We all know about KFC, right? It’s one of the biggest restaurant chains in the world and that too for good reason. They serve chicken and food that is “finger-lickin’ good”. This chain, which was started by Colonel Sanders, is known for its delicious crispy fried chicken and other items associated with the genre. It started with fried chicken, but now they serve everything, from side dishes like coleslaw and potato wedges to classics like mash and gravy.
The restaurant uses a special mix of spices and herbs to make the chicken. The special spices and herbs are their secret to delicious chicken and precisely the thing that shot them to worldwide fame. Today, KFC is synonymous with crispy fried chicken, be it drumsticks, tenders, or chicken popcorn. Other than that, you also get delicious sides and carefully crafted sauces to make your chicken-eating experience perfect.
As much as we’d like to, we can’t eat at KFC on a daily basis. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but you have to (swallow it with some Coke. That’s what I do). But the good news is you can make KFC-style dishes at home whenever you want and that too, a lot cheaper. I have curated a list of KFC’s most loved recipes so you can fulfill your cravings and save your pocket at the same time.
You can jump from excitement later. Right now, it’s time to fill up your grocery cart and get prepped to cook the best-fried chicken of your life. In case you’re wondering, I do have the list of secret herbs and spices that you need. In fact, that’ll be the first thing I’ll discuss. So, diaries and pens ready? Get, set, cook!
What's In The Post
1. KFC 11 Secret Herbs and Spices
For years, the 11 secret herbs and spices of KFC were a secret. But a few years ago, the 11 secret herbs and spices were leaked online. They were believed to be the original list written by Colonel Sanders himself. When I put it like that, I know it sounds like a little scandal. But it was a huge reveal for the whole world. This meant that they could make the exact KFC-like chicken at home.
I am blessed to know this secret and I am here to share this blessing with you. The KFC 11 secret herbs and spices are paprika, onion salt, celery salt, rubbed sage, garlic powder, ground allspice, ground oregano, chili powder, black pepper, basil leaves, and marjoram leaves. Yes, this is a big secret and you are in on it too. I hope you are a changed person now.
But you still need the exact measurements to make the recipe. One teaspoon extra and it’ll taste nothing like KFC. Well, you are in luck. Here are the KFC 11 secret herbs and spices with the information you need to know.
2. KFC Crispy Fried Chicken
Now that we are done with the spices, let’s move on to making delicious KFC-style crispy fried chicken. Are you excited? I sure am. See, the reason I told you about the spices and herbs first, it’s because they are a constant in the fried chicken recipes. Yes, you are going to hear about them more than once.
To make crispy fried chicken, you obviously need chicken. Let’s say you have chicken thighs for this recipe. First, you need the KFC 11 secret spices and herbs for this recipe. Mix the secret spices and the herbs with flour, salt, and brown sugar. This is the seasoned flour to cover your chicken. Then, dip the chicken in some beaten egg and coat it with flour. Then, deep-fry it and done. Yes, that’s all.
Who would’ve thought that making KFC-like chicken at home could be so easy? There’s a thing or two you need to know more about this recipe. But don’t worry. It’s all here, in the complete recipe for KFC crispy fried chicken.
3. KFC Chicken Drumsticks
Now, the KFC chicken drumsticks recipe is very similar to the KFC crispy fried chicken. The KFC fried chicken is a complete variety of which the KFC chicken drumsticks are a part. This is just a matter of preference. If you’re among the people who prefer drumsticks, then this is the recipe for you.
The process is pretty much the same. Make the seasoned flour and beat the eggs. Then, dip and dredge the chicken (dip in the egg and dredge the flour). After that, fry it until it is beautifully golden and crispy. Now, put them in a KFC bucket and sell them (not really! For legal purposes, this is a joke). This is all you need to do to make delicious and juicy fried drumsticks. Here’s the recipe for KFC chicken drumsticks with all the equipment and ingredients.
4. KFC Crispy Chicken Tenders
The KFC crispy chicken tenders recipe is a little different than the other crispy chicken recipes. You still dip it in beaten egg and dredge it in seasoned flour. But there’s one step before that. You cut the chicken breast into long strips (that’s how you get the chicken tenders) and then you marinate them in a mixture of buttermilk and hot sauce. This makes it juicy and slightly spicy.
The tenders are marinated for about half an hour and then the dipping and dredging happen. Once your tenders are coated with spicy and herby flour, fry them until they are golden and crispy. The KFC crispy chicken tenders are indeed crispy but they are also juicy, spicy, and delicious. Here’s the whole recipe for the KFC crispy chicken tenders.
5. KFC Nashville Hot Chicken
The KFC Nashville hot chicken is a fiery hot fried chicken. It is completely covered in spices, from the batter to the spice oil. It is a hundred percent hot. If you think peppermint toothpaste is spicy, better not try this chicken. But if you like to taste just a little of Hellfire, then this is the chicken for you (okay! I may have gone a little overboard).
The seasoned flour also doesn’t have all the secret spices and herbs. It is made with flour, cornstarch, and baking powder along with garlic powder, chili powder, salt, dry mustard powder, and black pepper. Also, the chicken isn’t dipped in beaten egg. It is dipped in a spicy batter instead. The spicy batter is made of buttermilk, hot sauce, egg, pickle juice, and baking powder.
You need to coat the chicken with the flour mixture before dipping it in the spicy batter. Once you are done dipping, coat it once again with spicy flour. Then, fry it until it looks golden and crispy. But this is not hot enough. Now, we need to cover it with spicy oil. To make spicy oil, mix brown sugar, cayenne powder, chili powder, dry mustard powder, garlic powder, and salt. Then, pour some hot oil over them and mix them. Pour this over the fried chicken and toss until the chicken is the color of the Devil’s right horn (I meant fiery red. Please understand the metaphor). Serve this chicken with some blue cheese or ranch to soothe your spice receptors. Here’s the whole recipe for the fiery KFC Nashville hot chicken.
6. KFC Chicken Nuggets
If you want something to satisfy your cravings for fried chicken, then you should try making the KFC chicken nuggets. They are really easy to make and get ready in no time. All you need to do is cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Then, dip them in a mixture of egg, milk, and hot sauce. After that, they are coated with spicy flour. Last on the list is deep frying them until they are golden and crispy. That’s all you have to do to have delicious KFC-like chicken nuggets at home. Here’s the complete recipe for KFC chicken nuggets.
7. KFC Bowl
If you want something more fulfilling to satiate your hunger, my advice would be to try the KFC bowl. This comforting food bowl has mashed potatoes topped with fried chicken, gravy, corn, and a cheese blend. The bowl is really easy to make and you can just make it in half an hour. If you are hungry, I feel like you can easily have two or three of these single-serving bowls.
Let me give you a brief summary of how you can make it. First, boil the potatoes until they are tender. Then, mash them with some butter, salt, and milk. Then, you need to bake the chicken popcorn and heat your canned gravy and corn in the microwave. Lastly, all you have to do is assemble them, like the Avengers (this bowl will be your superhero ensemble in fighting the evil hunger. Too dramatic?). Here’s how you can make the delicious KFC bowl at home.
8. KFC Gravy
The KFC gravy is smooth, rich, and versatile. You can add it to the KFC bowl, just top your mashed potatoes with it or drizzle some over your fried chicken. It’ll definitely add that umami flavor to your food.
The key to a good gravy is cooking the roux well. Also, the strong burst of flavor comes from the bouillon. Also, there are two types of bouillon in this gravy, chicken, and beef. The flour is cooked in butter along with onions until it is roasted. Then the bouillons are added along with some water and a touch of pepper. The gravy is cooked until it is smooth and rich. You can then ladle it over mashed potatoes, chicken, or biscuits. Here’s the recipe for the KFC gravy in detail.
9. KFC Potato Wedges
The KFC potato wedges are delicious, lightly-floured and deeply fried. The potatoes are dipped in an egg and milk mixture and then lightly tossed in seasoned flour. The seasoned flour is a mixture of flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. After that, all there’s left to do is fry them. There you have it! Delicious potato wedges, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. You won’t want to eat fries after these (that is a personal choice. I am just making bold assumptions here). I have the recipe for KFC potato wedges here.
10. KFC Coleslaw
The KFC coleslaw is a great summer side dish for your KFC fried chicken. This salad/side-dish is very easy to make and light as a feather (maybe not as light as a feather but you get the point). You’ll be needing shredded cabbage, carrots, and onions. Mix them and then dress them.
The dressing is a delicious and creamy one. To make the dressing, mix mayonnaise, buttermilk, milk, vinegar, and lemon juice. Add flavor to the dressing with sugar, salt, and white pepper. Then, pour this tangy, sweet, and creamy dressing over the shredded vegetables and toss. That’s all you have to do to make the KFC coleslaw. Oh! One more thing you need to do is to chill it overnight. If you can’t, chill it for at least a couple of couple hours (this is my way of saying 4 hours). Here’s the whole recipe for KFC coleslaw.
11. KFC Secret Sauce
What better companion to your KFC fried chicken than the hailed KFC secret sauce itself. The sauce is very flavorful and can be used with a lot more than chicken. It is a blend of different spices and condiments. The sauce has all the flavors, sweet, sour, bitter, and umami. It is so easy to make you can make it with your eyes shut (after you have added the ingredients, though).
The sauce has a lot of ingredients and I am just going to say them in one breath. Are you ready? The ingredients in the sauce are ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, onion juice, vinegar, tabasco sauce, and mayonnaise, chili sauce, black pepper, red pepper, vegetable oil, and garlic (Phew!). Mix everything and serve the sauce with fried kitchen, salads, burgers, or anything you like. Here are the details of the recipe for the KFC secret sauce.
12. KFC Pepper Mayonnaise
The KFC pepper mayonnaise is the perfect dip to spice things a bit. The pepper mayonnaise is so easy to make and gets ready in no time. You’ll be needing pasteurized eggs to make the mayonnaise. Then, add lemon juice, mustard, garlic, red pepper, vegetable oil, and pepper along with an egg to a food processor. Blend them until everything is smooth. That’s it, and your spicy pepper mayonnaise is ready. Let it chill for some time and you chill with it. Here’s the recipe for the KFC pepper mayonnaise for your convenience.
13. KFC Honey BBQ Sauce
The KFC honey BBQ sauce is the sweet and spicy answer to the question of the best sauce. Besides being the obvious sweet and spicy, the sauce has a smokey flavor. This gives the sauce the authentic barbeque flavor. You can use the sauce as a dip or as a glaze for your chicken wings.
The sauce is made with ketchup, molasses, honey, white vinegar, and liquid smoke. The spices that go into the sauce are onion powder, chili powder, and salt. The sauce is the best kind of sweet and spicy. The hickory flavored liquid smoke adds the barbeque flavor to the sauce. The only catch with this sauce is that you have to cook the sauce. Here’s how you can make the KFC honey BBQ sauce.
Conclusion
So, these were the most popular recipes from KFC. I have mentioned everything you need to know about the recipes. This should be ample information for you to make these amazing dishes. Make these chicken, sides, and sauces at home to make the perfect KFC meal. I’ll see you next time with specially curated recipes.
