Why We Consider This Fried Chicken Chain The Best Of The Best

If you're like us, you're grateful to live in a day and age where you can find a plethora of options for fried chicken. While there's undeniable merit to enjoying this comforting, crunchy meal at home or a local restaurant, sometimes you need to satisfy your fried chicken craving on the go or in a hurry. While there's plenty of debate regarding which franchise wins the trophy for frying chicken, Daily Meal has found that Popeyes is the best of the best.

We've thought a lot about the best fried chicken chains and ranked them by crunch and flavor, but at the end of the day, no other chain offers fried chicken that's as crispy, flavorful, or perfectly battered. You don't have to worry about biting into a disappointing, soggy piece of fried chicken when you eat at Popeyes, and that signature crunch paired with the perfect blend of spices and seasonings is what makes it our top choice.

When it comes to the best fried chicken, it's all about the crunch — and Popeye's has its crunch down pat. It uses an egg and flour-based batter that's fried to such perfection that you can hear an audible crunch with every bite. In fact, former Popeyes CEO Cheryl Bachelder told The Advocate that Popeye's uses more batter than its competitors, and more batter means more crunch.

The brand's full name is Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, and the cajun element of its recipes is another thing to love. If you really want an extra kick of Cajun goodness, you can ask for Cajun Sparkle Seasoning, which is a Popeyes secret menu item that gives your meal an extra pop of flavor. It comes in a small packet, and you can sprinkle it on your chicken to amp up the (already delicious) Louisiana flavor.

Popeyes marinates its chicken for 12 hours, so the meat is every bit as delicious as the breading. While you can't go wrong with its signature chicken, what we really love about Popeyes are its sandwiches. Whether you want classic or spicy (we're team spicy, all the way), we have absolutely no notes on the impeccable combination of crispy fried chicken, pickles, and mayo sandwiched between a perfectly buttery brioche bun.