Retailers wanting to differentiate in the fresh section are aiming to tempt customers with products of a certain flair and flavor. They want to offer ingenious products that customers can’t get anywhere else — not from the competing grocer across the street or the fast-food joint down the road.
Which brings us to fried chicken. ... Fried chicken?
I know, fried chicken isn’t exactly inventive. But it doesn’t have to be. Just ask Publix.
For years, Publix Super Markets has drawn a massive following for its fried chicken, which it sells in its deli department as a private brand. People in Florida, where most of Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix’s 1,120 stores are located, have been co*ck-a-doodle-doing about its fried chicken for years. It’s different, they say, because it’s just dang good.
How good is it? I, for one, love it — some of the best bird I’ve ever had. But I decided to go to the top of the food pundit chain to get a professional opinion, consulting Tampa Bay Times Food Critic Laura Reiley about the virtues of Publix’s fried chicken.
Reiley, who has cooked professionally and is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy, had kind things to say about Publix’s fowl, noting that it has a good crispiness to it and a “plush interior ratio,” which is food critic speak for having favorable moisture and texture.
Publix’s fried chicken is prepared on-site; it’s soaked in brine before being double-breaded and deep fried. “The breading isn’t too salty, and it has a pleasant mix of spices,” Reiley says. “It doesn’t have grease overload like some fried chicken.”
Publix has also benefitted from consumers who don’t want to make fried chicken at home because it takes too long, is too messy and because they realize they can’t make it as good as Publix.
But the popularity of Publix’s fried chicken may be facing its toughest test yet with millennials, now America’s largest generation. “Millennials tend to be a little nervous about the word ‘fried,’” Reiley says.
Millennials, whose spending power is growing by the day, also want healthier foods that are free-from undesirable ingredients. They want foods that are sustainably sourced, meaning that the fried chicken they do eat had better come from chickens that were free to roam the range.
Millennials also crave bold flavors, so they want fried chicken with a twist. They are getting that: Spicy and sweet Korean fried chicken is all the rage, as is cayenne-spiced Nashville hot fried chicken. (Incidentally, Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle offers a Nashville hot fried chicken for which I would walk on my knees in the snow for a takeout order.)
“The way to capture millennials’ attention with a classic [dish] like fried chicken is by offering ethnic spins like that,” Reiley says.
Aware that retailers are trying to differentiate in the fresh department, Reiley isn’t surprised Publix is still getting a lot of mileage out of its fried chicken, which it introduced about 30 years ago. “It’s one of those foods that we all kind of agree on,” she says. “I don’t see it going away anytime soon.”
If a retailer can hatch a killer recipe for fried chicken, it can differentiate.
Publix is proof.
FAQs
Publix's fried chicken is prepared on-site; it's soaked in brine before being double-breaded and deep fried.
How long is Publix fried chicken good for? ›
According to the Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) refrigerator and freezer storage chart, leftover cooked chicken is good in the refrigerator (40℉ or less) for 3 to 4 days. The chart doesn't specify, but common sense dictates that cooked food is to be cooked to safe temperatures and cooled quickly after cooking.
What are the ingredients in Publix Fried Chicken? ›
Chicken Parts Containing Up To 12% Of A Solution (water, Salt, And Sodium Phosphates), Breading (wheat Flour, Salt, Spices, Onion Powder, Modified Wheat Starch, Inactive Dried Yeast Or Leavening [sodium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate] And Yeast Extract Extractive Of Paprika, Extractive Of Turmeric [folor], Annatto [ ...
Are Publix Deli chicken tenders frozen? ›
Publix Premium Breaded Chicken Tenderloins, Sold Frozen Fully Cooked | Publix Super Markets.
What grocery chain owns Publix? ›
You can't—unless you work there. Publix is owned by employees, board members, and the founding Jenkins family. Its shares do not trade publicly.
What company sells the most fried chicken? ›
GO TO THE CHARTS:
| 2022 Rank | Company | 2022 US Systemwide Sales Millions |
|---|
| 1 | Chick-fil-A* | 18814 |
| 2 | KFC | 5100 |
| 3 | Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen | 5001 |
| 4 | Raising Cane's | 3118 |
5 more rowsAug 1, 2023
First, fried chicken is bone-in chicken pieces from all parts of the bird that are coated in flour. Chicken-fried chicken, however, is a flattened chicken breast that is dredged in flour, then dunked into an egg and buttermilk wash, and then back into the flour again.
How long to air fry publix fried chicken? ›
Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and let the fried chicken come to room temperature. Next, arrange the fried chicken in a single layer and cook it for about four minutes, flipping it once to ensure even cooking.
Is Publix chicken natural? ›
Product details Whether you're searching for natural goodness or simply wanting great flavor, look for our Publix GreenWise® Market Chicken. With vegetarian-fed chickens and no artificial ingredients, antibiotics, or preservatives, you'll discover the many benefits of eating so well.
How long can you eat fried chicken? ›
USDA recommends using cooked chicken within three to four days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within three to four days.
View Ingredients
Boneless, skinless chicken breast with rib meat, wheat flour, water, contains 2% or less of the following: cocoa powder (color), dried garlic, dried onion, leavening (cream of tartar, baking soda), paprika and annatto extracts, rice flour, rice starch, salt, soybean oil, tapioca starch, yeast extract.
Will Publix cut rotisserie chicken for you? ›
6) The Deli Will Break Down a Rotisserie Chicken
That's right, not only do they make one of the best rotisserie chickens in the game, but if you ask a deli associate to break it down for you, they will.
Does Publix make their own products? ›
Our Dairy Plants process fresh milk and produce Publix brand bottled water, iced teas, fruit drinks, juices, cultured products such as yogurt and cottage cheese, extended shelf life beverages and carbonated beverages. They also produce Publix brand ice cream, which is consistently one of our most popular products!
What company makes Kentucky Fried Chicken? ›
KFC, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM.), is a global chicken restaurant brand with a rich, decades-long history of success and innovation.
Who creates fried chicken? ›
Scottish immigrants are sometimes credited with creating the recipe. Many, however, believe it was brought from Africa. We will unlikely ever know who invented the first American fried chicken. However, there's no doubt that those from West Africa are responsible for its popularity in the United States.
