Because National Fried Chicken Day deserves more than just microwaved nuggets.
@gosoin #NationalFriedChickenDay is coming up on July 6! 🍗 🍗 🍗 🍗 We sent our resident foodie vlogger Zack on a mission to find his Top 3 Fried Chicken spots in SoIN and he delivered! Hit play to see his finger-lickin' favorites or click the link in our bio to read his full blog - because national fried chicken day deserves more than just microwaved nuggets. #SouthernIndiana #GoSoIN #jeffersonvilleindiana #louisville #friedchicken #foodie ♬ original sound - Go SoIN
There was a moment in history when someone looked at a raw piece of chicken and thought, “You know what this needs? To be dropped in boiling lard until it’s loud and crunchy.” That person? Likely a Scotsman. Probably in a kilt. Probably bored. Now, the Scots brought the frying. But flavor? That evolved over time from the culinary brilliance of enslaved African Americans. Using spices imported from West Africa, they turned chicken into something seasoned, soulful, and celebratory. Mix those influences together, let them simmer through generations of trial, error, and hot grease, and you end up with the U.S. Southern version of fried chicken enjoyed across the country, and around the world today.
Fast forward a few centuries, and I found myself in the middle of a fried chicken-related mission. My family came to visit me here in Southern Indiana, and while they were excited to explore SoIN, they were also craving some truly great fried chicken. So, we set out together to find the crispiest, juiciest, most flavorful fried chicken spots across the region.
What followed was a deep-fried tour through some of the best fried chicken SoIN has to offer.
1. Red Yeti
Jeffersonville, Indiana
First stop: Red Yeti in Jeffersonville, Indiana. It’s located on Spring Street, and if you’re wondering how to find it, look for the literal red yeti statue standing proudly on the sidewalk. No metaphors here. It’s a real statue. He’s glorious.
The building dates back to 1881, and inside, Red Yeti serves up bold food that hits like a flavor uppercut. I ordered their Buttermilk Fried Chicken. You get two boneless chicken breasts, fried to crispy perfection, then topped with a bourbon rosemary syrup. On the side, you get braised kale with bacon and onions, and some Weisenberger Mill smoked cheddar grits.
I wish you could listen to how crispy this chicken is. It’s exactly how crispy I like it. Not gonna lie, I was one of those kids who’d peel the extra-crispy skin off fast-food chicken and left the meat behind. I’ve changed. I’m trying to stay impartial and not totally fanboy here (Red Yeti is easily in my top five restaurants in SoIN) but when I cut into this chicken, saw the steam rise, and that aroma hit me? Whoa!
One bite and my brain starts playing It Was a Good Day by Ice Cube.
*In a whisper, “I’m so sorry, I have no idea where that stereo came from, but it felt right.”
That syrup? Sweet and savory, almost like breakfast and dinner decided to start dating. This chicken is crispy, juicy, and tastes like an apology from the universe. Do yourself a favor and dip the chicken in the grits. Then get wild and throw in some kale. Every bite is like the Avengers of flavor, stronger together.
If this is your first visit to Red Yeti, make this your order. You’ll walk away changed.
21+ Tip: They’ve got a great beer selection on tap. I grabbed a Sour Me America by DuClaw Brewing (Baltimore, Maryland) and it hit the spot.
2. Joe Huber’s Family Farm & Restaurant
Starlight, IN
Next stop: Joe Huber’s in Starlight, Indiana. You will not find food like this anywhere else. Well, maybe if your grandmother’s house is on a farm, and she runs a scratch kitchen, and has a staff that called you “sweetheart.” It’s comfort food in every sense. As soon as I stepped inside the dining room, I was transported. My brain flashed back to being crammed in our family Ford Taurus in 1996, heading to Mamaw’s house, for what Mamaw called supper.
Joe Huber’s serves what they proudly call a Country Style Supper, and if that phrase doesn’t make you instinctively loosen your belt, then you’ve never lived. I ordered two pieces of dark meat (the superior chicken tier), which came with “All You Can Eat” family-style sides: chicken and dumplings, mashed potatoes with real lumps (that’s the best kind), and seasoned green beans.
Oh, but before you get any of that, how about having your table graced by a basket of fried biscuits with apple butter. Listen. These biscuits? Life-changing. Back in high school, during senior week, we got catered lunches. One day, those biscuits and that apple butter showed up, and I swear it was the best thing I’d ever tasted. I stand by that today. I’m not proud of this next part, but I had a second basket of biscuits on the table before my supper arrived.
The chicken? Piping hot, fresh out of the fryer, and perfectly golden. The first bite of those dumplings triggered a full-on nostalgic flashback. Every bite took me further back into some kind of Southern Indiana time machine. Joe Huber’s farm has been a SoIN staple since 1967, the restaurant since 1983, and when you visit, you get it. You feel it. And yes, you probably gain five happy pounds.
Family Tip: There’s a beautiful lake out back with fish food available. Also check out the mini farm and playground.
3. Chicken House
Sellersburg, Indiana
Final stop: the legendary Chicken House in Sellersburg, Indiana. This place is the real deal. They claim to have been serving fried chicken for over 80 years, and they’ve got the receipts to back it up. If you talk to the locals though, you might hear rumors that Chicken House was frying up goodness before a certain Colonel, and son of SoIN, finalized his secret recipe in 1940. I’m not saying anything, just pointing out timelines.
When you walk into the Chicken House, you can feel the history. It’s the kind of place where regulars have their own tables and everybody has a story. I went with a classic order of chicken legs, baked beans, and onion rings. The rings were perfectly thick and crunchy. The beans had that perfect backyard BBQ flavor. But the chicken legs? Next level. The skin had just the right crisp, and the meat slid off the bone like it had something better to do.
The Chicken House fries chicken in more than just traditional pieces. You can get wings, gizzards, livers, and a bunch of other Southern staples. Everything is made from scratch, and there’s something for everyone. What really sets Chicken House apart though?
Luckily the owners were in, so we got to ask their opinion. The answer — their chicken is never frozen. It’s delivered fresh every morning, and you can tell. That dedication to quality is what keeps people coming back.
This place has history for a lot of people. When my dad took me to buy my first car, we went to Chicken House to celebrate. My father-in-law insists we eat there every time he’s in town. He loves the gizzards! As I’m typing this, we’ll be there in two days. Even my former boss has a standing weekly dinner there. Everyone around SoIN has their Chicken House story. It’s that kind of place. It’s a cornerstone of the community.
Bonus: They have an awesome outdoor patio and a beautiful upstairs event space perfect for parties, reunions, or just for enjoying a big plate of chicken with friends.
Final Thoughts: Fried, True, and Local
So, there you have it. A crispy, golden journey through some of the best fried chicken SoIN has to offer. On this National Fried Chicken Day, don’t just sit there drooling on your screen. Get out and track down that golden, glorious crunch in the wild.
In SoIN, every day can be Fried Chicken Day. So, rise, noble eater, and accept your sacred quest. The path ahead is golden, the crunch is legendary, and the biscuit is your reward. Eat boldly. Stay crispy. Glory awaits.
Culinary Trail
Both Red Yeti and Joe Huber’s Family Farm & Restaurant are stops on the Indiana Foodways Culinary Trail, for all the reasons mentioned above and then some. Discover more culinary gems on our SoIN Restaurants page.
