KFC Fried Chicken Recipe: The Ultimate Copycat Guide

Colonel Harland Sanders' fried chicken recipe is one of the most closely guarded secrets in the food industry. The "Original Recipe" with its famous 11 herbs and spices has been locked in a vault in Louisville, Kentucky since the 1940s. But home cooks and food scientists have spent decades reverse-engineering it — and we've gotten remarkably close.

Here's our ultimate KFC copycat fried chicken recipe.

The History Behind the Recipe

Colonel Sanders didn't achieve success until age 65, when he started franchising his fried chicken recipe from a gas station in Corbin, Kentucky. What made his chicken different:

• Pressure frying — Cooked in a pressure fryer (faster and juicier than regular frying)
• The 11 herbs and spices — A secret blend that has never been officially revealed
• Flour-based coating — Not a batter, but a seasoned flour dredge

In 2016, a handwritten recipe was discovered in a family scrapbook belonging to Sanders' nephew. While KFC denied it was the official recipe, food experts who tested it said it was incredibly close.

The 11 Herbs and Spices (Best Copycat Blend)

Spice	Amount
Salt	2 tsp
Black pepper	1 tsp
White pepper	½ tsp
Garlic powder	1 tsp
Onion powder	1 tsp
Paprika	2 tsp
Dried sage	½ tsp
Dried basil	½ tsp
Dried oregano	½ tsp
Celery salt	½ tsp
Ground mustard	½ tsp

Mix all spices together and combine with 2 cups all-purpose flour and ¼ cup cornstarch (the cornstarch is the secret to extra crunch).

The Full Recipe

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

For the chicken:

• 1.5 kg chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs, wings, breast)

For the buttermilk brine:

• 500ml buttermilk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp salt

For the coating:

• Spice blend (above)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch

For frying:

• Vegetable oil (enough to submerge chicken halfway)

Step 1: Buttermilk Brine (2-24 hours)

Combine buttermilk, egg, and salt. Submerge chicken pieces and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is best). The buttermilk:

• Tenderizes the meat through lactic acid
• Adds moisture for juicier chicken
• Creates a tacky surface for the coating to adhere

Step 2: The Coating

1. Mix the spice blend with flour and cornstarch in a large bowl
2. Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off
3. Press each piece firmly into the flour mixture
4. Dip briefly back into buttermilk
5. Press into flour mixture again (this double-dip creates the signature thick, craggly coating)
6. Place coated chicken on a wire rack for 10 minutes before frying (this helps the coating set)

Step 3: Frying

1. Heat oil to 170°C (340°F) — slightly lower than normal frying for more even cooking
2. Fry chicken in batches (don't overcrowd)
3. Dark meat (thighs, drumsticks): 13-15 minutes
4. White meat (breast, wings): 10-12 minutes
5. Internal temperature should reach 74°C (165°F)
6. Drain on a wire rack (not paper towels — they trap steam and make the coating soggy)

Air Fryer Alternative

Want the taste without deep frying? Check out our Kentucky Fried Chicken recipe which includes an air fryer method. Also see our full Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners guide.

Pro Tips for Perfect Fried Chicken

1. Room temperature chicken — Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before frying
2. Monitor oil temperature — Too hot = burnt coating, raw inside. Too cool = greasy
3. Don't flip constantly — Let the chicken cook undisturbed for even browning
4. Rest after frying — 5 minutes on a wire rack lets the juices redistribute
5. Season immediately — A light sprinkle of salt right out of the fryer

Fried Chicken Around the World

KFC popularized fried chicken globally, but every culture has its own version:

• Japanese Karaage — Bite-sized, marinated in soy and ginger, coated in potato starch. Lighter and crunchier. Chicken Karaage →
• Korean Fried Chicken — Double-fried for extra crunch, glazed with gochujang sauce
• Nashville Hot Chicken — Coated in cayenne-lard paste. Seriously spicy.
• Filipino Chicken Adobo — Not fried, but braised in vinegar and soy. Equally addictive. Classic Filipino Chicken Adobo →
• Indian Tandoori Chicken — Yogurt-marinated and grilled. Different technique, same love for chicken. Tandoori Chicken →
• Chinese General Tso's — Crispy chicken in sweet-spicy sauce. General Tso's Chicken →
• Japanese Tonkatsu — Breaded pork (and chicken) cutlet with panko. Tonkatsu Pork →

The Complete Fried Chicken Meal

Make it a feast:

• Main: KFC Copycat Fried Chicken
• Side 1: Breakfast Potatoes (works as a dinner side too!)
• Side 2: Mediterranean Pasta Salad for freshness
• Drink: Sweet iced tea or lemonade

What to Do with Leftover Fried Chicken

• Fried chicken sandwich — Chick-Fil-A Sandwich style
• Chicken salad — Shred it into a mayo-based salad
• Katsu curry — Use leftover fried chicken for Katsu Chicken Curry
• Wrap it up — Shawarma-style wrap with leftover chicken

External Resources:

• The History of KFC — Britannica
• Food Science of Frying — Serious Eats

More chicken recipes:

• Healthy Chicken Recipes for Weight Loss
• All Recipes