Best Restaurants For Fried Chicken In Dallas

by Steven Doyle

Celebrate National Fried Chicken Day in style and with plenty of napkins. It was more than difficult to select just a handful of restaurants that serve awesome chicken because there are so many in Dallas. Some have an ethnic twist, others are straight forward crispy fried and juicy.

We had to eliminate a few that didn’t qualify as traditional, such as Bon Mua’s fried Cornish hen, which is still worth making the drive to Carrollton.         

We started off by making a list of all the fried chicken we sampled over the past year and was actually shocked to see how much chicken we loaded up on recently. Col Sanders would have said he was too drunk to taste that chicken after just a few of these places.

Enjoy our list which is in no particular order. We tried to give a good mix between the more refined and the more obvious yard birds.

Babes: The standard by which all fried chicken should be judged. The location in Roanoke seems more authentic, but there are plenty of locations, including the cousin store, Bubba’s.  Brined so it carries saltiness and served up with some amazing sides including fluffy biscuits and plenty of house-made cream corn.

Celebration: This home-cooking Mecca has been in business a fast and friendly forty years serving up chicken fried steaks, meatloaf, catfish and southern fried chicken. The sides are sturdy and the chicken is light and crispy. For those with a “get in me belly” outlook on lunch, you may order as many plate refills as you can sample.

Rudy’s Chicken: If you enjoy a little theater with your dinner, Rudy’s is the place to check out. This Oak Cliff hot spot serves its fried chicken simple, hot and delicious. Served atop a few slices of white bread (presumably to soak up any extraneous grease) and a side of spicy peppers, Rudy’s is inexpensive and delicious. For less than three dollars you can get a meal of fries, two pieces of chicken and those peppers. The seasoning that is added after is salty and addictive. Be on the lookout for the entrepreneurial type that will want to sell you today’s catch in the parking lot. 3115 S Lancaster

Private Social: What could be more decadent than chicken deep fried in duck fat? I am still looking out for duck fat fries at this Top Chef restaurant where Tiffany Derry makes a mean bird. Juicy, crispy crust and packed with flavor.

Fearing’s: This version is paper bag shook and a favorite recipe of Dean Fearing’s grandmother. Who can argue with that? This chicken is only served on Sunday and most likely gets its extra bit of goodness from that paper bag, but whatever the logic it is one of the best in the city.

Chicken House: This spot was recommended to me by Chef Brian Luscher. If you follow Luscher on Facebook you will see he gets around to some fine dining, especially on Sunday’s when he is out dining around with his daughter. This is your basic chicken. The crust is substantial, well-seasoned and perfected amiably. This is another example of ghetto bird that will have you driving circles around the building for a close inspection, but all is good in the house of hen. 4839 Gaston Road

Sissy’s Southern Kitchen: New to the chicken game, Sissy’s has garnered plenty of accolades, and for good reason. Chef Hobbs is deft at the art of chicken and makes a fine example. The dark fried crust is light and airy, while the juicy meat squirts with piquancy. The sides are not to be missed especially the fried okra and creamed corn. Both are decadent.

Pecan Lodge: We have you looking twice, right? Yes, this is home to some pretty terrific brisket and made our top five list for the BBQ. But, the Fourton’s make some damned good chicken. The pieces are mammoth and served fresh with each order.

Hatties: The buttermilk chicken that is served with a tasso gravy on the brunch menu at Hattie’s serves as a shining example of southern fried glory.  Enjoy this dish along with other southern favorites such as the very best shrimp and grits in Dallas.