Few things in this world are better than fried chicken. There's just something about it that makes my mouth water just thinking about it. From the crispy skin perfectly seasoned and fried to a golden brown to the tender, juicy meat underneath, it's one of my go-to meals when I don't feel like cooking. Whether you like white meat or dark, spicy, or a bit more mellow, there are a ton of restaurants putting their own unique spin on the popular yardbird. But who's frying it up right, and who's version is flying the coop? It's time for you to decide.

National Fried Chicken Day is July 6th

Hand holding Fried chicken and eating in the restaurant
PhanuwatNandee
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Believe it or not, fried chicken is not a new idea. According to Days of the Year, a recipe for a version of fried chicken was found in a 4th-century Roman cookbook. However, instead of deep-frying it in oil like we do today, they would parboil the whole chicken, coat it in oil and herbs, then roast it.

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It wasn't until about 1,500 years later (around the 1830s) that the term, "fried chicken" began appearing in American cookbooks with the version we know and love today being adapted from the way the dish was prepared in West Africa and Scottish cuisine.

Who Makes the Best Fried Chicken in the Tri-State?

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In my previous attempts of having you determine the best food item in the Tri-State, I would take it upon myself to search around the different cities and towns of the Tri-State through Google to find the restaurants serving whatever food item you were voting for. I took a different approach this time around. I compiled the ballot below based on the answers I received when I asked the nearly 35,000 members of the local Facebook group, Tri-State Restaurant Reviews, to tell me their favorite with the only stipulation being they could not recommend a chain restaurant, because I wanted the focus to be on locally-owned restaurants. No offense to the KFCs and Popeyes of the world, your chicken is very good. With that said, I did allow convenience stores and grocery stores as most of those are locally-owned franchises.

Before you find your favorite and submit your ballot, there is something I want you to know.

It is entirely possible, and likely, that your favorite place is not on this list. However, that doesn't mean you can't vote for them. To show them some love, click the line marked, "Other" and write their name in the blank space provided.

ONE MORE THING: Voting closes at 11:59 PM on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29TH. The top 10 restaurants based on the results will be revealed here on WEDNESDAY, JULY 6TH (National Fried Chicken Day). 

Cast your vote on the ballot below and may the best mother clucker win.

[Source: Days of the Year]

LOOK: Food history from the year you were born

From product innovations to major recalls, Stacker researched what happened in food history every year since 1921, according to news and government sources.
 

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