Gourmet Live Blog

Fried chicken is comfort food at its finest, combining that unbeatable duo of a crispy crust with a moist and tender interior. And whether you’re a plain fried chicken purist or a connoisseur of condiments, we bet you’ll find a taste or two below that will have you hooked.

• We think it’d be hard to beat Melissa Clark‘s perfect marriage of tangy buttermilk and rich duck fat in her Duck Fat-Fried Chicken (pictured above).
• While they may not be totally fried, Dinner A Love Story’s Chicken Cutlets have a perfect, fried outer layer that will wean your kids off the frozen stuff.
• A Good Appetite whips up a creative combo in the form of Dill Pickle Faux-Fried Chicken that’s baked, not fried.
• Homesick Texan’s Red Chile Hot Wings, smothered in homemade red chili salsa and served with chipotle blue cheese dressing, are chicken wing perfection.
• Fried chicken gets an Asian twist with Foodjimoto’s Michiko Fried Chicken, made with soy sauce, garlic, sake, ginger, and mochiko, a sweet rice flour found at most Asian grocery stores.
• Sassy Radish reveals a few tips for making the perfect fried chicken with her recipe for Classic Fried Chicken.
• And we couldn’t forget all of our vegetarian friends! Fry up big flavor with The Culinary Enthusiast’s Beer Battered Asparagus that’s served with lemon dipping sauce.