Even if you don’t eat it, fried chicken will find you. Fried chicken has cameos in films starring Kate Winslet and Matthew McConaughey, and in TV shows like “American Horror Story” and “Stranger Things.” Musicians ranging from Nina Simone to Johnny Cash to Queen have references to fried chicken in their recordings. In the 1990s, Dr. John lent his funky vocal and piano licks to a Popeyes jingle. From time to time, pics from the ‘70s of shock-rocker Alice Cooper meeting fried-chicken restauranteur Colonel Sanders still pop up on social media.

Today’s subject, though, is where to find the best fried chicken in the Huntsville area. Personally, if asked where to get fried chicken in my city of residence, I’m gonna recommend local places that do bone-in fried chicken well. To me, tenders, sandwiches, wings or chicken-and-waffles are all separate categories. That’s just one dude’s opinion, and not absolute by any means.

Below are AL.com’s top five picks for Huntsville’s best fried chicken. Like we did with our previous lists this summer about Huntsville breakfast, barbecue, pizza, burgers, ice cream, hot dogs, meat-and-threes and doughnuts, no chains here. This time, that means no KFC, Popeyes, Publix and so on.

These are just our picks. You can say cluck yes or cluck no, it’s all good. It’s just fun to talk local food and why we love it.

READ: Birmingham’s best fried chicken: Our top 5

5. 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.

RELATED: Love fried chicken? You’ll love this funky little spot in Huntsville

4. 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.

3. 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.

2. 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.

1. 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.

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