Foodies spread their wings in search of the best bird

Matt Glenn:

Fried chicken! Nothing says love more than a big ol' bucket of eight-piece deep fried yard bird. Having said that, I can count at least a dozen gas stations slinging fried chicken out of the back of the house. For some reason that boggles the mind. If 2018 me were to time travel to warn 1980 me that in the future I could get a two-piece and a biscuit from a Conoco, I'd think I was on drugs. Having said that, these places aren't remotely awful, which adds to the bewilderment. However, we are looking for those places with the wow factor. Around Sikeston, Jay's Krispy Fried Chicken is a local installment that pumps out some tasty gizzards. It's tricky to pull off gizzards because if you cook them too long, you've got deep-fried rubber and if you undercook them, well, you die. Jay's has their gizzard game spot on, and my cholesterol levels are at an all-time high. Now if you want to go out of your way for that hidden gem, steel up your bravery and head to Southern Illinois to the town of Chester and visit Jodi's Ol' Farmhouse & Bakery. They serve up some honest to goodness fried chicken, lightly breaded and seasoned on point. And there's the added bonus of side dishes made from scratch and homemade pies. Goodbye belt!

Rebecca LaClair:

Jay's Krispy Fried Chicken in Sikeston does one thing, and it does it very well. Now, don't get me wrong. Their menu has a variety of items, but if you watch the customers for a few minutes, it is clear that they are all there for the chicken. Every piece I tried was golden crispy on the outside, succulent on the inside, seasoned perfectly, and exactly the right temperature. Visiting Jay's will take you back to the neighborhood dives that used to abound. It hasn't been redecorated in decades, but that is part of its charm. The chicken is served on Styrofoam trays and comes with plastic utensils, but once again, this just reflects their concentration on serving the perfect fried chicken. There are no frills here, and there don't need to be. Their chicken is just that good.

Jessica Medlock:

Claudia Medlock enjoys eating at Jay's Krispy Fried Chicken in Sikeston.Submitted by Jessica Medlock

Ate at Jay's Fried Chicken with the fam the other evening and it was worth the drive to Sikeston. I like fried chicken really crispy with a tasty crunch. It was excellent. I ordered the buffet which only serves dark meat but got a big piece of chicken breast as an extra order. It was cooked perfectly, you know, crispy outside and well done but juicy on the inside. The whole family left full, for once! On a side note, I never thought chicken gizzards would be good, but ... I tried it and it was pretty tasty.

Ellen Gipson:

When asked the question "Grilled or Crispy?" 9.98 times out of 10 I automatically respond with "grilled, please" -- it's like an unspoken dietitian rule. BUT sometimes you gotta live and just go for the grease. One of my favorite ways to enjoy fried chicken is on a crisp bed of lettuce and O'Charley's Restaurant & Bar does a fabulous job at that! I love the Southern Pecan Chicken Tender Salad. Fresh, juicy chicken, hand double-breaded and fried to the perfect crispness atop a bed of sweet mandarin oranges, candied pecans, dried cranberries, and tangy Bleu cheese. It is served with a sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing, and the delicious hot/cold contrast of fried chicken and lettuce just tastes like summertime! However, I choose a salad like this for taste, not for lower calorie -- a full-portion of the salad racks up 1,500 calories, and a half portion at 1,200. Just a reminder to be mindful of your food choices. Another fun fact -- did you know O'Charley's allows kids to eat free ALL THE TIME!? With adult purchase, of course, but hey I'm a customer for life now! My 1-year-old daughter and I took our meals to go and had a delicious picnic for under $8! (They mail out fantastic coupons as well!)

Devon Smith:

Fried chicken is the easiest concept of food to make in my opinion, but is also the easiest thing to mess up. You've got KFC, Popeye's and even places like Walmart and Food Giant. The best bang for your buck in my opinion for great fried chicken is Food Giant, but if we were talking restaurants, I'd probably go with KFC.

-- Compiled by Joshua Hartwig