St. Landry Parish, Louisiana is known internationally for being a hub of culinary culture and heritage. Opelousas is the cradle of seasoning icon Tony Chachere and celebrity Chef Paul Prudhomme earning it the moniker, “Perfectly Seasoned”. Add multiple Creole restaurants, Cajun eateries in almost every town, and a host of festivals centered around food, and the culinary heritage is clear. Yet, one of the often-overlooked culinary specialties of this area is fried chicken.
While nearly every restaurant will have the crunchy-fried comfort food in one form or another, there are a few places that truly outdo themselves, and all of them are located within minutes of each other in Opelousas.
DezMeaux’s Boudin-Stuffed Chicken
DezMeaux’s stuffs fried chicken wings with boudin, a family recipe nicknamed that “razzle-dazzle” by local TV food influencer and zydeco musician, Gerald Gruenig. The chicken is perfectly crunchy and bursting with distinct flavor. At this carry-out-only boudin stop, you’ll want to order ahead because they sell out quickly.
Lines are long – around the clock – at two locations of Mama’s Fried Chicken, which has been serving a 2-piece dark for $2.69 for more than 45 years. The owners are part of a larger family of food entrepreneurs responsible for Targil’s Butcher Supplies and Seasonings, a spice plant, as well as Zydeco Chop Chop seasoning. With food credibility like that, it’s obvious why people keep coming back.
Soileau’s Dinner Club has dished out fried chicken and a stuffed potato, along with its signature Catfish Opelousas, for more than 85 years. Their fried chicken has near-legendary status in the community and still inspires leagues of loyal customers. It’s the perfect spot for a date night, special occasion, or family gathering.
In St. Landry Parish, there are plenty of opportunities to eat amazing food. These are just a few of our deep-fried favorites.
(Herman Fuselier, a longtime music journalist, is executive director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission.)
