This off-the-beaten-track, old-school Linnton classic is a favorite among Portland chefs, especially for its fried chicken. Serious chicken heads should start with the dry-spiced, Louisiana-style chicken wings, served with classic blue cheese dressing and celery, before moving on to the hearty fried chicken dinner — boneless, buttermilk-brined fried chicken stacked on top of mashed potatoes, gravy, and braised greens.

This unfussy neighborhood bar in a hotspot area of Northeast Killingsworth is known for its specialty cocktails and cozy wood-and-brick vibes. But its self-proclaimed “secret weapon” is the fried chicken: golden brown fried, always gluten-free, and given a flavor boost from a honey dijon glaze, served with herbed Yukon gold mashed potatoes and sautéed greens.

The only thing better than ordering Hat Yai’s fried shallot-topped, Thai herb-spiced birds — they come whole, halved, by leg, or by wing — is ordering them in the combo, complete with sticky rice, roti, and creamy curry, a rich dipping sauce for the roti and the chicken. The combo is, in a word, iconic. Hat Yai’s chicken pairs well with cocktails such as the cooling coconut mango horchata or tamarind whiskey smash. Hat Yai has locations on both Killingsworth and Belmont.

In 2019, restaurateur Micah Camden expanded his local fast-casual empire with this fried chicken chain, opened with NFL defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. At Baes, juicy and lightly-breaded fried chicken is served in an almost any way you could conjure up: traditional, Nashville hot, or honey butter-flavored; as sandwiches, wings, tenders, quarter-, half-, or whole birds; on top of waffles, alongside waffle fries or buttered corn; and dressed up with spicy peach, comeback, or cheese sauce. Mix and match to your heart’s content at one of four locations.

Ask any local about Jack’s wings and you’ll get the lowdown on a Portland tradition. Tucked inside this unostentatious convenience store are some gently spiced fried chicken wings, paired with the market’s deep-fried jojos. Chicken and jojos can be found across the city, but Alberta Market’s take may be Portland’s most popular.

Located on Southeast 28th in Pod 28, FOMO Chicken offers its rendition of both Korean-style and Southern-style fried chicken. The sesame-covered Korean variant verges into boneless wing territory, dripping in sweet or spicy garlic sauce and served with pickled radish and rice. For a more classic route, the Southern version is gluten free and arrives alongside mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and corn.

Historically, the fried chicken at Han Oak was some of the city’s finest — a thin, rendered crisp skin, dusted in a seasoning blend with a flavor similar to an instant noodle packet, clung to a juicy piece of chicken served alongside bread-and-butter daikon. While Han Oak is now exploring different concepts, its sibling restaurant, Toki, now carries the fried chicken torch with a wider selection of options, from chile oil dipped to gochujang-tamarind glazed. Plus, the brunch menu offers a gargantuan fried chicken sandwich, with pickled daikon and cabbage slaw.

Located within the increasingly popular Lil’ America pod on Southeast Stark, this Korea-meets-Kentucky fried chicken cart started its run with some of the city’s crunchiest, juiciest wings in town. A blend of rice, potato, and tapioca flour in the dredge, as well as a splash of vodka in the batter, helps the skin achieve that hardcore crispness; a little hit of makgeolli, a Korean rice spirit with a flavor almost akin to yogurt, behaves sort of like a buttermilk in the batter. The chicken comes in a variety of glazes and dusts, like snow cheese or gochujang, but the chicken is also great “naked,” without glaze or seasoning powder. When it comes to side, opt for mashed potatoes and curry gravy or kimchi mac and cheese, if available.

There’s a reason this old-school dive bar is nationally renowned for its fried chicken: It’s super crispy, super juicy, and — perhaps most importantly — unfussy. Some people say the secret is that the chicken sits in its dredge, which helps the coating adhere to the skin; some say it’s the fryer. Whatever it is, it’s best enjoyed in the Christmas-light-adorned bar, with a pile of jojos and a pint of beer.

A favorite of Portland hotshots like Nikeisah Newton, this Foster-Powell food cart sort of came out of nowhere, but owner Darrell Preston has been blowing away the competition when it comes to standout fried chicken wings. These are hearty, breaded chicken wings, unapologetically crunchy, dusted with a satisfyingly tangy seasoning blend and a drizzle of sweet-spicy sauce reminiscent of hot honey. Those intimidated by bones can opt for tenders instead.