(credit: zankouchicken.com)

Zankou Chicken was featured as Duff Goldman’s choice for “The Best Thing I ever Ate” Garlic edition on the Food Network. I used to work at the high school behind this store and during the afternoon the scent of chicken and garlic would waft into our open windows. I have no idea how the students were able to concentrate, I know I found it hard. Now I have a location just a few blocks away from my home and it is perfect for an evening stroll and delicious dinner. Please for all that is good and unhealthy don’t skip the skin. The flavors that are roasted into the skin of a Zankou Chicken are worth the extra exercises you will have to do the next day.

(credit: roscoeschickenandwaffles.com)

Get over your immediate aversion of seeing these two foods together, because really and truly they do complement one another quite nicely. Roscoe’s was not only the first restaurant in Los Angeles to serve chicken and waffles but the first all-night restaurant in the Hollywood area. That made for some serious after-bar-hours customers and some late night craving satisfactions. Even President Obama has sampled their fare (he ordered the Country Boy) and proclaimed it “mighty tasty” on the Jay Leno Show.

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Ignore the scantily clad servers and pay attention to the yummy food. Their hot sauces include the normal mild, medium, and hot but continue with the 911 and the 3 Mile Island. My personal favorite is the Parmesan and garlic. You can even go Gourmet and get a 20 piece platter with a bottle of Korbel Champagne – now that’s a hot date!

(credit: elpolloloco.com)

You can’t talk about fast casual chicken without mentioning El Pollo Loco. The Crazy Chicken started out in Guasave Mexico back in 1975 and now has 400 stores throughout the Southwestern United States. Their citrus marinade is nothing to be scoffed at, simple clean flavors that are just right every time. Don’t even get me started on the chicken tortilla soup!

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I know it’s a steakhouse, but their salad bar has some of the best deep fried chicken wings you will ever lay your lips on. Match it with all the other fixings on the salad bar and you have a full meal.