If you don’t know what to have as a snack, go with fried chicken, almost all people around the world like to eat fried chicken! So what’s the history of fried chicken? How can it be most people’s favorite?
You can’t imagine how embarrassing chickens are in our history, people don’t treat them as delicious food for a long time, now let’s travel back to ancient times, when chickens were frowned upon.
It All Began Long, Long Ago
Unbelievably, chickens weren’t exactly a household item in the past. They were isolated and only inhabited a small portion of the globe.
Before the Middle Ages, these animals were only free to roam Southeast Asia before being transported to Europe by trade caravans.
You probably already know that before it fell, the Roman Empire was the hub of trade. Chickens were transported there, too!
Actually, there is a recipe for fried chicken in a Roman cookbook from the fourth century, but it’s not the one we use today.
Fried Chicken Recipes Weren’t Built in One Day
Fried chicken recipes and Rome were not created overnight.
The problem with fried chicken is that we don’t know how it got started! Even though we can attest to its delectability, we are unable to reveal the creator.
There are two theories behind this food’s history:
- The first asserts that West Africa is where it all began. This hypothesis is supported by a number of conventional recipes. Since the 1700s, chicken has been prepared in a variety of ways by Africans!
- The second claims that Scotland is where the true recipe originates. And that is where the frying method originates.
Which one is correct, then?
Overall, it’s difficult to pinpoint the precise location where the magic first began. There was probably more than one event that led to the creation of fried chicken.
And, if you’re wondering which theory holds more weight, whether fried chicken started in Scotland or West Africa – well, both are technically true!
The truth is that the fried chicken we all know and adore today is a fusion of West African and Scottish recipes. It’s the best of both worlds, that’s for sure!
The frying methods used to make extra-crispy fried chicken originated in Scotland. All the spices that make it flavorful and distinctive come from West Africa.
Both cultures clashed during the 1800s when Scottish slave traders and African slaves made their way into America.
How Fried Chicken Overcome America
Fried chicken wasn’t an All-American favorite right off the bat. Though it only had a small following outside of that group, people of color in the south loved it.
Fried chicken only spread to the rest of America after World War II and the legalization of segregation in this country.
Prior to that, it was primarily consumed in the southern region of the United States and not much else.
Sometime in the second half of the 20th century, there was the actual fried chicken boom. Fast food started to exist at that point, and once it was combined with fried chicken, it took off like wildfire.
Fried chicken first ruled America, then the rest of the world.
How Fried Chicken Conquer the World
The journey of chickens began in Southeast Asia and continued through Africa, Europe, and finally America. But it didn’t end there.
People from all around the world love fried chicken! Some of them enjoy it so much that they have turned eating it into a tradition.
In fact, just as Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day, millions of Japanese people partake in the holiday tradition of eating fried chicken.
China’s largest restaurant chain offers fried chicken as its main course right next to Japan.
Innumerable instances can be found everywhere. And there’s one reason for that: fried chicken is for everyone.
How Did Fried Chicken Become So Popular?
Although the history of fried chicken appears to be fairly simple, three crucial events led to everything. We probably wouldn’t even have delicious chicken if it weren’t for them!
African Americans Laid the Foundation for Fried Chicken
As you now understand, fried chicken has Scottish and West African roots.
The truth is that someone would have eventually fried chicken. The thing that makes
fried chicken extra special is the spices – that’s where the flavor comes from!
The chicken we all enjoy today would not exist if West Africans did not enjoy chicken so much.
Fast Food Methods Made Fried Chicken a New Favorite
We first required spices. When we realized that there were millions of people who wanted fried chicken, we needed a way to satisfy their demand.)
When chicken production was first industrialized in the late 1800s and when fast food was introduced sometime in the second half of the 1900s, those were the two major turning points in its history.
Those two changes are responsible for every moment behind a delicious meal, from the egg to your plate.
The American Government Gave the Final Push in the 70s
Numerous medical studies published in the 1970s alerted the American public to the dangers of high cholesterol to their health.
Because of this, American authorities requested that people switch to eating poultry instead of pork.
Millions of people became interested in foods related to chicken and, as you might guess, fried chicken as a result of the government’s small push. The rest of the world quickly followed this trend.
Final Thoughts
Now you have known how precious your fried chicken is, it takes such a long time to become the kind you are looking at. Just enjoy the taste of your chicken. And if you are interested in ice cream you can check this post.
