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Best Fried Chicken In Minnesota

With many individuals concentrating on healthy living and eating clean, fried chicken usually gets cut out of the diet. However, it is still around and still pretty popular because it's just too good to let go of completely. The southern United States perfected frying chicken to create something that far exceeded the taste of the dry chicken being cranked out by the northerners. Minnesota, along with the rest of the country, has accepted the superior taste of fried chicken and has perfected it in its own time. When you're ready to splurge, try the fried chicken at these places.

Nashville Hot Chicken At Bayport BBQ
328 5th Ave. N.
Bayport ,MN 55003
(651) 955-6337
www.bayportbbq.com

The folks at Bayport BBQ have boldly taken on the claim of serving Nashville Hot Chicken, a standard not easy to live up to. They marinate their chicken in a secret brine recipe for over 24 hours before adding the batter and the fryer. Keeping with the Nashville tradition, the chicken is served in pieces with white bread and pickles for added deliciousness and sweetness. The entire process is time consuming and difficult to duplicate - do I taste cinnamon? I guess I'll never know. Get there early because they make them ahead of time and tend to run out mid-dinner rush.

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Fitger's Brewhouse Brewery And Grille
600 E. Superior St.
Duluth, MN 55802
(218) 279-2739
www.brewhouse.net

Also known for having some of the best brews in Minnesota, Fitger's complements its drink with a smartly designed menu of great bar food. The chicken strips are battered with some of their housemade brews and secret spices before being fried to the point of crispy perfection. Along with the perfect crunch on the outside, the inside is flavorful chicken breast, cooked perfectly. This may be one of the only times you eat your fried chicken strips without a dipping sauce; the flavor and moistness of the naked strip eliminates any need for additional condiments.

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The Rabbit Hole
920 E. Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN 55407
(612) 236-4526
www.eatdrinkrabbit.com

The Rabbit Hole may be a Korean-style restaurant, but Koreans know how to make fried chicken too! Jokingly called KFC (Korean Fried Chicken), this version has a little more seasoning added to the batter. At The Rabbit Hole, their fried chicken is the 21-spice chicken strips served in a bowl and accompanied by some fantastic and fresh-cut fries. If you really want to go over the top, add an order of their fried chicken wings to your order for fried chicken heaven.

Related: Best Barbecue In The Twin Cities

Rooster's BBQ Deli
979 Randolph Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 222-0969
www.roostersbbqstpaul.com

Craving just a traditional bucket of fried chicken? Rooster's may be your best bet for the best bucket. The chicken is fried to order, eliminating that overcooked, greasy mess you usually get from fast food chicken. Rooster's is a small joint tucked away among the bigger businesses of St. Paul, but the chicken is worth hunting it down. All of their buckets have the option to add fries, cole slaw, and anything else you may need for a full and complete dinner. Try the barbeque, ribs and chicken strips as well; it's all amazing.

Carl's Corner
21378 1st St.
Essig, MN 56073
(507) 354-4241

Carl's Corner has no shame in advertising themselves to be the home of Minnesota's best fried chicken. A tiny establishment in a tiny town with a population somewhere around 50, Carl's Corner has no website or world famous chef to back their claim. However, many locals will agree that they really do get the best fried chicken in Minnesota at Carl's Corner. Without all of that fancy marketing and upscale dining, Carl's is able to offer the cheapest fried chicken in Minnesota outside of a fast food joint as well. Relax with the locals and see why they take so much pride in Carl's Corner.

Related: Best Beer Gardens In Minnesota

Andrea Wodele is a freelance writer who has lived in the Twin Cities for the last 10 years. Her hobbies include exercising, driving kids around, watching Minnesota sports, and reading self-help literature. Examiner.com.

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