KFC Fried Chicken

No one makes fried chicken like KFC. They have been known for their famous recipe of 11 herbs and spices for a very long time now. You can recreate their fried chicken at home with this recipe for the KFC coating, and now you don’t have to worry about the secret recipe, because you can make their chicken.

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Copycat KFC fried chicken secret recipe

KFC fried chicken is known all around the world. Yes, you can pick some up anytime you like at your local Kentucky Fried Chicken fast-food restaurant. But maybe you live away from one and want to make homemade KFC fried chicken. You can with this copycat recipe.

Note this copycat KFC fried chicken recipe is from the KFC leaked recipe featured in the Chicago Tribune. It is supposed to be the KFC original recipe from Colonel Sanders. KFC has changed its recipe over the years, so much so that in the 1970, Colonel Sanders said it didn’t taste like his fried chicken.

The secret to KFC chicken is in the spices

Sanders sold off most of his KFC franchise but still retained rights in the Canadian restaurants. He claimed the company that bought KFC changed the spice recipe, so he went to the Marion-Kay spice company and had a spice blend made especially for him.

Marion Kay still sells the spice blend the Colonel made for his original KFC recipe, and you can buy the KFC spice blend.

Also, this interesting video tests the spices in the leaked KFC recipe.

Recipe ingredients for KFC coating

This copycat Kentucky fried chicken recipe features 11 herbs and spices like the original KFC recipe – basil, black pepper, celery salt, garlic salt, ginger, mustard powder, oregano, paprika, salt, thyme, and white pepper.

It is known that the original KFC recipe would have used cottonseed oil. Now, we typically use hydrogenated vegetable oil.

Here’s a list of what you need:

• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Ground thyme
• Basil
• Oregano
• Celery salt
• Ground black pepper
• Ground white pepper
• Dry mustard powder
• Paprika
• Garlic salt
• Ground ginger
• Accent flavor enhancer (optional)
• Whole chicken
• Egg
• Buttermilk
• Vegetable oil for frying

How to make KFC fried chicken

Equipment

One thing is decidedly different between a homemade KFC recipe and KFC chicken purchased in a restaurant, and that is pressure cooking. To get it just right, you need a chicken pressure fryer.

Frying under pressure enables faster cooking at lower oil temps than in a conventional deep fryer. A pressure fryer ensures that moisture and flavor are sealed in while excess cooking oil is sealed out. This method produces a healthier and juicier chicken with a Kentucky fried chicken recipe. 

However, you probably don’t have a commercial pressure fryer on your countertop, so you can use a regular deep fryer or even a Dutch oven.

Just in case you don’t have a deep fryer or Dutch oven, you can get the equipment you need on Amazon to make the recipe:

Recipe Steps

1. Combine flour and all of the seasonings in a bowl.

2. Cut the chicken into pieces (breasts, thighs, legs, and wings).
3. Whisk the buttermilk and beaten egg together in a large bowl.
4. Place the chicken pieces in the buttermilk mixture and soak the chicken for 30 minutes.

5. Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.
6. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and shake off excess.
7. Put each chicken piece into the flour mixture, turn to fully coat, then shake off excess flour.
8. Place the breaded chicken onto a wire rack over a baking sheet.

9. Let the breaded chicken rest for 15 minutes before frying.
10. Heat oil to 350 degrees in a deep fryer or Dutch oven.
11. Fry the chicken in batches until done. Breasts and thighs take about 15 minutes to cook. Wings and drumsticks take about 12 minutes to cook.
12. Drain the fried chicken on a clean wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet.

Tips for breading KFC chicken

1. Pat it Dry – After soaking your chicken in a buttermilk/egg mixture before breading, pat it dry enough so that the buttermilk does not drip when you coat it. 

2. Shake Off the Flour – For crispy, flavorful Kentucky fried chicken, remove any excess flour. Excess flour will cause the breading to fall off because it does not adhere to the chicken.

3. Don’t Skimp on the Crumb – Whatever you coat the chicken in, do it thoroughly. Coat the meat evenly and entirely on every side.

4. Remember the Last Pat – After your chicken is covered in breading, gently pat it down on all sides so that all the coating sticks to the egg layer. Well-coated chicken is the key to that crunchy fried texture you expect from a KFC recipe.

5. Curb Your Impatience – If you’re frying in a Dutch oven or a cast-iron skillet, place the breaded chicken pieces in the hot oil with plenty of space between them and let them be! The more the chicken pieces touch each other, or you feel the chicken with tongs, the more likely the breading is to fall off.

   Wait until you see a golden rim around the chicken’s side submerged in the oil, then feel free to flip it.

Here’s a good article about how to deep fry at home with confidence. 

How to store fried chicken

Fried chicken can be somewhat time-consuming to put together, so many people choose to make it in large batches. So, how do you store fried chicken?

First, your fried chicken should not be left at room temperature for more than 30-60 minutes. However, keep in mind that your fried chicken will take time to cool completely before it reaches room temperature.

Your homemade KFC fried chicken will cool to room temperature in about 30 minutes). It needs to cool completely before you prep it for storage so that you don’t mess with the integrity of the breading.

Wrap each piece of chicken individually in heavy-duty foil and place it in a freezer bag. 

Store fried chicken in your refrigerator for up to 5 days or in your freezer for up to 12 months at 0 degrees. If frozen at a lower temperature, use within 6 months. You can freeze fried chicken and it will still be crisp and delicious whenever you want to eat it.

Reheating fried chicken

If you refrigerate your fried chicken, you can always take it out, allow it to reach room temperature, and eat it without reheating. It tastes delicious this way.

With frozen fried chicken, you must first allow it to thaw. Unwrap it and let it thaw at room temperature.

You can reheat fried chicken in the microwave or the oven. Refrying the chicken doesn’t work well. You will get an overcooked flavor and/or soggy chicken. The best way to maintain the crispness of fried chicken is to use the oven.

Microwave – Individual fried chicken pieces should be wrapped in a paper towel (to help preserve the breading) and microwaved in 30-second intervals. If the chicken is not sufficiently warmed, turn it over and warm for another 30 seconds.

Oven – Place a layer of aluminum foil on a baking sheet or in a pan to help the breading stay crisp. Arrange your fried chicken on the foil in a single layer and cover the top of the sheet/pan with more foil. Warm in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

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