The History of Fried Chicken

In celebration of National Fried Chicken Day, we’re taking a look at the history behind this iconic food. Celebrated as one of the most recognizable and beloved dishes from the American South, fried chicken has quite the story behind it. The basic cooking practice of frying chickens dates back to the Middle Ages in Europe. However, it was the Scottish in particular who would deep-fry their chicken in fat. But the Scottish didn’t invent fried chicken – at least not as we know it today, since there wasn’t any sort of seasoning involved in the Scottish version. Still, Scottish immigrants brought the cooking method with them when they settled in the American South at the end of the 18^th century. But it was African slaves who invented fried chicken as we know it today. They introduced their own seasoning to the formerly bland Scottish dish, creating the famous fried chicken we all know and love. When fast food chains began to crop up, American fried chicken made its way to other countries and into their cuisines as well. Today, fried chicken is revered throughout the world, but nowhere is it more iconic than in the American South.