Fried chicken is a given in Alabama.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find better elsewhere in the country. You could call the Southern food staple, in all of its crispy glory, a specialty in our beautiful state full of mouth-watering fried goodness.

The AL.com team found the best fried chicken in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and the rest of Alabama. And readers clucked about the places we forgot.

But if you really want to know where you’ll get the best fried chicken in this state, read below until your stomach can growl no longer.

BETTY MAE’S RESTAURANT

2007 N. Memorial Pkwy., Huntsville, facebook.com

Betty’s Mae’s fried chicken has the best seasoning of any I’ve had in Huntsville. Just a pinch more to dance on your cutaneous buds without getting showy, silly or aggressive with it. It’s easy to like this place. Fast service (in my experience), laidback vibe, diverse mix of folks. A crown jewel of North Huntsville more locals from other parts of the city should add Betty Mae’s to their regular dining-out rotation. And the next time I have a cool friend from a cool city visiting, this might be the first local restaurant I’d take them to. It’s an experience, it’s easy and the food’s killer

Order this (besides fried chicken): If you’re not already a root vegetables enthusiast, Betty Mae’s candied yams will make you one. — Matt Wake

CHAMPY’S FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN

27080 U.S. 98 in Daphne. Other stores are in Alabaster, Madison and Muscle Shoals. champyschicken.com.

Maybe I should feel bad picking a chain, but I don’t. First off, Champy’s isn’t a very chainy chain. Erin and Todd Putnam opened the second-ever Champy’s in Daphne in 2011. Secondly, every piece of chicken is fried to order. Thirdly, I like the overall experience: Champy’s has a dining room with the feel of a neighborhood pub or a friendly juke joint, for a little more character than a fast-food joint or a standard café. The menu is tight, compared to the other places, and that means the chicken has to impress. It does.

Order this: Whatever else you do, you need to try the tamales, a nod to Champy’s roots in Mississippi. And while you won’t find fried seafood platters and po-boys on the menu, the catfish plate is excellent. — Lawrence Specker

CHICKEN SHACK

665 Forest Ave., Luverne. thechickenshackluverne.com/

When AL.com went on a statewide journey to find the best fried chicken, the Chicken Shack in small-town Luverne got the No. 1 spot. My colleague Ike Morgan said of the fried chicken, “The flavor was just right. And they kept a great balance between not-too-greasy on the outside and not-too-dry on the inside — and that’s important to a fan of the fried-chicken breast like me.” I gotta agree with Ike — Chicken Shack does everything right. It definitely should be on your Alabama fried chicken bucket list.

Order this (besides the fried chicken): The fried okra. Just do it. — Haley Laurence

CRAFT’S

49 Church St. in Mountain Brook; 2118 Seventh Ave. South in Birmingham. craftsbhm.com

Remember Miss Dots, a fried chicken joint that relied on the recipes used by Leola “Dot” Rogers? John Cassimus of Zoe’s Kitchen helped Miss Dots to become a reality in 2016, opening locations in Mountain Brook and Tuscaloosa. The T-Town location has closed, but Miss Dots lives on in Crestline Village, now called Craft’s and owned by the O’Neal family. (In 2023, a second location of Craft’s opened on Seventh Avenue South, as well.) Things have changed over the years, but fried chicken remains the star of the menu, and we’re extremely happy about that. You can order it here in a variety of ways, from a whole fried chicken to mini chicken bites with dipping sauces. There’s flavor and crunch aplenty, and we really like having options — sandwiches, salads, bowls, wraps and more — when in need of a fried chicken fix.

Order this: Bone-in fried chicken, with white or dark meat, is a good place to start at Craft’s. As a side dish, try the yummy squash casserole. — Mary Colurso

DANNY’S SOUTHERN COOKING

22697 State Highway 59 S., Robertsdale, eatatdannys.com

The sign out front says, “It’ll make you smile,” and how can you not love that? I visited on a day when the restaurant’s lobby was closed and an air-conditioning company was on the premises installing what looked like a whole new AC system. The temperature was in the upper 90s, so goodness knows what it was in the neighborhood of that fryer. But God bless ‘em, they were in there frying up chicken for the lunch crowd. If more people worked that hard to make me happy, I’d be really happy.

Order this: My mixed three-piece combo came with two breasts and a drumstick. That plus two sides and a drink ran me an even $11. — Lawrence Specker

DOT’S SOUL FOOD RESTAURANT

18152 Alabama Highway 20, Hillsboro

I try not to duplicate restaurants on my food lists, and although Dot’s Soul Food Restaurant got big love on our best meat-and-three list, I have to mention it here. Dot’s is just a small-town Alabama restaurant at its finest: It has little social media presence, and it doesn’t need it — people just know that it’s the place you go if you want good eatin’, and you can depend on finding a crowd of people there. The fried chicken is moist and perfect, everything you want from fried chicken.

Order this (besides the fried chicken): I know it’s pretty hard to save room for dessert at a place like Dot’s, but save room for dessert. Trust me. — Haley Laurence

EUGENE’S HOT CHICKEN

2268 Ninth Ave. North in Birmingham; 3232 Galleria Circle, Suite 101, in Hoover. www.eugeneshotchicken.com

Fried chicken nirvana? Eugene’s has earned a rapturous reputation that’s pretty close to it, even if you prefer your chicken without a fiery kick. Heat levels here range from “Lemon Pepper and Southern (no heat)” to “Stupid Hot (for the bold and daring).” Other choices are Mild, Hot and Hot Damn (“not too smart, not too stupid”). We like a restaurant with a sense of humor, especially when it serves fried chicken that’s crazy-good. Zebbie Carney, the founder of Eugene’s, started with a food truck around 2015, moved to a brick-and-mortar location downtown in 2017 and expanded to Hoover in 2020. More recently, the Eater website included Eugene’s Hot Chicken in its 2022 list of “The Best Fried Chicken in America.” Take your pick among chicken tenders, wings, sandwiches, quarters, whole chickens, chicken and waffles, fried chicken salad and more.

Order this: Go for the gusto with a half or full bird, plus your choice of sauce and two sides. You can’t go wrong with Southern Slaw or creamy mac and cheese. Suggested heat level? Newbies might start with mild (“slight heat”) and work their way up the burn scale. — Mary Colurso

FIVE

744 29th St. South in Birmingham, other locations in Tuscaloosa, Mobile and Athens, Georgia. www.five-bar.com

Five entrees are on the menu at this casual-cool restaurant, which also offers five appetizers, five snacks, five signature cocktails … you get the idea. If that sounds too trendy or high concept, we promise that our favorite dish at Five Birmingham (also known as 5 Bar) will make you a believer. The panéed chicken breast — covered in bread crumbs and pan-fried — is light, tender and juicy, served with shallot caper cream sauce and mashed potatoes, plus a house salad. (Think mixed greens, seasonal fruit, goat cheese, nuts and a creamy vinaigrette.) It’s best when served on a single plate, with various flavors mixing and mingling. We never feel guilty about eating the delicious pan-fried chicken at Five, because it almost seems healthy. Win-win!

Order this: Panéed chicken breast, naturally. The jazz brunch on weekends offers chicken and waffles, if you’re looking for something a little more decadent. — Mary Colurso

HART’S FRIED CHICKEN

Two stores in Mobile, one in Prichard, one in Saraland; www.hartsfriedchicken.com

This small family owned, Mobile-based chain opened in 1964, so it has a lot of local history. Not to mention a lot of local partisans. Second-generation company leader Robert Johnson (who’s son Matt is the third-generation president) told AL.com in 2022 that the company’s lightly breaded chicken is cooked under pressure, which “packs the seasoning into the meat.” Hart’s offers a bit of an old-school fast-food vibe, in a good way.

Order this: You can’t go wrong with the basic mixed three-piece combo. — Lawrence Specker

JACKSON’S STATION

123 Broad St., Camden, facebook.com/jacksonsfriedchick/

People from all over drive to tiny Camden in Wilcox County to try fried chicken — and yes, I mean everyone. Even Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg made the trek there in February 2017. And that’s because of Jackson’s Station. (Note: Jackson’s recently moved to a new location and rebranded from Jackson’s Fried Chicken to Jackson’s Station.) The fried chicken is perfectly crispy and perfectly awesome, and you won’t leave disappointed.

Order this: The COB. It’s a sandwich topped with boneless tenders, a tangy sauce, and peppers if you’d like. Locals love it for a reason. — Haley Laurence

JJ’S SEAFOOD & CHICKEN

5681 Nevius Road in Mobile; jjsseafoodchicken.com

JJ’s is a relative upstart on the Mobile-area fried chicken scene, but its parking lot tended to experience overflow conditions from the beginning. It’s not hard to figure out why: In addition to fried chicken, fried shrimp and other fried goodies, the menu offers gumbo, a selection of grilled entrees and daily specials such as pot roast and chicken alfredo.

Order this: If you’re in the mood, the fried chicken livers over a bed of rice and onions with gravy is a heroic meal. Whatever mood you’re in, don’t miss out on the mac & cheese. — Lawrence Specker

LITTLE DONKEY

Locations in Homewood, Hoover and Montgomery; thelittledonkey.com

Yes, Little Donkey is a Mexican restaurant. But in this eatery, you’ll find burritos, fajitas, tacos and fried chicken. In fact, fried chicken has its own section of the menu, labeled “famous fried chicken.” I’m normally pretty wary of any restaurant that calls its food “famous,” but I’ll let it go in Little Donkey’s case — it’s that good it should be world famous. The chicken is served with rice and pickled veggies, along with a choice of pinto or black beans. (There’s also a fried chicken sandwich with Wickles Pickles on it, and you can never go wrong with fried chicken and Wickles.)

Order this: Order the family-style whole chicken. It feeds 3-4, so everyone won’t be trying to get a bite of your chicken. — Haley Laurence

MARTIN’S RESTAURANT

1796 Carter Hill Road, Montgomery, themartinsrestaurant.com/

My colleague and Alabama food guru Bob Carlton said, “Every fried chicken list begins and ends with Martin’s.” And absolutely correct. Martin’s has been a mainstay in Montgomery for more than 80 years, so it’s had plenty of time to perfect its fried chicken. And oh, it is perfect. It’s so perfect. It’s crunchy, tasty and is packed with flavor. Even better, it’s one of a handful of places in Alabama that serve “pulley bones” — the part of the chicken in between the breasts. “The thing about the pulley bone is, you cannot just call (a supplier) and say, ‘Send me two cases of pulley bones,’” Owner Maryanne Smith Merritt told Carlton in 2020. “You have to cut a whole chicken to get one pulley bone. We have just so many that we start out with each day, and then they’re gone.” (So in other words, you better get there early if you want ‘em.)

Order this (besides the fried chicken): You know your granny’s pies that have meringue that’s as tall as Dolly Parton’s hair? Martin’s has ‘em, and you gotta try ‘em with your chicken and sides. — Haley Laurence

NEIGHBOR’S SEAFOOD & CHICKEN

5830 Three Notch Road in Mobile; neighborsseafood.com

The funniest moment of this fried chicken quest was when I was sitting in my car in the parking lot at Neighbor’s, waiting for the 11 a.m. opening. As I sat there looking at my phone, I suddenly was hit by the smell of fried chicken. I looked up. It was 11:02 a.m. It was like they’d flipped a switch. Or as if they’d somehow kept the aroma bottled in until the door opened for the first customer at 11, and it took 120 seconds to waft across the parking lot and into my vehicle. Anyway, this locally owned restaurant has been serving “traditional Southern comfort food” since 1992, and the sign spells it out: Seafood – Chicken – Vegetables.” (Does anybody else put “vegetables” on the sign?) The chicken is excellent. Daily specials include Chicken Parmesan, pot roast, chicken & dumplings and more; livers and gizzards also are the menu.

Order this: As a side note (see what I did there?), the fried squash is cut into wedges suitable for dipping, so don’t be surprised when they ask if you want ranch dressing with your squash. You probably do. — Lawrence Specker

NIYAH’S SOUTHERN CUISINE

Mobile food trailer, Huntsville, facebook.com/niyahssoutherncuisine

If the fried chicken here tastes like a lovingly prepared family meal, it’s no accident. Adrian Gilstrap named Niyah’s Southern Cuisine after his young daughter. Gilstrap’s chicken magic is in his deft touch and personal seasoning blend. Crispy-tasty exterior with crystalline edge crunch, tender-juicy interior but not greasy. After getting Niyah’s going in the South Parkway location where the popular Pepper Pig food trailer was, before ascending to brick-and-mortar earlier this year, lately Niyah’s has gone mobile. Lately, they’ve been focusing on shifts at the prime gig of the NASA Food Corral on Redstone Arsenal, private bookings, local festivals, Orion Amphitheater concerts, and services at area gas stations, churches and retailers.

Order this (besides fried chicken): The queso mac and cheese is essential. A Tex-Mex riff on the most-Southern of all Southern sides. — Matt Wake

POSEY’S RESTAURANT

12909 U.S. 231/431 N., Hazel Green, facebook.com/poseysrestaurant

My sweet grandmother Mary, who used to make homemade fried chicken with white gravy in her Illinois farmhouse kitchen, loved Posey’s. Located about 20 minutes from Huntsville’s Five Points area, Posey’s is known for their country cooking buffet. They rotate different items and proteins depending on the day, but fried chicken is on the line always. And for good reason. Tender, juicy, crispy, a little peppery. The fried chicken of discerning church ladies. The Posey’s staff is country-friendly and the guests are a refreshing mix of people of different colors, shapes and ages, all dining together.

Order this (besides fried chicken): The banana pudding on the buffet line’s divine, and the fruit-forward peach cobbler and dense dinner-rolls aren’t far behind. — Matt Wake

SAC’S KITCHEN

6008 Mastin Lake Road N.E., Huntsville, sacskitchen.com

Sac’s Kitchen cooks their fried chicken to order and it makes a huge difference. When you get it, it’s piping hot and the texture from inside-out is off the charts. Fried chicken is a dish that does well sitting in a steamtable but made fresh for you it’s a three-dimensional portal back to childhood memories of your mom, nana or aunt serving this up on the family table. There are two and three piece fried-chicken options at Sac’s, and you pick the pieces. There’s a lounge out back where you can order food and sip an adult beverage if you so desire, but Sac’s frontage is to-go. Calling in your order for pickup is recommended unless you want to chop it up with the lounge bartender out back and eat it as soon as you get it.

Order this (besides fried chicken): Dude, the collard greens. Zingy green witchery. Also, Sac’s cornbread is notable — pancake flat, chewy and rad. — Matt Wake

SAW’S BBQ

Six locations in Birmingham area, including Saw’s Juke Joint, 1115 Dunston Ave. sawsbbq.com

Saw’s is renowned for its barbecue, and rightly so. But there’s a wonderful fried chicken sandwich on the menu, prepared with a sweet tea brine and topped with white sauce and pickles. Goodness spills onto the plate when you order this sandwich, which boasts a hefty portion of crisp chicken and some marvelously messy toppings. It’s available at most Saw’s locations, and variations include Sweet Heat Fried Chicken (with “ranch, slaw, pickles and a little kick”) and The Colonel (“sweet tea chicken with pimento cheese and tomato”). Some folks like to pair this sandwich with fries, but as far as we’re concerned, it’s perfect as a solo act.

Order this: Sweet tea fried chicken sandwich, of course. Taylor Hicks, one of the owners of Saw’s Juke Joint, suggests extra pickles, and we’re definitely up for that. — Mary Colurso

STAGECOACH CAFE

52860 State Highway 59, Stockton. facebook.com/stagecoachcafe/

Stockton is a tiny unincorporated town in north Baldwin County, but it’s well-known across the state for one thing: Stagecoach Cafe. The restaurant serves country cooking that makes people stumble off the interstate. You can order off a menu or get the buffet. Owner Joyce Overstreet told Mobile Bay Magazine that in the early days of the restaurant, they didn’t serve fried chicken one day because the chicken truck wasn’t on time — and she found out how much their crowds love it. “When customers arrived, they just about ran me out of town! It was mutiny on the bounty!”

Order this (besides the fried chicken): Definitely get some banana pudding while you’re there. — Haley Laurence

WALTON’S SOUTHERN TABLE

4901 Whitesburg Drive, Huntsville, waltonssoutherntable.com

Succulent and crunchy. Walton’s Southern-fried-chicken exists on that hemisphere. Whether you show up early in service or late, their bird-on-the-bone delivers. Breast and a thigh. A key thing about Walton’s is there’s no shortage of tables in their dining room so even if its slammed you’ll likely still be able to get a seat and a comfy one at that even if it’s not a booth. Another standout from David Martin, the restaurateur behind Rosie’s Mexican Cantina, Blue Plate Cafe, etc. Martin’s portfolio isn’t the evil empire, in Reagan/Rage Against The Machine speak, it’s the edible empire. Huntsville meat-and-three must-do G’s Country Kitchen also does a commendable fried chicken, but to me their fried catfish is the move there.

Order this (besides fried chicken): Save room for a slice of “Tod’s carrot cake.” Plumes of cream cheese icing and chopped walnut-dotted perimeter around moist cake dotted with raisins, pineapple and coconut. — Matt Wake

YO’ MAMA’S

2328 Second Ave. North in Birmingham. www.yomamasrestaurant.com

Yo’ Mama’s serves food with heart and soul, specializing in home-style dishes with Southern flavors. You can bet they’ve got fried chicken on the menu, and the scrumptious wings here have earned praise from ordinary folks, restaurant critics and celebrity chefs alike. Founded in 2015 by Denise Peterson and her daughter, Crystal Peterson, Yo’ Mama’s quickly became a mainstay on the Magic City restaurant scene. The downtown eatery received even more attention with a featured spot on Netflix’s “Fresh, Fried and Crispy” in 2021. Yo’ Mama’s plans to move to a new location at 2098 Fourth Ave. North, thanks to a $1.3 million investment from the City of Birmingham.

Order this: Chicken & Waffle is a mouthwatering treat at Yo’ Mama’s. The dish features Belgian waffles, six fried chicken wings, a dollop of syrup and fruit toppings. You might tempted to lick your fingers while eating wings at Yo’ Mama’s, and we won’t judge you. — Mary Colurso