I Caved In and Ate Grocery Store Fried Chicken - Yuck!
For some stupid reason I bought 8 pieces of 'Fresh Fried' chicken from the deli section of a 'very large national' grocery chain. And it was awful. It looked great, especially watching them make it. But the breading was soggy and salty. The meat was okay but I was after the whole fried chicken eating experience. The only way I was able to turn it into something semi reasonable was throw it in the oven @ 400 for 20 minutes to crisp it up. Then dip the pieces I was eating in BBQ sauce to break up the salt.
However, will never buy it again and save my craving for good fried chicken when I have the time to make it myself.
Just needed to get this off my chest. I feel bad for caving in to a very weak moment in my culinary desires!
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27 Comments:
I think that fried chicken is like sex...even when it's bad it's still pretty good.
bessfour at 3:26PM on 05/16/09
i feel you... i always wonder about those "roasted" chickens sitting in plastic under a warming lamp all day long. i bet they use the chickens that are ready to reach their expiration date anyway, and then they sit there, and sit there. hopefully they move 'em out.
sorry, not for me.
pooch at 3:54PM on 05/16/09
I have found that at least the grocery store fried chicken in my area is way better than the stuff that they sell at KFC. The problem sometimes is that it sits under the heat lamps way too long either place.
danrob54 at 4:48PM on 05/16/09
There is nothing better than Publix fried chicken at the beach with a cooler full of beer.
spazgrrl1974 at 5:05PM on 05/16/09
Tom Thumb chicken runs Publix a close race. I will never fry chicken again as long as there is a Tom Thumb within 10 minutes of my house.
ocarol at 6:04PM on 05/16/09
I worked a deli in high school, it was my job as the new girl to clean, bread and fry all our fried chicken. We did mass amounts- people loved it. I could never, not even once, bring myself to eat it. I was 18, and now 5 years later I still can't eat deli fried chicken.
mhurst826 at 7:16PM on 05/16/09
Great comments - nice controversy. My favorite non home made fried chicken is actually Popeye's. Why I caved in I'm not sure. It just looked really good. I could've driven about 8 miles and bought a box of Popeye's spicy for $2.00 more.
Oh well - water under the bridge now. Have a great weekend.
Ribster at 8:03PM on 05/16/09
The only fried chicken I would buy is Popeye's spicy--
I thought the worst fried chicken was Publix brand...
Sometimes things look really good & yummy when we do our food shopping especially when shopping on an empty stomach--appearances can be deceiving!!
Italiancupcake at 8:12PM on 05/16/09
my 84 year old mother makes great fried chicken...!
pooch at 8:21PM on 05/16/09
@Ribster--I agree about the Popeye's chicken, I just don't like any of their sides.
buffy at 8:47PM on 05/16/09
I agree ... Publix fried chicken rocks!
caramel at 10:03PM on 05/16/09
I do the rotisserie chickens, and I did do buffalo tenders from SuperTarget this week, but the fried chicken is too soggy. My guilty cheat is the skin, so it MUST be crispy.
dharmon at 10:11PM on 05/16/09
Popeyes spicy, red beans a rice and a biscuit. Add little packet of hot sauce to red beans and rice. Smear honey on biscuit. Lick fingers. Die happy.
ChelleyD01 at 10:46PM on 05/16/09
I bet if Thomas Keller opened a fried chicken truck - like the taco trucks - in LA, NY or SF, people would go nuts for it!
I would definitely drive many miles to stand in that long line!
serious1 at 4:54AM on 05/17/09
I have been tempted by the color and texture of store-made fried chicken, and barely lived to regret it. I hope to never go there again. It was absolutely disgusting, as was everything in their so called "prepared food" section.
I know it sounds weird, but I now collect "craving places." I find a really good chinese restaurant, or deli (for knish and potato pancake cravings) or BBQ or southern food (see aforementioned fried chicken needs).
It doesn't matter how far away it is. My deal is that if I'm craving something that badly, I have to go to the place where I know it will be excellent. Otherwise, I have to substitute my craving with something else, which isn't always such a bad thing!
serious1 at 5:30AM on 05/17/09
Oh god, my future MIL served us that crap for lunch once, she hid the container so it was awhile before I figured out what it was...WHY, why? I think KFC would've been better.
embolini9 at 11:19AM on 05/17/09
@bessfour...LMAO....you're so right !!!
@pooch...those rotisserie chickens that you obviously hate so much are cooked from fresh chickens....nowhere near their expiration date.
onepercent99 at 11:45AM on 05/17/09
In my area a place called 'Cluck U' (I love the name) is the go-to place for chicken. When I did a year on the swim team, the teenage boys after swimming an hour and a half in the pool would descend upon it afterwards. Think Henry VIII with fried chicken.
I haven't had it in more than twenty years, but my grocery store's fried chicken was always enjoyed now and then by my mother. I still like vegetarian fried chicken.
HeartofGlass at 6:50PM on 05/17/09
@ Heart of Glass
Thanks for the comments - I've heard of Cluck U - but can't remember where I heard about it (Senior Moment).
Also can you enlighten me - What is Vegetarian Fried Chicken?
Thx
Ribster at 7:28PM on 05/17/09
@Ribster--I like Morningstar Farms Veggie chicken patties. Actually, lots of omnivores like them too.
Cluck U is a chain of chicken take-out and delivery in the East Coast (I live in New Jersey). There is also a well-loved Chicken Holiday, an even smaller chain that has Chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, and those french fries you only see at chicken places--kind of like steak fries but only smaller. Growing up, that was the place where my family got its chicken fix.
HeartofGlass at 7:58PM on 05/17/09
You clearly were not eating Publix fried chicken, which is pretty much poultry crack. God, that stuff is so amazing.
meglo91 at 8:15PM on 05/17/09
You are a braver soul than I. I've grabbed supermarket roasted chicken many times but never ventured into fried territory. Under ideal conditions I rarely eat fried food and I can't see supermarket fried chix (even Publix!) as "ideal conditions." I must admit, the fried chicken varieties at Publix do look more appetizing than most supermarkets - still I imagine it's best to get the stuff right out of the fryer for maximum enjoyment.
I have made "dinner" out of the olive bar - marinated artie hearts, mushrooms, peppers, etc. and a nice crusty bread. If there's no line at the deli, I might grab 1/4 lb. of sliced turkey breast.
therealchiffonade at 7:46AM on 05/18/09
@onepercent - glad to hear that..... thank you.
pooch at 8:55AM on 05/18/09
I'm like most of you. When I don't have time for the homemade ( you know, you have to plan for it- marinating chix in buttermilk and spices overnight), Publix chix fresh out of the fryer is delish. Popeye's is really good, too! HMMM, the nearest Publix is 12 hours away and Popeye's is about 35 minutes....
julie527 at 9:24AM on 05/18/09
Fried chicken is absolutely my favorite food and you all have made me hungry for it just reading about it. However, I live alone and seldom go through all the trouble to make it for myself even though I do cook all the time. I live in a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA and unless I go to KFC (about 8 miles from me) or my local grocery, there are (amazingly) no fried chicken places within 45 minutes drive time. It's just not worth it! None of our restaurants have it, either, unless you want white meat, which I don't like. Fortunately for me, I like KFC but never go there unless I have another reason to go to that shopping center. However, my local grocery store (not a big chain) does make fantastic fried chicken, so I indulge occasionally. Their rotisserie chicken is also the best, juicy and succulent - so much so that the juice just runs when you slice the breast meat. It's the only way I will eat white meat. I was going to have a salad for lunch, but now I want fried chicken with biscuits and honey and I have to go to exercise class in an hour! What do I do now?
carol1a at 11:51AM on 05/18/09
there's just something about the word "fresh" with fried chicken that will get you every time.
_greenbean at 12:14PM on 05/18/09
That is pretty gross! I always walk by that section cringing! I do however always CAVE when I am at Whole Foods and lingering near the prepared food section! I LOVE their grilled salmon, grilled vegetables, chicken fajita mixtures, mushrooms, roasted broccoli sprouts - oh the list can go on and I def. spend tons of money! lol - WHOOPS!
Giasbash6260 at 10:45PM on 05/27/09