The first documented fried chicken recipe came from an 18th-century British cookbook, according to Adrian E. Miller, soul food scholar and author of "Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time." Only later was the recipe adopted by Americans, first by white Southerners who prepared it for indulgent feasts, and then by African-Americans, many of whom memorized the recipes from their days as enslaved cooks. They, too, transformed the recipes into their own, passing them on to future generations, often reserving the "Gospel Bird" for special and spiritual occasions like church functions, Miller said.