20. Fried chicken, United States

 Fried chicken is one of those dishes for which everyone has a different recipe.  Most bread it, but some batter it, some deep fry the chicken while others panfry it.  Breading can range from simple flour, to cracker meal to bread crumbs or any other type of breading.  And of course there is the fat or oil it is cooked in.  Lard, shortening, vegetable oil, and bacon fat are all used, as well as various other fats.
Fried chicken is nothing new. Many cultures, around the world, have been cooking chickens by breading and frying them for centuries, but it is in the southern United States where frying chicken has been elevated to an art form
While fried chicken traces its origins to the South, innovative chefs across the country understand the innate appeal of the homey, crunchy, juicy dish.