Where to find the best fried chicken in Chicago

If you ever dined at Roister in the West Loop, you've probably tried Andrew Brochu's top-notch fried chicken—it's easily one of the best versions of the dish in the city. After leaving the fine-dining restaurant, Brochu planned to strike out on his own. One global pandemic and a lost lease later, Brochu is instead taking up residence at Devil Dawgs in Wicker Park with one of the best pop-ups we've seen this year. First-timers should go classic with the World Famous, which finds the buttermilk fried chicken dolled up with chamomile mayo, dill pickles, lettuce and a tangy sunchoke hot sauce on a toasted brioche bun. Take your feast to nearby Wicker Park and picnic on the lawn.

On a quiet corner in Wicker Park, chef and 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 po' boy is not to be missed: Golden poultry is pulled straight from the fryer, bathed in tongue-tingling hot sauce and topped with slaw, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, avocado and mayo. Open wide!

Up until a few years ago, 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 growing 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.

A trio of sauces—BBQ, Seoul Sassy and Buffalo—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.

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.

Owner Zoe Schor spent years perfecting her fried chicken recipe for family and friends, and the finger-licking results of her labor are yours to enjoy at her West Town restaurant, Split-Rail. The classic four-piece order arrives with a split boneless breast, plus a bone-in leg and thigh—all perfectly crispy and not overwhelmingly breaded. Plus, there are alternative recipes available for the gluten-free and vegan diners in your group so that no one feels left out. Load up on sauces like curry mayo, honey-mustard and sweet BBQ for endless dipping possibilities.

Chef and owner Darnell Reed honors his grandmother Luella's southern roots with his iconic Lincoln Square restaurant. There's not a single dud on the menu, but the buttermilk fried chicken is hard to beat. Get it served with smoked honey and collard greens or order it atop a sweet liege waffle. No matter which route you go, it's not hard to see why Reed's signature poultry has taken on a life of its own.

In 2015, our city became home to the first northern outpost of beloved Tennessee institution Gus’s. Just like at the Volunteer State original, the chicken here has a kick that doesn’t scorch the palette but rather lingers pleasantly. The breading—all golden-brown ridges and nooks and delicious craggy bits—maintains its structural integrity until the last bite, while the moist chicken beneath (particularly the thigh) practically demands to be picked clean.

A trifecta of fats—ham drippings, leaf lard and clarified butter—endow Paul Fehribach’s signature cornmeal-dredged fried chicken with richness and tremendous crunch. It’s served in shareable half-bird portions, and while the smaller pieces can be overwhelmed by their crusty cornmeal encasements, the textural ratio clicks into perfect balance with the meatier thigh and breast, whose succulent strata conceal torrents of briny juice.

What started as a food truck has blossomed into a brick-and-mortar business with two locations (the other is in 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.

Culinary vet Larry Tucker moved his North Lawndale chicken joint to West Town in 2019, pulling longtime fans north and introducing a new neighborhood to his pristine crispy poultry. For $11, you can secure two pieces of the good stuff plus a side of your choice (the mac 'n' cheese and collards are stellar). The namesake sandwich comes dressed up with your choice of honey chipotle, tangy buffalo or Sriracha mayo, and you can even toss on a helping of duck bacon to seal the deal. End with a slice of pound cake, made by Tucker's wife, and you have a very solid lunch.

There's no false advertising going on here: Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream wears its menu on its sleeve. And like its name suggests, golden poultry from Kimski chef Won Kim is at the heart of the menu. The three-piece meal comes with your choice of sauce—lemon pepper or Korean fire—plus a hearty side. Want to carb it out? The chicken sandwich is decked out in pickled onion, tangy sauce, lettuce and mayo and served on a Spoke and Bird brioche bun.

With locations in Lakeview, River West, Wrigleyville and the Loop, it's never terribly difficult to get your hands on the 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 two sides (coleslaw and creamy mac are the way to go).

Fluorescent lighting and canary-yellow formica are about as much as you’ll get in the way of ambience at this neighborhood favorite, tucked down a side street just off of Archer Avenue in Garfield Ridge. But that chicken, though. Fried to order (veterans know to call 30 minutes in advance), it arrives clad in a mellow gold coating (or “butter crust”) that’s sturdy and salty and satisfyingly crunchy—a beautiful complement to the juicy meat beneath.

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.

This small but mighty Logan Square newcomer specializes in exactly one thing: lollipop (or tiger) chicken wings. The poultry here is known for its barely-there batter, juicy meat and a signature sticky sauce that takes hours to prepare. Get your wings with a side of jasmine rice or upgrade to deeply savory musubi rice, which is studded with kimchi and hunks of Spam.

Right now, the patio at Perilla in River West has been transformed into a bonafide chicken shop serving crispy dark and white meat on white bread with cooling coleslaw. The birds are broken down in-house and cured before they're dredged and fried to golden, craggy perfection. But it's the spice blend that really sets this recipe apart: a satisfying mix of hot and sweet that's finished off with sesame seeds, toasted seaweed and dehydrated scallions.

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 back two hours, 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.

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 (or mild sauce) adds an optional acid zip.