Yes, we know the secret to the KFC chicken ingredients! Do you ever crave that tantalizing, finger-licking good flavor of KFC chicken but want to stay in the comfort of your own home? It’s possible with this Copycat KFC Chicken recipe.
If you’re a fan of Southern fried chicken and fast food cravings, then this is the perfect dish for you. You won’t believe how easy it is to recreate the Colonel’s famous recipe using just a few simple ingredients readily available at your local grocery store. In this post, we are going to reveal all our secrets to making KFC Chicken – without even leaving your kitchen!
The Secret to KFC Chicken is the Spices
What are the KFC Secret Blend of 11 Herbs and Spices?
The secret herbs and spices for the KFC chicken recipe are flour, salt, thyme, basil, oregano, celery salt, black pepper, dried mustard, paprika, garlic salt, ground ginger, and white pepper.
Reportedly, The Chicago Tribune got ahold of the original recipe from Colonel Sanders from Kentucky Fried Chicken for the spices used for the chicken breading. Once the secret got out, it is now possible to make this delicious recipe in your own home.
How to Make KFC Original Fried Chicken
From Colonel Sanders’ secret blend of 11 herbs and spices to the flour batter mix, this easy-to-make recipe is sure to satisfy your craving for homemade fried chicken with just a few simple steps.
Begin by Marinating the Chicken Pieces
Marinating the chicken in buttermilk was the only way to create chicken as juicy as KFC’s; however, we are not sure if KFC marinates their chicken pieces. We believe they are able to achieve the tender and juicy chicken by using pressure oil fryers. Since we don’t have that at home, we marinate in buttermilk to achieve the same effect.
Add buttermilk and egg to a large bowl and whisk until they’re well blended. Add the chicken pieces and let them marinate for 20 to 30 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Pro Tip. You can marinate the chicken pieces overnight. Make sure not to let the mixture sit for longer than 24 hours or the chicken will become mushy.
Mix the KFC Spice Blend
In separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, thyme, basil, oregano, celery salt, black pepper, dried mustard, paprika, garlic salt, ground ginger, and white pepper.
Dredging and Frying the Chicken Pieces
I use a Dutch oven to fry the chicken pieces, a deep fryer, or a 12-in frying pan works well too. Preheat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit over medium-high heat. Use a deep-frying thermometer to check the temperature. Once the oil reaches 350 degrees, reduce the heat to medium-low.
Dredge the chicken pieces. Remove each piece of chicken and allow the excess liquid to drip off and use a paper towel to pat off excess buttermilk before adding to the seasoning mix.
Working with one piece at a time, add the piece in the flour mixture and press down firmly, allowing the flour to adhere on both sides. Shake off any excess flour. Carefully add the chicken into the hot oil.
Continue dredging the chicken and adding the pieces to the hot oil in batches. You should be able to fry about 3 or 4 pieces at a time. Do no overcrowd the fryer. Pro Tip. Allow the oil to return to temperature before adding more chicken. Repeat the dredging and frying process with the remaining pieces of chicken. Time Saving Tip. As you dredge the chicken pieces set them aside on a sheet pan lined with a wire rack and allow to dry while the oil heats.
Fry the chicken for about 10-15 minutes, turning halfway through. The crust should turn a golden brown color.
Transfer the fried chicken pieces to a baking sheet with a rack and place it in the oven. Pro Tip. The rack will help the chicken stay crispy on all sides as the warm oven will keep the chicken hot and crisp until all the pieces are fried and you are ready to serve.
Once all the chicken is fried, keep in the warm oven until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
What Does Marinating Chicken in Buttermilk Do?
A buttermilk marinade keeps the chicken tender and juicy.
The acidity in buttermilk helps to tenderize the chicken. Additionally, the enzymes help in breaking down the protein in the chicken, resulting in tender, flavorful fried chicken. Using buttermilk when you dredge the chicken helps the breading dry mix adhere. Lastly, it adds great flavor.
How to Make Extra-Crispy Chicken?
The best way to get extra-crispy skin is to coat the chicken a second time by dredging in the egg wash again and then the flour mixture. Make sure to shake off the excess flour after each time you dredge the chicken.
How Do You Store Fried Chicken to Keep it Crispy?
Allow the chicken to cool to room temperature; approximately 30 minutes after cooking. Store in an airtight container. It will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
If you plan on Freezing your chicken, once in the airtight container, place it in the freezer and use within 6 months. Pro Tip. It seems to stay fresher if you wrap each piece in aluminum foil or an airtight freezer bag.
Reheating Fried Chicken for Crispy Results
Frozen chicken should be thawed and both frozen and refrigerated chicken should be brought to room temperature before reheating. Pro Tip. Thawed fried chicken, can be enjoyed cold without reheating.
The only way to regain the crispiness of fried chicken is to use the oven or an air fryer to reheat.
You can microwave the chicken for 30 second intervals until wary. However, this will result in soggy chicken.
To reheat the fried chicken in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the chicken on a sheet pan fitted with a wire rack in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes.
To reheat the chicken in the air fryer. Add the chicken pieces to the air fryer basket and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 to 7 minutes. Until hot and crispy.
Fun Fact: Did you know that people in Japan eat fried chicken for Christmas dinner?
Yes, it is true, in the 1970s KFC had a marketing campaign that promoted serving fried chicken from its fast food chain at Christmas time. It quickly became a tradition and now it is intertwined in Japan’s Holiday Celebrations.
What to Serve with KFC Chicken Ingredients Copycat Recipe?
Our favorite sides resemble comfort food served at restaurants when they serve their crispy chicken pieces. When you plan ahead, you can be eating fast food right at home
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KFC Chicken Ingredients Copycat Recipe
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2/3 Tablespoon Salt
- 1/2 Tablespoon Thyme
- 1/2 Tablespoon Basil
- 1/3 Tablespoon Oregano
- 1 Tablespoon Celery Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Dried Mustard
- 4 Tablespoons Paprika
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Ginger
- 3 Tablespoons White Pepper
- 1 Whole Chicken cut into pieces
- 1 Large Egg Beaten
- 1 Cup Buttermilk Full fat
- Vegetable Oil or any neutral oil for frying
Instructions
- Marinating the chicken in buttermilk was the only way to create chicken as juicy as KFC’s; however, we are not sure if KFC marinates their chicken pieces. We believe they are able to achieve the tender and juicy chicken by using pressure oil fryers. Since we don’t have that at home, we marinate in buttermilk to achieve the same effect.
- Add buttermilk and egg to a large bowl and whisk until they’re well blended. Add the chicken pieces and let them marinate for 20 to 30 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Pro Tip. You can marinate the chicken pieces overnight. Make sure not to let the mixture sit for longer than 24 hours or the chicken will become mushy.
- In another large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, thyme, basil, oregano, celery salt, black pepper, dried mustard, paprika, garlic salt, ground ginger, and white pepper.
- I use a Dutch oven to fry the chicken pieces, or a 12-in frying pan works well too. Preheat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit over medium-high heat. Use a deep-frying thermometer to check the temperature. Once the oil reaches 350 degrees, reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Dredge the chicken pieces. Remove each piece of chicken and allow the excess liquid to drip off and use a paper towel to pat off excess buttermilk before adding to the dry mixture.
- Working with one piece at a time, add the piece in the flour and spice mixture and press down firmly, allowing the flour to adhere on both sides. Shake off any excess flour. Carefully add the chicken into the hot oil.
- Continue dredging the chicken and adding the pieces to the hot oil in batches. You should be able to fry about 3 or 4 pieces at a time. Do no overcrowd the fryer. Pro Tip. Allow the oil to return to temperature before adding more chicken. Repeat the dredging and frying process with the remaining pieces of chicken.
- Fry the chicken for about 12 minutes, turning halfway through. The crust should turn a golden brown color.
- Transfer the fried pieces to a baking sheet with a rack and place it in the oven. Pro Tip. The rack will help the chicken stay crispy on all sides as the warm oven will keep the chicken hot and crisp until all the pieces are fried and you are ready to serve.
- Once all the chicken is fried, keep in the warm oven until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
