These are 50 exciting new recipes for America's most decadently delicious food, from classic Southern preparations to new twists by chefs across the country, paired with 25 perfect sides--the best of the crispiest birds around, as selected by the founder of the South Beach and New York City Wine & Food Festival.

Everyone has their own take on fried chicken: some let it brine with lots of salt and spices, some bathe it in buttermilk, and some batter or even double batter it. Lee Brian Schrager, founder and director of the New York City and South Beach Wine & Food Festivals, roadtripped to find the 50 most delicious and inventive fried chicken, representing everything from roadside chicken fry joints to four-star fusion restaurants.