Fried chicken is a universal comfort food. But the well-loved southern style fried chicken is only one of the many fried chicken variants around the world. Take a look:
Karaage (Japan)
Fried chicken should always be crispy but karaage brings a whole new level of crispiness. This juicy and flavorful dish is often made with skin-on chicken thigh. The marinade is soy-based, with ginger, mirin and sesame oil.
Southern Fried Chicken (USA)
Southern fried chicken is probably the most familiar around the world thanks to KFC & Popeyes. Most southern fried chicken is marinated in buttermilk brine and cooked to perfection.
Buffalo Wings (USA)
The buffalo wings was first served in Buffalo, NY in 1964 and to this day, this messy and spicy fried chicken dish remains very popular. Just ask Buffalo Wild Wings.
Central America Country Chicken (Guatemala)
This dish from Pollo Campero is Latin America’s answer to Kentucky Fried Chicken. This Guatemalan food chain serves fried chicken that is crispy on the outside and juicy inside, with a top secret coating that gives it a very comforting and delicious taste.
Gai Tod (Thailand)
Gai tod is a crunchy fried chicken with a lot of flavors. It has a mix of oyster sauce, pepper, garlic, coriander seeds and of course chili sauce. It’s coated in rice flour before frying.
Yangnyeom (Korea)
Koreans double-fry their fried chicken making it very crunchy and jam-packed with flavor. The Yangnyeom has a luscious spicy glaze and is often served with cucumbers and pickled radish.
Taiwanese Fried Chicken (Taiwan)
Also known as popcorn chicken, this fried chicken from Taiwan is a popular street food made with a dredge of potato starch and served with fried basil leaves.
Chicken 65 (India)
India’s Chicken 65 is a deep-fried, fried chicken with plenty of flavorful spices. You’ll taste ginger, garlic, curry leaves, Kashmiri chili powder, and cumin blended to achieve its special flavor.
Har Cheong Gai (Singapore)
Har cheong gai is a Singapore dish and it’s made by coating chicken pieces in a prawn paste batter. Expect umami flavor and a unique, pungent aroma with each bite. It’s often served with chili sauce and lime wedges.
Cantonese Fried Chicken (China)
This dish is a mainstay in Cantonese cuisine. It has a thin and crunchy exterior and a very tender meat inside. The chicken is poached in spices and aromatics, then dried and coated in a special syrup. It’s dried again just before deep-frying.
Ayam Goreng (Malaysia)
Malaysia’s ayam goreng is a popular fried chicken dish in southeast Asia and it has a mix of galangal, lemongrass, shallots and turmeric. You get a deeply flavored chicken inside out that it doesn’t need any sauce. It’s often eaten with nasi goreng or coconut rice. It’s also popular in Indonesia.
Jollibee Fried Chicken (Philippines)
Jollibee is a well-known fastfood restaurant chain in the Philippines. Try the extra crispy, extra juicy and full of flavor fried chicken and you’ll never look back.
Curious as to which celebrity chef makes the best fried chicken? Find out here:
