Commentary: Who makes the best grocery store fried chicken in L.A.? Here's our top 10 ranking

"Behind the grease-stained glass of the Gardena Albertsons deli, I found mountains of golden fried chicken, baked chicken, fried wings and tenders. A woman wielding a pair of long tongs plucked wings, thighs and legs and dropped them into a container. She let me know that, with a few days' notice, I could preorder 50 pieces, 100 pieces or more for a party. When could I possible need that much chicken?"

"Then I had an epiphany in the parking lot, mid-bite into a wing. Wrap the holiday turkey in butter-soaked cheesecloth. Try a dry brine. No, a wet brine. Use a baster. Inject the meat with butter. Start the bird upside down in the oven, then turn it over. Forget all of it. I'm going to serve grocery store fried chicken for Thanksgiving."

"Judge, if you must, but as we near the end of a dumpster fire of a year, something's gotta give. Why serve a dish that requires so much work to make it edible, just because it's tradition? Sometimes, the best fried chicken is found at your nearest market. If you're willing to venture a little farther, here's a ranking of fried chicken from 10 grocery store chains in and around Los Angeles."

A recommendation led to the Albertsons deli in Gardena, where mountains of golden fried chicken, baked chicken, fried wings and tenders awaited behind grease-stained glass. A deli worker used long tongs to serve pieces and offered party-sized preorders of 50, 100 or more. A single wing prompted serving grocery-store fried chicken for Thanksgiving, prioritizing convenience and flavor over elaborate turkey preparation. A ranking compares fried chicken from ten Los Angeles-area grocery chains. An attempted visit to Erewhon proved unsuccessful after multiple employees claimed unavailability.

Read at Los Angeles Times