Esquire readers say Ezell’s has most life-changing chicken

When it comes to America’s best fried chicken, you’d
figure it would have to come from somewhere in the South.
But in what has to be considered a culinary coup, readers
in an Esquire Magazine poll have picked
Seattle icon Ezell’s as the most life-changing fried
chicken in America.

“Frankly, we were a little shocked at the upset over its
runner-up, the very Southern Price’s Chicken Coop, which
was at one point in the lead,” writes Esquire’s Sylvie
Krekow.

Ezell’s beat out a number of top chicken joints from such
southern stomps as New Orleans, Nashville, and Memphis.

While some are questioning whether some stuffing was
involved (ballot box, not the bird), there’s no secret to
the company’s successful formula.

“In the beginning, we always chose to use the best
product, the best ingredients. Even before trans fat-free
was the law, we used trans fat-free oils. We use 100-
percent vegetable oils,” says co-founder Lewis Rudd. “The
gravy is made from scratch – we make everything from
scratch on the premises. Each one of our seven locations
marinate their own chicken. We use a creole seasoning out
of New Orleans that we marinate the product in, and we put
a little cayenne pepper in the breading to give a little
ting for the tongue. That marinating process helps give it
that flavor down to the last bite,” he tells Esquire.