fried chicken

Finger Lickin’ Chicken

We may be in Southern California, but it isn’t exactly “Sweet Home Alabama.” Still, when it comes to fried chicken, these spots may satisfy your cravings.

Raoul Hausmann Restaurants

fried chicken
There exists no crunch more satisfying, like this spread from Catalan..
PHOTO BY NEIL HUSVAR
Murph’s Gaslight

Since 1976, Ralph Murphy’s recipe for pan-fried chicken has remained unchanged. The $19.95 fried chicken dinner gets you soup, salad, cornbread, and an entrée of pan-fried chicken, mashed potatoes, black-eyed peas, veggies, and a buttermilk biscuit. Dessert, usually fruit shortcake, is included.

79860 Avenue 42, Bermuda Dunes 760-345-6242; www.murphsgaslight.com

Tropicale

Tropicale is a swinging scene at Amado Road and S. Indian Canyon Drive and it’s about the last place you’d expect to find an awesome buttermilk-marinated fried chicken breast with red-eye gravy on a jalapeño waffle. But they’ve got it. And it’s awesome.

330 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs. 
760-866-1952; www.thetropicale.com

La Tablita

In a shopping mall not far from Cathedral Canyon is neighborhood Mexican restaurant La Tablita, which puts out some outrageously good fried chicken for Sunday brunch. There’s a ton of good stuff in the buffet, from rellenos to enchiladas, but go easy 
so you have room for seconds on the chicken. 


68369 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City. 760-321-5935; latablita.menutoeat.com

Catalan

Even more counterintuitive a source is Rancho Mirage’s Mediterranean cuisine hero Catalan, but every first Sunday of the month, Chef/Owner Drew Davis puts on a fried chicken feast that is so delicious that reserving several months ahead is highly recommended.

70026 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage. 760-770-9508; www.catalanrestaurant.com