The Fast Food Fried Chicken Michael Jackson Couldn't Get Enough Of

Despite his death in June of 2009, Michael Jackson's legacy is deeply rooted in the fabric of pop culture. A household name synonymous with music and dance, Jackson was dubbed as The King of Pop and is considered one of the greatest performers of all time. Anytime Jackson went on stage, he had such an effect on the audience that fans could simply not get enough of him, always craving more. But what could Jackson never get enough of? It turns out, it was good ol' KFC.

The King of Pop loved KFC and ate it constantly while on tour. Jackson's go-to order included KFC's original chicken breasts, but what they were served with depended on whether he was having breakfast, lunch, or dinner. (Yes, MJ liked the chain's fried chicken so much that could eat it at any time of the day.) For breakfast, Jackson often enjoyed KFC chicken with a side of scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, corn, and biscuits as well as some gravy, butter spray, and strawberry jelly. For lunch or dinner, the scrambled eggs would simply be omitted. Regardless, KFC's chicken was central to nearly all his meals. And to wash it all down, Jackson liked white wine (sometimes concealed in cans of Diet Coke).

Michael Jackson was such a big fan of KFC that he even bonded with Magic Johnson over a mutual love for the fast food favorite, convincing the basketball legend to appear in one of his music videos. Apparently, Jackson invited Johnson for dinner and served him a gourmet meal of chicken and rice, while the King of Pop settled for a bucket of KFC. Being a fellow KFC fan, Johnson passed on the fancy dish and shared Jackson's meal. The meeting ended with Johnson agreeing to play the role of the Pharaoh's servant in "Remember the Time," and the rest, as they say, is history. 

However, Jackson wasn't always a meat lover. Mani Niall, his personal chef, told People the megastar was once a vegetarian. But there was a catch. According to Niall, Jackson was a "vegetarian who didn't like vegetables." So, what got Jackson's stamp of approval? Dishes like pizza, shish kebabs made from tofu, and spicy enchiladas. Left with limited options, Niall got creative and often tried to incorporate more vegetables into Jackson's diet, adding shiitake mushrooms and eggplant to the icon's pizza as toppings. 

While we're aware of Jackson's singing prowess, he was also a great cook. Unbeknownst to many, the iconic singer was a pro in the kitchen and could whip up a delicious sweet potato pie, a recipe he would pass down to his daughter, Paris.