Crispy Chicken Leg — The Glass Onion (Charleston, SC)
Guests of The Glass Onion often see fresh food being brought in by local producers, which makes for a true farm-to-table experience and simple, seasonally updated menu. Their crispy chicken leg is confit — not fried — and served with mashed potatoes, greens and sweet pepper relish.
The owner comes from Cuba, so it's no surprise that people come from miles away to get a taste of his creations. A fan favorite, the Fricase de Pollo is made with dry-rubbed chicken, yellow rice and sweet plantains.
The jerk chicken recipe here comes straight from the owners' years living in the Caribbean. It's stuffed with butter and marinated with both wet and dry jerk seasonings.
Classic comfort gets taken to the next level by a place that shares its name with its most-famous dish. With braised chicken and a homemade filling under delicate puff pastry, it might even be better than your grandma's.
Opal himself is a Bangkok native who took his love of Thai food to Hawaii. He's got such a passion for it, he often makes custom dishes for his guests. These wings are made with chiles, rice soy and lots of garlic.
Chicken Indian Taco — Tocabe An American Indian Eatery (Denver)
Started by an Osage Nation tribal member and his college buddy, Tocabe serves super-authentic American Indian eats like the chicken Indian taco served on a fried bread base.
A Mexican joint with a Greek chef? No one seems to mind when dishes like the puffy taco are coming out of the kitchen. It's a deep-fried tortilla with slow-cooked Mexican-style chicken and all the fixings on top.
When the food is cooked by a self-proclaimed pirate, unusually dangerous and creative dishes are bound to be on the menu. These wings get their heat from Death Juice — a cocktail of pureed peppers.
Rice with chicken doesn't sound too special until you take a bite of this classic Cuban creation. With plenty of Cuban spices and some love, it's anything but ordinary. Plus, the pot it's cooked in is what it's served in at the table.
