Thanksgiving for the bold, from deep fried turkey to turducken

When it comes to holiday feasts, few dishes captivate the imagination quite like deep-fried turkey and turducken. These unusual culinary creations are the epitome of festive decadence, combining bold flavors, unique cooking techniques, and an undeniable wow factor. Whether you’re a traditionalist seeking a perfectly crispy turkey or an adventurous foodie ready to tackle the three-in-one marvel that is the turducken, these dishes offer a delicious twist on classic holiday staples. Get ready to spread your wings and elevate your Thanksgiving spread.

If you're craving a dine-in deep-fried turkey experience in Chicago, it might require a bit of creativity and some good fortune. While many of the city’s top restaurants feature exceptional Thanksgiving menus, few venture far from the classic holiday dishes. Very few barbecue joints and Southern-style eateries in Chicago are renowned for fried turkey. 

One establishment stands apart and is renowned for bringing its southern hospitality roots to the Windy City. Dine-in options for deep-fried turkey are rare in Chicago, but Big Jones, founded by chef Paul Fehribach and Mark Armantrout, offers a standout experience.

Big Jones, located in Andersonville, is known for using the finest ingredients sourced from local farmers’ markets,  farms and specialty artisan products from the South. All dishes are prepared from scratch. Their Thanksgiving dinner promises to be a memorable meal you won’t soon forget. The curated menu for Thanksgiving dinner includes a delightful cauliflower bisque followed by Cajun-style deep fried turkey served with mashed sweet potatoes, followed by pumpkin pie for dessert.

They offer a full bar with over 100 whiskies, 50 beers and 50 wines, all sourced from producers who have the same culinary values as Chef Paul: “Only the best for our customers. ”They also offer both classic and hand-crafted specialty and seasonal cocktails sure to quench the thirst of the thirstiest of guests.

No Thanksgiving meal would be complete without a “doggie bag.” Each  Big Jones customer will receive a Nuremburger Elisenlebkuchen (German Gingerbread) to enjoy for breakfast the next day – or to make a sandwich IF you have any leftover turkey. Reservations are necessary for one of their three available seating times: 12 p.m., 3 p.m., and 6 p.m.

5347 North Clark Street

773.275.5725

bigjoneschicago.com

Takeout options

For those who prefer the convenience of takeout, several shops will prepare and fry your turkey to order or ship it to you pre-cooked and frozen, ensuring a hassle-free experience for your Thanksgiving feast. With Chicago's diverse food scene, we've simplified the process of finding the best options to satisfy your deep-fried turkey cravings.

Uncle Ray’s Fried Turkeys offer pre-cooked birds shipped to your door. They offer a wide variety of family tested flavor combinations. Fried, flash-frozen, and shipped from Dallas, Texas, directly to your door within two days using "the latest in polar ice technology," you’ll be just an hour in the oven away from enjoying the crispy skin and juicy interior that only an Uncle Ray’s Turkey can deliver. For ordering and pricing information call 844-901-RAYS (7297). For online orders visit their website. Many of Uncle Rays products are also available online here. 

For traditional Cajun-style deep fried turkey, you can’t go wrong with The Cajun Turkey Co. For 30 years this family owned and operated business has been shipping their signature recipe turkeys nationwide. Each turkey is first injected with a proprietary secret family recipe of Geaux Juice then hand rubbed with the company’s very own blend of Cajun seasonings before left to marinate overnight. The turkey is then deep fried in peanut oil, ensuring that all the juicy spices deliver the most tender and moist turkey. Before the turkey makes the journey to your door, it is wrapped in oven foil, vacuum sealed then flash frozen. For ordering information and a full listing of all of their available products visit their website. 

If deep-fried turkey isn't your “thing,” there's another equally impressive centerpiece for your holiday feast that will leave your family and guests eagerly counting the days until next Thanksgiving. While a perfectly crispy deep-fried turkey offers a mouthwatering balance of golden skin and juicy meat, a turducken takes things to a whole new level of indulgence. This unique and impressive crown jewel of any Thanksgiving feast layers a deboned chicken stuffed inside a deboned duck, which is then encased in a whole deboned turkey with bone-in wings and attached legs. In between each layer of bird is a layer of flavored stuffing. These culinary wonders can be purchased fresh or delivered to your door frozen.

Paulina Market in Lakeview offers a wide range of flavor combinations available for walk-in purchase. The birds are sold frozen and require four days of thawing in the refrigerator, and with just a brief time in the oven, you'll be on your way to a memorable meal. Paulina sources its birds from Amish County Farms in Indiana. For ordering information call 773.248.6272 or visit their website. 

Echelon Foods offers several varieties of turducken to be purchased online on their website and delivered frozen to your door. Hy-Vee Grocery Stores carries Echelon turduckens in store. For Hy-Vee Grocery locations visit their website. You may also find Echelon products at certain Costco stores in the area. Contact your store for more information.

To bring a little Mardi Gras to your Thanksgiving table, CajunGrocer.com has all the tastes of Louisiana cooking and the largest variety of turducken products. Visit their website for a full list of products and ordering details.

Joe Ariel, founder and CEO of Goldbelly, has curated a large variety of deep-fried turkeys, turducken and Thanksgiving meal kits  that can be delivered straight to your door in time for Thanksgiving. Visit their website for more information.

Whether you choose the crispy perfection of a deep-fried turkey or the indulgent layers of a turducken, both dishes offer a memorable way to elevate your holiday feast. Each brings its own unique flavors and techniques, ensuring that your meal will be the talk of the table. From the savory, golden-crisp exterior of deep-fried turkey to the rich, flavorful complexity of a turducken, these options are perfect for those looking to try something new or add a twist to tradition. Whichever you decide to serve, you're guaranteed to create a meal that will leave everyone eagerly anticipating next year's celebration.