More than 10,000 connoisseurs of fried chicken voted in the first round of Bama’s Best Fried Chicken Contest. And, the grease is heating up for Round Two that will pit the Chicken Shack in Luverne against Zack’s Family Restaurant in Dothan today and Red’s Little Schoolhouse in Grady against Champy’s in Muscle Shoals on Wednesday.

With two local restaurants in the running for the prestigious title of Bama’s Best Fried Chicken, people are casting their lot with one or the other.

Pike County Veterans Affairs Office is a veteran of Red’s Little Schoolhouse restaurant and his vote is for the fried chicken that is “good down to the marrow of the bone.”

“Red’s fried chicken is just like your mama and grandma fried it in an iron frying pan,” he said. “When I sit down to the table at Red’s, it’s like I’m back home with my eye on the pulley bone. Those that think Colonel Sanders’ chicken is finger-lickin’ good have never gnawed on a drumstick at Red’s.”

Pike County clay artist, Carter Sanders knows about art and frying excellent chicken is an art. He gives the nod to the Chicken Shack.

“I’ve been eating fried chicken at the Chicken Shack for 40 years,” Sanders said. “Their secret flavor gives the fried chicken a taste that is distinctly Chicken Shack. And, the chicken is always fried just right and it’s always consistent. When you walk in the door, and order fried chicken, you know what you’re going to get and you know it’s going to be great.”

Ross and Carter said they would like nothing better than for the Chicken Shack and Red’s to go head-to-head in the finals on Thursday.

But first, Red’s and the Shack have got tough competition to face.

So, Ross and Carter said not to leave the plucking to someone else, vote online at Facebook.com/SimplySouthernTV. Voting opens at 12:01 a.m. the day of the voting and closes at midnight.

Bama’s Best Fried Chicken contest is sponsored by the Alabama Poultry Egg Association and the Alabama Poultry Producers.