KFC vs. Popeyes vs. Church’s Chicken vs. Chick-fil-a vs. Raising Cane’s vs. Zaxby’s
Fried chicken has revolutionized we eat! We can enjoy fried chicken with and without sides, such as mashed potatoes, French fries, and jambalaya rice, and we can cook it at home and order it in dozens of restaurants. Of the hundreds of restaurants offered fried chicken, we can mention the likes of KFC, Popeyes, Church’s Chicken, Chick-fil-a, Raising Cane’s and Zaxby’s dominate the market.
Which one is the best chicken-centric restaurant? Let’s take a look by comparing their fried chicken offerings, among others.
KFC
Colonel Sanders’ fried chicken is the original fast-food fried chicken and it’s still among the most popular of its kind. Thanks to its secret spices, KFC’s fried chicken is delicious from its crunchy skin to its juicy meat, not to mention that it’s served in a generous portion. We believe that nothing beats the original and it applies to Colonel Sanders’ fried chicken!
Through the years, KFC has also expanded its offerings such that its customers can choose from several food options, many of which are also chicken-based. The chicken fillet sandwiches and wraps provide the carbs, proteins and fats that you may need for a single meal; try the Tower and Zinger burgers as well as the Boxmasters and Twisters.
Popeyes
For people who love Cajun flavors, Popeyes is the best choice! Popeyes’ fried chicken comes in mild and spicy flavors, as well as served with your choice of sides — rice and red beans, Cajun fries, mashed potatoes, and Cajun rice. Keep in mind that Popeyes takes pride in its Southern food so the menu also features po’boy sandwiches and jambalaya.
But what’s a Popeyes visit without fried chicken? Many people love its fried chicken because it’s flavorful from its crispy skin to its succulent meat, thanks to a 12-hour marinating time. After being marinated, the chicken pieces are then battered, breaded, and deep-fried before being served hot.
The new Popeyes Chicken Sandwich has such a big hype behind it that Popeyes is having problems meeting the demand.
Tip: Try the mild flavor first and then enjoy the spicy flavor once your spice tolerance increases.
Church’s Chicken
While some people say that Church’s Chicken fried chicken has a relatively brand flavor, they are probably missing its point. Think of it as a blank canvas, thanks to its light seasoning, which you can customize according to your personal preferences in a fried chicken. You can add any condiment that you want to make it more flavorful — creamy mayonnaise, rich ketchup, and/or spicy sauce.
The fried chicken itself is delicious on its own so there may not be a need for these extra condiments. After all, the point of fried chicken lies in its crunchy skin with just the right amount of seasoning and juicy, tender and succulent meat.
Pair the friend chicken — or the chicken tenders, if you want — with the fluffy biscuits to satisfy your cravings.
Chick-fil-a
Are you on the hunt for the best chicken sandwich? Look no further than Chick-fil-A! Undoubtedly, Chick-fil-A beats every other chain that offers chicken sandwiches including McDonald’s.
Yes, the chicken sandwich is simple in its construction but therein also lies its beauty. There are no fancy condiments that get in the way of enjoying the full flavors of the grilled marinated chicken, the star of the sandwich, as well as the signature sauce and pickle slices. The contrast between the savory chicken, the tangy sauce, and the sweet-sour pickle slices makes for an explosion of delicious flavors in the mouth.
If you want the full flavor of the chicken without the buns, you can order the chicken strips and nuggets. The strips are addictive with their complex flavors coming from the combo of tomato powder, garlic powder, and molasses.
Raising Cane’s
Many of the abovementioned chains have complicated menus that can cause confusion. Not so with Raising Cane’s with its pared-down menu consisting of just chicken fingers served with crinkle-cut fries, toast, coleslaw, and Cane’s signature sauce.
The chicken fingers are served in four combos with each combo having a different number. The combo meals are 3-Finger Combo, Box Combo, Sandwich Combo, and Caniac Combo, which have chicken fingers ranging from two to six. The chicken fingers aren’t small, far from it, so it’s easy to share them with your friend or to satisfy your hunger.
The chicken fingers are tender, flavorful and juicy, too, even meatier than on-the-bone fried chicken. Plus, there’s also the ease with which it can be eaten while you’re on the move.
All the prices are taken from Raising Cane’s menu prices
Zaxby’s
In comparison with the likes of KFC, Zaxby’s is a small chain but don’t be fooled by its size. Zaxby’s offers good friend chicken wings and chicken fingers, too!
What makes Zaxby’s chicken special? First, it’s cooked to order so the chicken wings and tenders are always served fresh from the fryer so their skins remain crispy and their meat is hot, flavorful and moist.
We love it, too, that the chicken wings are served in two ways — on the wing and boneless. Every order, however, comes with a dipping sauce; you can choose from several heat levels, such as the moderately spicy Zax sauce and the crazy-hot Nuclear and Insane sauce.
In conclusion, each of these chains have their merits where the quality of their fried chicken is concerned. We like KFC and Popeyes for our part.
