There are a few subjects in the South that need to be approached with delicate diplomacy if you want to avoid a world war (or a big ol' falling out with your mother-in-law). Near the top of that list is the proper way to make fried chicken.
Believe it or not - there are many roads that will lead you to that platter of golden, crispy fried goodness. You can choose to marinate - or not; season the flour - or season the raw chicken - or both; dip in an egg wash - or not; deep fry or pan fry - cook covered or uncovered - and we haven't even talked about what to put in that coating, which is a whole other discussion unto itself.
No matter the route, however, the destination is always the perfect piece of fried chicken, which never fails to make a Southern heart beat just a little bit faster. It matters not whether you eat it spitting hot from the fryer - or cold out of the fridge - presented on a silver platter or lifted out of a brown paper sack - the result is still a delicious trip to Southern food heaven.
You can find great fried chicken on any street corner in the South (there are almost too many restaurant chains to count these days), but if you want a true taste of the best, and mama isn’t in the mood to fry up a pan of homemade at the moment, then head to a local dive such as my personal favorite - BoBop’s Quick Stop and Filling Station in Estill, South Carolina, which has, hands down, the best bite of fried chicken I have ever tasted. But don’t tell mama I said that.
We live on Hilton Head, and travel through Estill to visit my brothers in North Augusta. We always make a stop at BoBop’s for their fried chicken and mac n cheese! It’s my hubby’s favorite!
Yum. I remember Lizzie, my sister’s god mother standing over a skillet of frying chicken and making white gravy after.