Where to Get the Best Fried Chicken in New Orleans in 2024
The best turtle soup is at Commander’s Palace and the best chargrilled oysters are at Drago’s, but who makes the best fried chicken in New Orleans? Gumbo and beignets may rule the roost for some, but we’ve got a bone to pick with anyone who says New Orleans isn’t known for their fried chicken.
Narrowing down a best list of any dish in the Big Easy is hard. There are over 1,000 restaurants in the French Quarter alone, and many of them serve fried chicken in one form or another. So how do you rank the best fried chicken in New Orleans? Whether you want it straight from the fryer or dressed up in its Sunday best, our list of where to get the best fried chicken in New Orleans will get your juices flowing. You’ll find some of the usual suspects, but we’re also serving up some fresh finds.
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Find the Best Fried Chicken in New Orleans
If you’re on the hunt for the best food including the best fried chicken in New Orleans, taking a food tour with a local expert makes sense. Most will concentrate on restaurants in the French Quarter, but some food tours in New Orleans will also veer off the beaten path. New Orleans tours are also one of the safest ways to see the city.
11 Best Fried Chicken Spots in New Orleans
1. Chicken Strip Combo at McHardy’s Chicken & Fixin’
When you’re looking for the best fried chicken in New Orleans, don’t expect to find it on the internet. McHardy’s Chicken & Fixin’ doesn’t have a website. They don’t waste time posting on social media, either. They’re busy marinating their corn-fed, steroid-free birds and serving up some of the best fried chicken in New Orleans for old schoolers.
The Vibe
Takeout only. Open seven days a week.
What to Order
The chicken strip combo with a side of red beans and rice, or dirty rice.
McHardy’s Chicken & Fixin’ | 1458 N. Broad St., New Orleans, LA 70119 | $
2. Jumbo Wings at McKenzie’s Chicken-In-A-Box
McKenzie’s was originally owned by a family in the bakery business. When they got into chicken, they didn’t set out to be the best fried chicken in New Orleans. Their hope was that McKenzie’s Chicken-In-A-Box would grow to be as large as their 50-store bakery chain. It didn’t, but who cares? McKenzie’s is on the list of best fried chicken in New Orleans, and the bakery chain is long gone.
The Vibe
Quintessential hole-in-the-wall, takeout-only, neighborhood fried chicken joint.
What to Order
Jumbo wings and a biscuit. Or fried chicken, available starting with five pieces and going up to 100.
McKenzie’s Chicken-In-A-Box | 3829 Frenchmen St., New Orleans, LA 70122 | $
3. Gumbo and Fried Chicken at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant
For the best fried chicken in New Orleans, Dooky Chase’s Restaurant tops many lists. They’ve been in business since 1941 except for two years of closure following Hurricane Katrina. This James Beard Award winner serves classic Creole cuisine amidst a notable collection of African-American artwork. They have suggested wine pairings for every main course including the fried chicken, so this spot is also on the list for great date ideas in New Orleans.
The Vibe
One of the most culturally significant and historical restaurants in New Orleans. Clean yourself up a bit.
What to Order
“In my dining room, we changed the course of America over a bowl of gumbo and some fried chicken.” -Executive chef, Leah Chase
Dooky Chase’s Restaurant | 2301 Orleans Ave., New Orleans, LA 70119 | $$
4. Fried Chicken Meal at Willie Mae’s Scotch House
Another James Beard Award recipient is Willie Mae’s Scotch House, in business since 1957. They are known specifically for having some of the best fried chicken in New Orleans. If you don’t want to wait, Willie Mae’s has a second location in the Pythian Market or you can order online.
The Vibe
The dining room is simple and small, but the line down the block to get a seat tells you it’s not about looks. You came for the chicken, not the ambiance.
What to Order
The fried chicken meal comes with three pieces. No special requests. It’s the best fried chicken in New Orleans for traditionalists. Get a side of butter beans and a cornbread muffin.
Willie Mae’s Scotch House | Multiple Locations | $
5. Meat Lovers Picnic at Picnic Provisions & Whiskey
The place to get some of the best fried chicken in New Orleans if you’re a food snob is Picnic Provisions & Whiskey. This trendy spot is the brainchild of local allstars whose names are synonymous with the best food in New Orleans. Their menu includes the famous hot fried chicken thigh made using a crawfish boil spiced batter and a curated list of small bites to go with. “You Make Me Very Happy” hour is Wednesday through Friday from 3 to 5 p.m., where you can enjoy your choice of bubbles, beer or — you guessed it — whiskey.
The Vibe
Classy but laid back modern retro. The concept is all about taking your meal outdoors, though, so grab a blanket and take your haul to Audubon Park.
What to Order
The Meat Lovers Picnic is a sampling of the best cuts of meat that New Orleans has to offer including their famous hot fried chicken thigh, andouille sausage and smoked pork ribs. You get a buttermilk biscuit and a choice of two sides, so don’t miss out on the Cajun Potato Salad and Sugarcane Slaw. This gets our vote for best fried chicken in New Orleans to go.
Picnic Provisions & Whiskey | 741 State St., New Orleans, LA 70118 | $
6. Sweet Heat Chicken and French Toast Bites at Ruby Slipper
The best fried chicken in New Orleans might be hiding in your local diner. Ruby Slipper started with one location opened by a husband and wife team after Hurricane Katrina. They’ve grown to more than ten locations across the Gulf South. They get our vote for best fried chicken in New Orleans’ French Quarter if you had a few too many New Orleans drinks the night before. They’re known as much for their eye openers as for having the best fried chicken in New Orleans near the French Quarter.
The Vibe
Old school diner with counter seating and tables. If a wait for breakfast makes you hangry, join the waitlist online.
What to Order
Two choices: Fried chicken and Gravy Buttermilk Biscuit Slider Duo (served with pork tasso gravy), or the Sweet Heat Chicken and French Toast Bites, where they toss fried chicken pieces and strawberries with Mike’s Hot Honey Glaze and dump it over French toast.
Ruby Slipper | Multiple Locations | $$
7. Fried Chicken Belgian Waffle at Crazy Pig Southern Kitchen
What if the best fried chicken in New Orleans isn’t actually in New Orleans? Crazy Pig Southern Kitchen is located in New Orleans’ upscale Northshore community, about a 40-minute drive from the French Quarter. This quaint mom-and-pop spot takes pride in making from-scratch Southern comfort foods. They were one of the first local businesses to step up and feed front-line healthcare workers at the beginning of the pandemic, so we know their hearts are as big as their biscuits.
The Vibe
Casual family eatery serving hearty breakfast and lunch portions with a full liquor bar.
What to Order
Fried chicken on a Belgian waffle topped with pepper jelly cane syrup glaze. And a bloody mary. Crazy Pig’s Chicken & Waffles are served all day, just check their hours before you make the drive.
Crazy Pig Southern Kitchen | 4700 Hwy 22, Mandeville, LA 70471 | $
8. Luke’s Fried Chicken Sandwich at Hambone
A best-kept-foodie-secret for best fried chicken in New Orleans is also on the Northshore. Hambone chef-owner Lauren Smith’s training includes stints at restaurants owned by Daniel Boulud and Wylie Dufresne, and it shows. The menu has panache. The 1940s cottage with a red tin roof is just a few blocks from Lake Pontchartrain, so after you overindulge you can walk it off.
The Vibe
Classy-casual with outdoor seating available for those who can tolerate the Louisiana heat.
What to Order
There are not one, not two but three different options on the menu for your fried-chicken fix. Our pick is Luke’s Fried Chicken Sandwich, a fried chicken thigh with sweet potato mayonnaise, pickles and banana peppers served dressed on a brioche bun. As far as chicken sandwiches go, this is a top pick for best fried chicken in New Orleans.
Hambone | 544 Girod St., Mandeville, LA 70448 | $$
9. Taste Plate at Coop’s Place
Coop’s Place is the ultimate French Quarter hidden gem. They serve hearty New Orleans standards for those who need to put something other than Hurricanes in the belly including some of the best fried chicken in New Orleans. But they serve more booze than food, so you must be 21 to enter.
The Vibe
The quintessential French Quarter dive bar. Come as you are, no questions asked. Just don’t ask if they take reservations.
What to Order
Coop’s Taste Plate is the best deal in town. For less than a 20-spot, you get a cup of seafood gumbo, Cajun fried chicken, shrimp creole, red beans and rice, and their one-of-a-kind rabbit and sausage jambalaya. This is hands-down the best fried chicken in New Orleans’ French Quarter for cheapskates.
Coop’s Place | 1109 Decatur St., New Orleans, LA 70116 | $
10. Chicken With Cane’s Sauce at Raising Cane’s
Raising Cane’s concept is simple. Do fried chicken, and do it right. But there’s more to love than the chicken. Founder and Louisiana native Todd Graves is on a mission to help restaurant owners that are struggling to survive since the pandemic. You can check out his progress on Restaurant Recovery, which has 10 episodes on Discovery.
The Vibe
Easiest drive-thru you’ll ever do.
What to Order
Whether you get a sandwich or a box combo doesn’t matter as long as you get the crinkle-cut fries and the Cane’s sauce. Cane’s is truly addictive, and thus they’ve earned a spot on our list of best fried chicken in New Orleans.
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers | Multiple Locations | $
11. Spicy Chicken Sandwich at Popeyes
You may be thinking that a fast-food chain shouldn’t be on a round-up list of best fried chicken in New Orleans. We beg to differ. Popeyes is a New Orleans original, and founder Al Copeland knew his food. They celebrated 50 years in 2002, having gone from a single location to over 2,700 nationwide.
The Vibe
Fast food N’Awlins style.
What to Order
The spicy chicken sandwich will make you love dat chicken from Popeyes, and it’s why they’re on the list of best fried chicken in New Orleans.
Popeye’s | Multiple Locations | $
Join 200,000+ Culinary Enthusiasts
New Orleans puts a little magic into everything they do, which is why eating is one of the top things to do in New Orleans. Whether you want the best gumbo, best red beans and rice, best boudin or best fried chicken in New Orleans, taste lies in the mouth of the eater. Truth be told, the best fried chicken in New Orleans is probably the last one you had or the one you're dreaming about next.
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