History of the Dish
There is a very curious story that explains a bit about the origin of fried chicken. The story features a man named Thornton Prince, who owned a restaurant and was known for being a complete womanizer.
Of course, his womanizing caused multiple problems with his current girlfriend, who constantly accused him of his infidelities. Mr. Prince paid little attention to her complaints.
One night, he told his girlfriend he wanted to have fried chicken for breakfast. She nodded, and without saying a word, she started planning her revenge. She manifested her plan by preparing the fried chicken—spiced generously with pepper—as a form of revenge for his unfaithfulness.
However, instead of disliking the spicy chicken, Thornton was so captivated that he decided to develop his own spicy chicken recipe. He began to serve it in his restaurant, and as it was a huge success, many other restaurants started creating their own versions.
This is how it spread across the United States and eventually became internationally known, reaching countries like Brazil where it is considered a typical dish.
Characteristics and Variants
The name itself reveals and describes the dish: spicy chicken, known for being typical in Brazil and regions of the United States such as Nashville. It is a dish made from chicken breast or thigh, fried and seasoned with a spicy sauce.
Since it is prepared in many regions, there are some variations. Some prepare spicy chicken using wing parts, or add ingredients to the spicy sauce, such as Tabasco, butter, and red peppers.
