Chances are good that if you grew up in the South…but ESPECIALLY in North Carolina, you’ve got some great memories of Bojangles.
I have fond memories of grabbing a Bojangles chicken biscuit before swim meets and their chicken sandwich for a quick dinner after school – great fuel to keep you going!
And if you grew up with Bojangles, you know just how amazing it is.
However – let’s face it, the world is changing, and a ton of great fried chicken chains are out there today…
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And these competitors have their fair share of defenders too – defenders who will swear up and down that they’re better than Bojangles.
Are they right?
Well, that’s up for you to decide.
But if you like Bojangles, I bet you’ll LOVE these places.
Starting with…
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Where you can find them: 17 states in total, but Slim Chickens is especially prevalent in Arkansas (where it’s headquartered) and Texas. There are over 200 Slim Chickens around the country, with more on the way!
What makes their fried chicken so great: Light breading, moist chicken, beautiful flavor, tons of sauces to choose from. Also, their waffles are pretty good. (If you’re looking for something REALLY indulgent, try the Oreo cheesecake jar dessert, which is just as good as it sounds.)
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Where you can find them: Just about everywhere! There are over 3,000 Chick-fil-As across 48 states.
What makes their fried chicken so great: I mean, the Chick-fil-A sandwich is of course a classic…but my favorite these days is their spicy chicken sandwich. They really nailed the flavor and delivered a fantastic, filling sandwich for a great price.
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Where you can find them: Cane’s has more than 800 locations spread across 41 states, with heavy concentrations in their home state of Louisiana.
What makes their fried chicken so great: Ok, so the chicken is good…but what REALLY distinguishes it is the sauce. The Cane’s sauce is just totally addicting, and while it goes great with fries, there’s something special about it with the chicken. No wonder fans call themselves Caniacs!
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Where you can find them: Pollo Campero is huge throughout South America, and it also has locations in 20 states, where its popularity is absolutely on the rise.
What makes their fried chicken so great: Both their fried and grilled chickens are juicy and delicious, and I personally love their empanadas for a little fun flair!
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Where you can find them: Popeyes are almost everywhere – 3,000+ restaurants spread across 48 states. Chances are good that, if you want Popeyes – you can get it.
What makes their fried chicken so great: Honestly, I love their spice blend and the really thick fried layer on their chickens. Also, their biscuits are REALLY good – I’d say as good as Bojangles (just different).
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Where you can find them: 24 states, with the heaviest concentration in the Mid-Atlantic (think Maryland-Pennsylvania area). They’ve also got big groupings in Chicago, San Francisco and LA, NYC, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
What makes their fried chicken so great: Bonchon fried chicken is amazing. (I actually just got it with a friend the other night, which reminded me how good it is.) It’s Korean-style, so it’s double-fried for extra crispiness, and they’ve got several different sauces you can play with. I’m a longtime Bonchon fan, so I remember when they had just two sauces – soy garlic and spicy – and they were amazing even then. One of the ways you know the chicken is fresh – if you get the spicy on different days, sometimes it’s spicier than others. Honestly, that’s a great signal of the authentic quality they put into their chicken.
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Where you can find them: Hangry Joe’s is in 24 states, but the majority of locations are still in their core markets of Virginia, Florida, and Maryland.
What makes their fried chicken so great: Their mega sando is genuinely one of the best chicken sandwiches you can get, and it’s enormous. Get their loaded fries for an excellent side dish (or, let’s face it, full meal).
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• For fun lists, healthy living tips, and bar conversation topics, make sure to follow The Coconut Mama. Click here to access The Coconut Mama’s profile page and be sure to hit the Follow button here or at the top of this article!
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Where you can find them: Bojangles has 800 locations spread across 17 states, heavily focused on the South. (They’re headquartered in North Carolina, where I grew up, and they’re everywhere there.)
What makes their fried chicken so great: Bo’s chicken sandwich is still one of my favorite chicken sandwiches of all time, and of course their biscuits are great too. Be sure to try the hashbrowns for breakfast if you haven’t – you’ll love them!
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So there you have it – seven Bojangles competitors whose defenders would swear up and down are even better.
But here’s the thing…I don’t know if they’re right.
I personally feel like I want different fried chickens at different times, if that makes sense.
Which brings me to an important question:
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What do YOU think?
Is Bojangles the best?
Has one of these competitors solidly beaten them?
Let us know in the comments!
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