The Small Town Illinois Restaurant That Invented A Unique Variety Of Fried Chicken

America's size makes it a dream country for foodies, providing a wealth of regional foods to sample. Whether it's hamburger styles from across the the country, Chicago's love of spicy sport peppers on hot dogs, or the minefield that is different pizza types, the number of popular regional foods is nearly endless. For one small town Illinois restaurant, it's their spin on fried chicken called Chicken George that people in the area can't get enough of.

The story goes that a regular at the Candlelight Inn asked the owner, Bob Prescott, for something different to eat one day, so Prescott had his fry cook, George, whip up a batch of chicken which the cook had initially been cooking for himself. The customer loved George's lightly battered pieces of boneless breast meat. When he asked how to order them again, Prescott said to ask for Chicken George. Word spread and dish's popularity took off.

If Chicken George sounds like chicken tenders, you're onto something. In fact, that's what what Candlelight Inn calls them nowadays. It's just that Chicken George was created before chicken tenders were a thing (the world didn't need to wait long). Chicken tenders are said to have been invented by a restaurant called Puritan Backroom up in New Hampshire back in 1974. Burger King began to popularize tenders nationally when it introduced them in the 1980s and their appeal continued to grow. Chicken tenders are now everywhere, but Illinois is keeping its tradition going.

Unlike most chicken tenders, Chicken George is battered (not breaded) before being deep fried. The chicken's light, crispy coating has been compared to tempura batter. Part of the secret to its success is the sweet and tangy sauce it's served with named Jan's Sauce (after Prescott's wife). All Candlelight Inn discloses about its secret sauce is that it's mayonnaise- and vinegar-based. (Some sites online claim sugar and Tabasco sauce are its other ingredients, but this is speculation).

Candlelight Inn (which has two Illinois locations and one in Iowa) serves Chicken George several ways and goes through some 6,000 pounds of it each week. In addition to the original with Jan's Sauce, you can order Buffalo George (with the chicken tossed in Buffalo sauce), Boom Boom George covered in the signature Boom Boom sauce, or Sweet & Sour George (tossed with sweet & sour sauce and peppers, onions, tomato, and pineapple). There's also grilled Chicken George with Jan's Sauce and Prime George, where the tenders are grilled with the restaurant's Prime seasoning blend. The list goes on.

Locals are celebrating their love for Chicken George with the first-ever George Fest in July 2025 in Rock Falls, Illinois, home to one of the Candlelight Inn restaurants. The day's events include a Chicken George eating contest, family entertainment, and live music. If you're in the area, it could be fun to stop by.