay afloat during the COVID-19 lockdown and proved popular enough that it moved from a virtual kitchen to a casual brick-and-mortar in 2023. Rotisserie chicken is the centerpiece of executive chef Lee Wolen’s concept, but GG’s also offers an excellent crispy fried chicken sandwich served on a brioche bun with cabbage, spicy mayo and bread & butter pickles or dripping with garlic ranch sauce and topped with coleslaw and dill pickles. Looking for just the poultry? Try the chicken strips served with dipping sauce.