4 North Carolina Fried Chicken Joints That Miss The Mark & 4 That Nail It Like Grandma Did

Fried chicken in North Carolina isn’t just food—it’s practically a religion.

As someone who’s spent years crisscrossing the Tar Heel State with grease-stained napkins and a critical palate, I’ve had my share of triumphs and disappointments.

Some places serve up chicken that transports you straight to Sunday dinner at grandma’s, while others leave you wondering if they’ve ever met a properly seasoned bird.

1. Bojangles: When Freshness Takes A Backseat

Remember when Bojangles was the gold standard? Those days seem increasingly distant. During my last visit to the Chapel Hill location, I waited 20 minutes for chicken that tasted like it had been sitting under the heat lamp since breakfast.

The once-crispy skin had turned sadly rubbery, and the meat inside was drier than small talk at a family reunion. The cajun seasoning that made Bojangles famous now tastes mass-produced and overly salty.

What’s most disappointing is the inconsistency across locations. The Raleigh store might serve decent chicken while the Greensboro spot delivers something barely recognizable as poultry. For a chain born in Charlotte, they’re letting down their North Carolina heritage one lukewarm piece at a time.

2. Golden Chick: All That Glitters Is Not Gold

Golden by name, mediocre by nature. My first bite at Golden Chick’s Wilmington location left me wondering if they’d forgotten the seasoning entirely. The chicken had a beautiful golden color that promised flavor but delivered nothing but disappointment.

The breading separated from the meat faster than fairweather fans abandoning a losing team. Inside, the chicken was so juicy it bordered on undercooked, creating a textural nightmare that had me checking each piece with suspicion.

Their sides don’t help matters either. The mashed potatoes tasted like they came from a box that had been sitting open in the pantry for months. For a chain trying to compete in North Carolina’s competitive chicken scene, Golden Chick lays an egg when it comes to delivering authentic Southern flavor.

3. Slim Chickens: Slim on Flavor, Heavy On Hype

The name Slim Chickens had me worried from the start—I’ve never met a skinny person who could fry chicken worth a lick! My suspicions were confirmed at their Charlotte location where I found chicken that was, indeed, slim on everything that matters.

The breading lacks that crucial crackle you expect from proper Southern fried chicken. Instead, it’s thin and forgettable, clinging desperately to meat that’s been stripped of all personality. Their signature sauces try to compensate, but no amount of dipping can save fundamentally flawed chicken.

What’s particularly offensive is their claim to Southern authenticity. As a North Carolinian who learned to fry chicken at my grandmother’s elbow, I can assure you there’s nothing authentically Southern about their bland, assembly-line poultry. Save your money for the real deal.

4. KFC: Colonel’s Recipe Lost In Translation

Y’all won’t believe what happened at the KFC off I-85 last month. The chicken they served me had more grease than a mechanic’s rag! Those 11 herbs and spices? I counted maybe two, and one of them was definitely just salt.

North Carolina KFC locations seem particularly plagued by quality control issues. The chicken often arrives with a coating that’s either soggy and undercooked or burnt to a crisp with meat that’s somehow still raw near the bone.

The biscuits—once a saving grace—now have the density and flavor of drywall. What’s truly criminal is how inconsistent they are from location to location. The Colonel would be spinning in his grave if he knew what they’re serving under his smiling portrait these days.

5. Beasley’s Chicken + Honey: Sweet Success In Raleigh

Lord have mercy on my waistline since discovering Beasley’s! Chef Ashley Christensen’s downtown Raleigh hotspot elevates fried chicken to an art form with a perfect honey drizzle that’ll make you want to slap your mama (though I don’t recommend actually doing that).

The chicken arrives with skin so crisp it practically shatters under your teeth, giving way to juicy meat that’s brined to perfection. That touch of honey isn’t just a gimmick—it creates a sweet-savory balance that somehow makes the chicken taste more like chicken.

What I appreciate most is how Beasley’s honors tradition while bringing something new to the table. The sides hold their own too—especially the pimento mac and cheese that’s rich enough to make a banker jealous. This is grandma’s chicken if grandma went to culinary school and won a James Beard Award.

6. Mama Dip’s Kitchen: Chapel Hill’s Time Machine

Walking into Mama Dip’s feels like stepping through a portal to 1950s North Carolina. Last summer, I brought my city-slicker cousin here, and watching his eyes widen at his first bite of real Southern fried chicken was worth the 40-minute drive from Durham.

Founded by the late Mildred Council (the original “Mama Dip”), this Chapel Hill institution serves chicken with a perfectly seasoned, craggly crust that somehow manages to stay crispy even as the chicken cools. The meat inside remains tender enough to pull apart with minimal effort.

What makes Mama Dip’s special isn’t fancy technique or trendy ingredients—it’s institutional knowledge passed down through generations. The staff cooks like they’re feeding family, not customers. When you bite into their chicken, you’re tasting North Carolina food history, preserved and protected in one of the state’s most important culinary landmarks.

7. Dame’s Chicken & Waffles: Durham’s Perfect Marriage

I was a skeptic about the whole chicken and waffles craze until Dame’s converted me faster than a revival preacher. Their Durham location serves up what they call “almost world famous” chicken, and honestly, that “almost” is unnecessary modesty.

The chicken sports a peppery, herb-flecked crust that provides the perfect savory counterpoint to their fluffy waffles and flavored butters (they call them “shmears”). My personal addiction is the Carolina Cockerel—fried chicken paired with a sweet potato waffle and maple-pecan shmear that makes me weak in the knees.

Owner Damion Moore has created something special here that honors both his grandmother’s recipes and modern culinary sensibilities. The chicken stands magnificently on its own, but when combined with those waffles and shmears, it creates a symphony of flavors that would make even the most traditional fried chicken purist see the light.

8. Keaton’s BBQ: Lexington’s Hidden Treasure

First time I drove out to Keaton’s in rural Cleveland, NC, I thought my GPS had lost its mind. This cinderblock building in the middle of nowhere has been serving North Carolina’s most unique fried chicken since 1953, and brother, it’s worth the pilgrimage!

Keaton’s does something magical—they fry the chicken first, then dip it in a tangy, spicy BBQ sauce that’s neither Eastern nor Western style. The result is a crispy-turned-slightly-soggy-but-in-a-good-way texture that defies categorization but demands devotion.

B.W. Keaton’s original recipe remains largely unchanged, served in a no-frills dining room where the focus is entirely on the food. The chicken arrives with a reddish-brown tint and a complex flavor that hits you in waves—first the crunch, then the spice, followed by a vinegary tang that lingers pleasantly. This isn’t just chicken; it’s a North Carolina cultural institution.