Life
9 Gloriously Crispy Fried Chicken Recipes That Taste Like Heaven on a Drumstick
Vegans, avert your eyes. As much as we love you, there are some times when a girl just has to have her fried chicken. You can go on eating your tofu and your tempeh, your hummus and your carrots. We won’t judge — we have drumsticks.
Of course, there’s never a bad time for fried chicken. It’s the comfort food your grandmother used to make, the thing that got you through childhood and through post-break-up cry fests. But it’s in summer, with a glass of iced tea, that fried chicken is truly glorious. To kick off your warm-weather feasting, we rounded up the crispiest, most mouthwatering recipes for cookouts, for picnics, and just for you, when you raid the fridge at midnight. Choose your own chicken adventure — classic, Korean, or karaage — and then treat yourself, all summer long.
Image: Tucker
Do It Right
Start off summer right, with classic fried chicken from Grandbaby Cakes. It’s a no-frills recipe — but the secret is in its perfect, balanced seasoning.
Image: Grandbaby Cakes
Dip It
What’s fried chicken without a killer sauce to match? Half Baked Harvest whips hers up in the oven and drizzles it all in a honey bourbon glaze. Close your mouth – you’re drooling.
Image: Half Baked Harvest
Smoke It
We love all things smoked. We love all things fried. Why not put the two together and call it a win for everyone? Our friends at Tucker give their fried chicken an extra punch by smoking it first.
Image: Tucker
Land of the Rising Chicken
Fried chicken might be an American classic, but Japan knows what’s up. Just One Cookbook’s classic karaage gets its kick from sake, sesame oil, and soy sauce.
Image: Just One Cookbook
Nuggets of Wisdom
You can do so much better than fast food nuggets. Lady and Pups shows us how to make our own — minus the mystery meat.
Image: Lady and Pups
Korea Town
Next up in the fried chicken showdown? Korean wings. There’s nothing fancy about this recipe — it’s just five ingredients — but one bite, and you’ll know why we love it. Thanks, Damn Delicious!
Image: Damn Delicious
Electric Slide
Now that you’ve mastered fried chicken every which way, it’s time to put it to good use. Half Baked Harvest stuffs hers into sliders, alongside a savory corn slaw.
Image: Half Baked Harvest
Salad Fingers
We love our classic cobb, but let’s be honest — what doesn’t taste better with fried chicken? Heather Christo breaks it down.
Image: Heather Christo
Put a Waffle on It
You had your sliders and your nuggets — but the real crown jewel of fried chicken? Waffles. Grandbaby Cakes whips up this staple for brunch, dinner, and anytime in between.
Image: Grandbaby Cakes
