Nine Favorite Spots for Fried Chicken in Metro Phoenix

See Also: Chicken & Waffle Warfare: Lo-Lo's vs. Louisiana Fried Chicken Falling somewhere between mac & cheese and chocolate chip cookies, fried chicken is near the very top of our favorite comfort foods list. And even though we can't eat this culinary treat very often, that doesn't stop us from...

By Shannon Armour

September 3, 2012

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Falling somewhere between mac & cheese and chocolate chip cookies, fried chicken is near the very top of our favorite comfort foods list. And even though we can't eat this culinary treat very often, that doesn't stop us from day dreaming about juicy pieces of crispy coated chicken.

There is no shortage of Valley restaurants that are contributing to these mouthwatering daydreams. Check out our list of favorite fried chicken dishes.

The Lo-Lo's Plate @ Lo-Lo's Chicken & Waffles -- If you're looking for authentic southern style fried chicken, look no further than the Valley's own fried chicken haven, Lo-Lo's. Both locations churn out plate after plate of their ginormous pieces of their family recipe extra-crispy fried chicken. On our most hungover weekend mornings, we usually end up nursing ourselves back to ~~bed~~ health with this huge plate made up of three pieces of dark meat chicken and two of Lo-Lo's famous cinnamon-kissed waffles and a mason jar filled to the brim with "red" Kool-aid.

Dixie Pan-Fried Chicken @ Chelsea's Kitchen -- Classic comfort food gets a modern twist at this gorgeous Arcadia restaurant. Served "Picnic-style" with fluffy mashed potatoes and a sweet mini cinnamon roll on the side, the warm pan-fried chicken is super flavorful and juicy with just the right amount of spice on the crispy coating. It's not your typical southern-style fried chicken but it's still one of our faves.

The Three Piece Box @ Rock N' Roll Fingers -- Back in 2005, long before chicken fingers started to become a "thing" in the Valley, husband and wife team Amy and Adrian Moghina opened their little chicken finger shack on Broadway and Rural in Tempe. The duo lightly fries their all white, skinless, 100% chicken breast meat pieces in canola oil and serves the golden brown crispy finger with a side of fries, texas toast, and their secret dipping sauce. The shop keeps odd hours, so you might want to call before getting your heart set on these beautifully fried piece of chicken, but they are well worth the effort and far superior to the chain fingers shop down the road.

Kentucky Fried Quail @ Blue Hound Kitchen -- You're right. It's not exactly chicken, but we couldn't help but slip this fried fowl onto the list. Executive Chef Stephen Jones has created what might possibly be one of our very favorite new fried dishes for this upscale industrial-modern hotel restaurant. The well-portioned plate features two savory seasoned (rumor has it Chef Jones got the recipe straight from the KFC folks) and breaded quail legs on a bed of tender foie gras cornbread with red beans and decadent sausage gravy. This memorable dish is hauntingly good, a must try for any fried chicken fanatic.

Campero Traditional Chicken @ Pollo Campero -- If you happen to have visited South America at some point in time, you'll know that this chicken is more popular than a 30-pack of bud light and a bottle of whipped cream vodka at an ASU frat party. The Latin-America chicken chain has been around since 1971 and has established more than 300 locations across the world, one of which just happens to be in West Phoenix. The chain breads each and every piece of marinated chicken by hand and fries the juicy pieces to order. The crispy coating has an almost sweet taste and -- somehow -- works perfectly with a side of black beans and rice and a couple warm corn tortillas.

Chicken & Waffle @ Citizen Public House -- Featured on the "starter" menu but almost big enough for a small meal, CPH's buttermilk soaked chicken is fried to a golden brown crisp and then set on top of a dense and tasty oat waffle with almond butter and a side of sticky clover honey. And, if you're one of the many gluten haters out there, this dish can be made gluten free! Try getting that at KFC.

Famous Fried Chicken @ Louisiana Fried Chicken -- The one and only location of this California franchise sits in the far corner of a South Phoenix strip mall. The super small location (there's only two tables, so plan on getting it to-go) boxes up extra crunchy pieces of fresh fried chicken bursting with awesome Cajun flavors. This is the place for take out chicken. and if you can't eat chicken without a waffle, they have super thick Belgium-style waffles and sweet maple syrup to go with their super awesome chicken.

Chicken & Waffles @ Tuck Shop -- Nestled in the heart of Downtown Phoenix's historic Coronado neighborhood this tiny eatery serves up huge plates of citrus-brined crispy chicken with their airy white cheddar waffles smothered in sweet butter and a generous helping of charred and salted green beans sandwiched in the middle. This is comfort food at it's finest! Make sure your hungry or bring a friend to share this monster sized dish with and don't forget to pair it with a Dark & Stormy made with housemade ginger ale.

Southern Fried Chicken @ Mrs. White's Golden Rule Cafe -- Phoenix's original soul food kitchen doesn't have a huge selection which is totally fine with us because we're only there for one thing -- golden fried chicken. A comfort food staple since 1964, Mrs. White herself fries up mean plates of true southern style chicken and serves it with equally awesome homestyle sides like black eyed peas, okra gumbo (only on the weekends) and delicious green beans with red potatoes. Warning -- the service is friendly, but you're not Chili's or Applebee's so don't expect the staff to be annoyingly chipper. Plus, you're there for the fantastic eats, not to make best buddies with someone who only wants your 20% tip.

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