We asked 5 chefs to name the best fast food fried chicken and biscuits, and there was one clear winner

The MVP serves, "one of the few fast food meals that still feels genuinely craveable years later," one of our five pros swears.

Key Points

• Chefs reveal what makes fried chicken and biscuits truly craveable, from crispy coatings to biscuits that can handle honey, butter, or hot sauce.
• One chain stands out for its crunchy, flavorful chicken and biscuits that deliver on texture and taste.

Fried chicken plays nicely with so many carb companions. Waffles. Fries. Mac and cheese. Mashed potatoes and gravy.

If we were forced to select just one side as MVP, though, it would be a biscuit. The flaky texture and buttery-sweet flavor just works with the crunchy, savory chicken. It only sweetens the deal that this option lets you split that biscuit to serve some of the chicken tucked inside. (Don't tempt us with a good time! On second thought, actually do—and please have the honey and hot sauce handy.)

You can find this craveable combo on menus at sit-down restaurants and fast food spots across the nation, and honestly, it rarely disappoints. But if you're seeking the best bird and biscuit for your buck, you've come to the right place.

Our Panel of Chicken and Biscuit-Judging Chefs

• Jeanette Donnarumma, a Ridgewood, New Jersey-based, Emmy Award-winning producer, recipe developer, content creator, and digital media producer
• Dominic Iannarelli, chef-owner of Prime & Providence in West Des Moines, Iowa
• Kelly Jaggers, the Dallas, Texas-based author of "The Everything Restaurant Copycat Recipes Cookbook"
• MacKenzie Schultz, a sous chef at Harbinger in Des Moines, Iowa
• Todd Wilbur, Las Vegas-based recipe developer and author of "Hack That Dish"

Qualities of the Best Fried Chicken and Biscuits

When deciding if a chain restaurant's chicken and biscuits are worth a cluck, the chefs tell us they seek out:

• Chicken with breading that's crisp. The ultimate fried chicken is dredged in flour rather than battered, according to chef Dominic Iannarelli. This allows for lots of pockets for the oil to sneak in and infuse even more crunch. "The breading should be crisp, not soggy, and definitely not too thick," adds cookbook author Kelly Jaggers.

  As for that crunch, it shouldn't have a short expiration date, the chefs agree. "I'm always looking for a crispy, craggy coating that stays crunchy even after sitting for a few minutes. It shouldn't immediately turn soggy in the box," says recipe developer Jeanette Donnarumma. Even if the chicken pieces aren't fresh from the fryer, "The breading should hold up long enough for you to whip out your air fryer at home, and voilà, crispiness is close to freshly fried," chimes in sous chef MacKenzie Schultz.

• Nothing too greasy. Even though they're cooked and crisped up in oil, the chicken shouldn't be soaking in it when it comes time to dive in. "It is fried chicken, so some grease is expected. But if it runs down my hands, that's a miss," Jaggers says. Donnarumma echoes that sentiment, and swears that if "the breading slides off or leaves an oily film behind, I'm out."

• Seasoning that's not shy and is evenly distributed. Many chicken chains pride themselves on the strong seasoning in their breading. However, Jaggers says, "I want it seasoned to the bone. Each bite should be a combination of juicy, tender meat and crisp breading." Although sauces are always welcome, the chicken shouldn't need to rely on a secret sauce, honey mustard, barbecue sauce, or Buffalo sauce for moisture or flavor. "I want juicy meat with actual seasoning throughout, not chicken that leans entirely on dipping sauce for flavor," Donnarumma tells us. "The best fast food fried chicken is well-seasoned and salty enough to make you immediately reach for another piece."
• Biscuits that are tender and buttery. As for the side (although some would consider them the star), they should be buttery, flaky, layered, and tender without being dry or dense, according to the pros. "Dry biscuits are honestly one of the biggest disappointments at a restaurant because they can completely throw off the entire meal. A great biscuit should almost melt into the chicken, while still holding up enough for honey, butter, or sauce," Donnarumma says. Jaggers awards bonus points if the biscuits are brushed with butter when they come out of the oven "to add a little extra richness and an extra buttery burst of flavor with each bite."

The Best Restaurant Fried Chicken and Biscuits

Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane's drive-thrus might loop around the building, but neither received a single vote in our informal survey. Instead, it was nearly unanimous that the best fried chicken and biscuits can be found at Popeyes.

"It's really hard to beat Popeyes when it comes to the overall fried chicken and biscuit experience. Their chicken still has one of the crispiest coatings in fast food, the seasoning is bold, and the biscuits have that rich, buttery quality people crave. It's one of the few fast food meals that still feels genuinely craveable years later," Donnarumma says.

Unlike KFC’s chicken, which loses crispiness fast, and regional favorite Kwik Star chicken, which gets soggy in boxes on the hot line, according to Schultz, Popeyes' aggressively seasoned breading is craggly and stays crisp for a very long time. Below the surface, "It tastes brined and is extremely flavorful and never dry," Schultz tells Allrecipes. At the same time, it's never too greasy, Jaggers adds.

"A lot of chains play it too safe, but Popeyes leans fully into bold seasoning and texture, which makes the whole meal feel more satisfying and memorable," Donnarumma notes.

Cookbook author Wilbur, Jaggers, Schultz, and Donnarumma share the sentiment that Popeyes has one of the best biscuit recipes, "so this chain is an all-around winner," Wilbur confirms.

Although they are not the fluffiest biscuits on the market, Popeyes biscuits are still soft, buttery, rich, and comforting, according to the chefs. They may be more dense than some counterparts, but "They're not gummy," Jaggers says, and can stand up to a generous drizzle of honey or hot honey. Or try them as the bread for a biscuit sandwich.

No Popeyes near you? Savor something similar right at home by whipping up our fast food copycat fried chicken sandwich recipe with a side of Big Daddy Biscuits, which home bakers declare "fluffy, flaky, and tasty…every single time."

Honorable Mentions

Popeyes nearly swept the vote. Still, a couple of runners-up are very worthy of a shout-out.

• Bojangles: With chicken that's "nearly as good as Popeyes," Wilbur says this Southern institution really stands out due to its buttermilk biscuits, which are made fresh all day long. Although you can opt for plain, the pro move is to ask for the Bo-Berry dessert biscuit, Wilbur believes. The sweetness offers a nice contrast to the savory chicken, and this side can double as dessert. "The blueberries in the dough and the frosting drizzle satisfy my sweet tooth at the end of the meal," he says.
• KFC: Wilbur and Schultz both grew up on KFC's Original Recipe Chicken. You know the kind, seasoned with 11 herbs and spices? However, in recent years, "It definitely doesn't taste the same," Schultz says. Either the nostalgia wore off, she and Wilbur agree, or the TikTok rumors are true: The chain switched from cake flour to all-purpose flour, changed the seasoning supplier, and now uses a different type of oil for frying. All that being said, Iannarelli stands by the colonel and says, "When considering just these two items, KFC is my go-to. They have the best chicken coating, and the biscuits are always buttery and flaky." Delicious on their own, a side of hot honey or honey "is a must," Iannarelli says, to round out the experience.

Read the original article on Allrecipes