Fried chicken is one of London’s most popular dishes. The roots of the dish in the UK are somewhat disputed: some trace them back to the 17th century, saying it was introduced to the country by Southern American immigrants. Others argue it was in fact the Scots who first fried it here, and who took it to South America in the first place. Whichever, the dish gained popularity in the 20th century with the emergence of fast-food chains, when American-style fried chicken first appeared as a symbol of indulgence and celebration, later becoming a staple comfort food.
As the capital’s restaurants have become more diverse, so has its choices for fried chicken; today we have Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese and Chinese variants, many American takes, and plenty of home-grown bits too.
