New York Fried Chicken has long been a part of New York City’s lively and diversified culinary scene. Fried chicken originated in Scotland, West Africa, and the American South, but over the last century, it has subsequently become a popular New York cuisine.
The evolution of fried chicken in New York reflects the city’s cultural heritage. As waves of immigrants from Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia arrived in New York, each introduced their take on fried chicken. Over time, unique regional styles arose throughout the boroughs. Fried chicken has become a symbol of cultural identity, from Harlem’s extremely crispy, spicy fried chicken to Flushing’s Korean-style wings.
Today, New Yorkers can sample fried chicken prepared in a variety of ways. Chinese takeouts serve up crispy, boneless chunks covered in a sticky sweet, and sour sauce. The city even has its fast-food chains devoted to fried chicken, like Kennedy Fried Chicken and Crown Fried Chicken.
Sylvia’s Restaurant – Harlem
Since 1962, Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem has been serving soul food and fried chicken. When you visit New York City, be sure to taste Sylvia’s fried chicken, seasoned with a special blend of spices.
Their World Famous Fried Chicken is moist and crispy, and it comes with collard greens and mac & cheese.
Blue RibbonNew York Fried Chicken – Manhattan
Blue Ribbon New York Fried Chicken began in 2004 as a late-night fried chicken storefront adjacent to Manhattan’s Blue Ribbon restaurant. It immediately became well-known for its light and crispy fried chicken batter recipe.
To ensure an incredibly moist inside, the chicken undergoes a 24-hour brining process before frying. Many people frequently recognize it as the best fried chicken in New York City.
Hill Country Chicken – Brooklyn
Hill Country Chicken first opened in central Brooklyn in 2014, specializing in free-range fried chicken from Niman Ranch. They marinate the chicken in a pickle brine for 24 hours before covering it with flour seasoned with cayenne and black pepper. Then, they cook the chicken in peanut oil, resulting in a very crispy exterior. It ranks as one of Brooklyn’s most popular fried chicken.
Charles’ Country Pan New York Fried Chicken – Harlem
Charles’ Pan New York Fried Chicken is a popular Harlem restaurant that serves extremely crisp pan-fried chicken. Pan-frying the chicken in cast iron skillets produces a paper-thin crispy exterior. It serves some of New York City’s greatest pan-fried chicken.
Harlem-style New York Fried Chicken Fried Chicken
Harlem-style fried chicken has its origins in the neighborhood of Harlem in New York City. During the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, many African Americans moved to Harlem, bringing soul food traditions like fried chicken with them.
The signature flavors of Harlem fried chicken come from its crispy, seasoned breading and the chicken being fried in a cast iron skillet. A well-seasoned pan is key. The chicken is soaked in buttermilk, and dredged in flour mixed with spices like paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne. It results in a crispy, flavorful crust on the moist chicken within.
Some of the most famous joints serving up authentic Harlem-style fried chicken include:
- Charles’ Country Pan Fried Chicken – This popular joint has been around since the 1960s. Their chicken is fried perfectly with Charles’ secret blend of spices.
- Amy Ruth’s Restaurant – Famous for chicken and waffles, Amy Ruth’s has perfected crispy Harlem fried chicken. Their chicken is brined for extra juiciness within the flaky crust.
From hole-in-the-wall joints to popular restaurants, Harlem-style fried chicken can be found all over New York. The soul food staple endures as a delicious symbol of the neighborhood.
Buffalo Fried Chicken Wings
Buffalo wings were invented in Buffalo, New York in the 1960s. According to popular belief, Teressa Bellissimo invented them at the Anchor Bar after a bunch of her son’s friends arrived late one night seeking a snack. She fried chicken wings and coated them in a spicy sauce composed of butter and hot sauce, resulting in the now-famous Buffalo wings.
Traditional Buffalo wings are fried naked before being thrown in a sauce prepared from butter and spicy sauce, such as Frank’s Red Spicy. The sauce adds a spicy and buttery flavor. They are frequently served with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side. The blue cheese tempers the heat.
Some of the best places to get authentic Buffalo wings in the city include:
- Duff’s – A Buffalo classic known for serving juicy large wings with the perfect crunch. They use Frank’s Red Hot sauce.
- Bar Bill Tavern – A neighborhood joint that serves wings with a slightly tangy, buttery Buffalo sauce.
- Gabriel’s Gate – A long-time Buffalo favorite with crispy, meaty wings tossed in a classic Buffalo sauce. They have over a dozen wing flavors.
Korean-style Fried Chicken
Korean fried chicken (KFC) has grown in popularity in New York City over the last decade. The Korean way of fried chicken uses distinct flavors and cooking processes that distinguish it from American-style fried chicken.
Korean fried chicken features a super crunchy exterior achieved through double frying. Cooks achieve this by first frying the chicken pieces to cook them through, then frying them again after coating them in a thin, crispy batter.
The batter contains spices like garlic, ginger, and gochujang (Korean chili powder). This imparts a subtle heat along with aromatics like sesame oil. The result is an extra crispy, almost shatteringly crunchy crust enveloping moist and tender chicken.
Some of the most popular spots for Korean fried chicken in NYC include Turntable Chicken Jazz, Mad for Chicken, and Pecking House. Signature dishes incorporate flavors like soy garlic, spicy yangnyeom with a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, and green onion.
They often pair chicken parts like wings, drumettes, and boneless bites with sides like kimchi fried rice and pickled radish. The chicken itself explodes with flavor and satisfying crunch in each bite.
Its addictively crispy texture and punchy, aromatic flavors have made it a go-to fried chicken choice alongside the American Southern styles that originally dominated the scene. KFC is now a distinctive and celebrated part of New York’s diverse fried chicken landscape.
NY-style Fried Chicken Sandwiches
Fried chicken sandwiches have grown in popularity in New York City. While fried chicken has long been a staple of New York cuisine, the fried chicken sandwich has evolved into its genre.
Harlem residents in the 1930s originated the NY-style fried chicken sandwich. Chicken shacks like Wells Supper Club began serving breaded and fried chicken fillets between two slices of bread. The concept was simple but became a hit. The crunchy and juicy fried chicken paired perfectly with the soft bread.
Over the decades, fried chicken sandwiches popped up on the menus of various NY institutions. But it wasn’t until the 2000s that the NY-style fried chicken sandwich took off and developed its own identity. Chefs started taking the basic sandwich to new levels by using high-quality ingredients and unique additions.
Some of the most popular NY fried chicken sandwich joints include Fuku, Win Son, and Root & Bone. While all put their spin on the sandwich, you’ll find trendy additions like kimchi, pickles, honey butter, and homemade sauces. The goal is to balance the crispy chicken with flavors and textures that complement and enhance the core components.
The NY-style fried chicken sandwich embraces innovation while remaining true to its roots. It captures the essence of New York food culture – take a classic dish and make it your own. This sandwich has cemented itself as an iconic NYC staple and will likely continue evolving in the years to come.
Fried Chicken and Waffles
The delicious combination of crispy fried chicken and sweet waffles originated in Harlem, NY in the 1930s. The sweet and savory combination became a hit, especially late at night when musicians would visit restaurants after performing at the jazz clubs.
Some of the most popular spots in NY to enjoy chicken and waffles are:
- Amy Ruth’s – This Harlem restaurant has mastered chicken and waffles with their secret recipe for waffle batter. Their signature version comes with 3 wings and a thigh served with a fluffy waffle.
- Red Rooster – Chef Marcus Samuelsson puts a gourmet twist on chicken and waffles at his Harlem restaurant. His version features cornmeal waffles topped with honey butter and fried yardbird chicken.
- Sweet Chick, a Brooklyn spot, serves chicken and waffles made with chicken sausage gravy and homemade waffles. Customers can choose between dark or white chicken meat.
- The Honeywell – Their popular version comes with chopped chicken thighs, savory waffles, and hot honey maple butter. Customers rave about the perfect balance of flavors.
No matter where you try it in NY, chicken and waffles is the ultimate sweet and savory soul food treat with deep roots in Harlem’s culinary history.
Regional Fried Chicken Chains
Some of the most popular fried chicken chains originated outside of New York but have become staples in the city over the years.
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) opened its first New York location in the mid-1960s. While known for its secret blend of 11 herbs and spices, KFC in New York serves up all the classics like Extra Crispy chicken, chicken tenders, and popcorn chicken. The KFC Famous Bowl has also become a popular menu item, featuring mashed potatoes, corn, fried chicken, gravy, and cheese.
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen brought its New Orleans-style fried chicken and spicy chicken sandwiches to New York in the early 1970s. Popeyes is known for its hand-battered and breaded chicken marinated in a blend of Louisiana seasonings. Popular menu items include the Bonafide Chicken Sandwich, chicken tenders, fried shrimp, and red beans and rice.
Church is known for its hand-battered and breaded fried chicken and scratch-made honey butter biscuits. Church’s chicken tenders and fried chicken sandwiches are customer favorites in New York.
Fried Chicken in NY Pop Culture
New York fried chicken has become ingrained in pop culture over the years. Famous movies, TV shows, songs, and celebrities have referenced NY-style fried chicken joints and dishes.
One of the most iconic scenes referencing NY fried chicken is when Kramer goes on a journey across NYC to get some chicken from a Kenny Rogers Roasters restaurant in an episode of Seinfeld. The city’s fried chicken obsession is satirized as Kramer becomes almost addicted to the chicken.
The famous rap group Beastie Boys also pays homage to NY chicken spots with references to Kennedy Fried Chicken and Crown Fried Chicken in their lyrics. The restaurants are landmarks in NYC neighborhoods.
In the classic coming-of-age film Do the Right Thing, Sal’s Famous Pizzeria is shown in the same Brooklyn neighborhood as Crown Fried Chicken. The chicken joint represents part of the fabric of the community.
Famous figures like Jay-Z and Al Sharpton have been photographed over the years visiting NY chicken spots like Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken. The restaurants hold cultural significance for NYC natives.
NY fried chicken has left its mark on pop culture by becoming a recognizable symbol of classic New York City life and cuisine. From movies to music, it represents a slice of the city’s unique food culture.
The Future of NY Fried Chicken
People know New York for its innovative food scene, and fried chicken is no exception. Chefs constantly find new ways to put creative spins on this classic dish. Here are some trends to look out for in NY fried chicken:
New Coatings and Flavors
Chefs are experimenting with all kinds of coatings beyond the typical flour or breadcrumbs. Expect to see fried chicken coated in crushed-up chips, cereals, or other crunchy items. Spice blends from around the world are also making appearances as coatings. For example, Japanese panko, Indian spices, and Cajun seasonings. The possibilities are endless for creative flavors.
Inside the coating, chefs are also playing with marinades and buttermilk soaks. Marinating the chicken elevates the flavor before frying. Popular marinade flavors include garlic, lemon, herbs, chili peppers, and more.
Chicken Sandwich Wars
Fried chicken sandwiches have exploded in popularity, and New York’s chefs are pushing boundaries. From Nashville hot chicken style to kimchi fried chicken sandwiches, expect innovative flavors between the buns. The fried chicken sandwich possibilities are endless. Visit our Website Time Speed Magazine.
Gourmet Versions
As fried chicken gains popularity in upmarket dining, chefs are pushing the dish to new heights.
Look for new grab-and-go fried chicken alternatives in food courts and fast-casual restaurants. Urbanspace, DeKalb Market Hall, and Time Out Market are food halls that provide quick fried chicken from some of the city’s most popular chefs and restaurants. In a metropolis like New York, creativity is never-ending. Fried chicken enthusiasts may look forward to a plethora of new variations on this classic dish. Chefs will continue to innovate fried chicken in late-night sandwich shops and fine dining places for years to come.
