KFC knows the secret to making good fried chicken, and now I do too! With this copycat Kentucky Fried Chicken recipe, I’ll show you how to recreate that famous KFC spice blend, then deep fry juicy pieces of buttermilk-marinated chicken to get that super crunchy texture. Skip the drive-thru, and make the best fried chicken dinner at home instead!
Going to Kentucky Fried Chicken for a bucket of chicken, creamy mashed potatoes and gravy, buttery corn, and those classic biscuits used to be my idea of comfort food. It still is…but now I can make that whole mouthwatering dinner at home with this KFC fried chicken recipe, and it tastes just as good! My kids absolutely devour this crispy chicken every time I make it.
What’s in this Copycat KFC Chicken Recipe?
My copycat Kentucky fried chicken recipe has the ever-famous “secret” KFC spice blend, creating that thick and flavorful crust that would even make Colonel Sanders himself envious.
- Chicken: Use a whole chicken, cut into parts, so you have the full range of thighs, drumsticks, and breasts. Or you can just use your preferred pieces instead.
- Buttermilk: Marinate the chicken in buttermilk to make it unbelievably juicy. Check the recipe card for instructions on how to make your own buttermilk substitute.
- Egg: Combines with the buttermilk for marinating, and ultimately helps the coating stick to the chicken.
- All-Purpose Flour: The base of the crunchy seasoned breading.
- Spice Blend: A savory blend of paprika, garlic powder, ground white pepper, celery salt, ground black pepper, ground mustard, kosher salt, onion powder, thyme, basil, oregano, ginger, and MSG makes this fried chicken finger-lickin’ good!
- Vegetable Oil: The perfect high smoke point neutral oil for deep frying.
Spice it up
Want a spicier KFC fried chicken? Add a bit of cayenne pepper to the spice mix so you get that kick of heat right in the crispy skin. You can also serve it with some hot sauce for good measure!
Email This Recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover Kentucky fried chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat fried chicken, place the chicken pieces on a wire rack set in a baking sheet in a 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until 165°F internally.
How to Freeze
Freeze pieces of Kentucky fried chicken tightly wrapped in aluminum foil and set in a resealable bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Notes and Tips
- I like to marinate my chicken in buttermilk overnight if I’m planning ahead, but soaking for a quick 30 minutes will do the trick! After marinating, pat the chicken nice and dry before breading it so that it sticks.
- Since you’ll need to fry in batches, I recommend heating up your oven to keep the chicken warm after frying, so it’s all hot and ready to eat.
- Recreate a classic Kentucky Fried Chicken dinner by serving this fried chicken with sides like mashed potatoes, french fries, coleslaw, mac and cheese, or biscuits.
Copycat Kentucky Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken cut up into 8 pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk (see note)
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup ground paprika
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon celery salt
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dry ground mustard
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon MSG optional
- vegetable oil for frying
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Deep Fryer OR
- Dutch Oven
- Deep Fry Oil Thermometer
- Instant-Read Thermometer
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into its respective parts, discarding the carcass.1 whole chicken
- Pour the buttermilk and egg in a large bowl and whisk well, then place the chicken in the bowl and toss to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and soak for at least 30 minutes. You can marinate the chicken in this mixture overnight in the refrigerator, if desired.1 cup buttermilk, 1 large egg
- When ready to fry, combine the flour with the seasonings in a separate large bowl.2 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup ground paprika, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 2 tablespoons ground white pepper, 1 tablespoon celery salt, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon dry ground mustard, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon MSG
- Preheat oven to 175°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set an oven-safe wire rack on top of the baking sheet; set aside.
- In a deep fryer or large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, heat about 3 inches of oil to 350°F.vegetable oil
- Remove a piece of chicken from the buttermilk, shaking off any excess liquid. Press the piece of chicken into and through the flour mixture, adhering the mixture to all sides. Shake off excess flour and carefully drop the chicken into the hot oil immediately. Repeat with more pieces, frying no more than 3-4 at a time depending on size.
- Fry the chicken for 12-15 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown.
- Remove the chicken from the oil and place it on the wire rack. Place the baking sheet in the oven.
- Once the oil returns to 350°F, repeat the dredging and frying process with the remaining pieces of chicken.
- When all the chicken is fried, keep them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, maintaining the internal temperature of 165°F until ready to serve.
Notes
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have any buttermilk, you can make your own by measuring 1 cup of milk, removing 1 tablespoon of it, and mixing in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.
- After marinating your chicken, pat it dry before breading it. This will help the breading stick better.
- Coat the chicken thoroughly with flour.
- Make sure to shake off any excess flour. Excess flour will cause the breading to fall off.
- Be sure not to overcrowd the pot. Overcrowding will reduce the oil temperature, leading to oily, soggy chicken.
- Resist the urge to turn the chicken over until you see a golden brown line all the way around the sides of the chicken. This line tells you that the breading is evenly crispy.
- Place the chicken pieces in a warm oven to keep them crisp while you continue frying the rest of the chicken.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
How to Make Kentucky Fried Chicken Step by Step
Prep the Chicken and Buttermilk: Break down 1 whole chicken into its respective parts (breasts, thighs, drumsticks), and discard the carcass. Next, pour 1 cup of buttermilk and 1 large egg into a large bowl, and whisk well; then place the chicken pieces in the bowl and toss to fully coat.
Marinate the Chicken: Cover the bowl of chicken with plastic wrap and soak for at least 30 minutes. Or you can marinate the chicken in buttermilk overnight in the refrigerator, if desired.
Make the KFC Spice Blend: When ready to fry, combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour, ¼ cup of ground paprika, 2 tablespoons of garlic powder, 2 tablespoons of ground white pepper, 1 tablespoon of celery salt, 1 tablespoon of ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon of dry ground mustard, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, 2 teaspoons of onion powder, 2 teaspoons of dried thyme, 2 teaspoons of dried basil, 1 ½ teaspoons of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, and ½ teaspoon of MSG in a large bowl.
Prep for Frying: Preheat the oven to 175°F, then line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set an oven-safe wire rack on top of the baking sheet; set aside. In a deep fryer or large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, heat about 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F.
Bread the Chicken: Remove a piece of chicken from the buttermilk and shake off any excess liquid. Press the piece of chicken into the spiced flour mixture, and roll through it, so the mixture adheres to all sides.
Dredge and Fry: Shake off excess flour, and carefully drop the chicken into the hot oil. Quickly repeat the process with more pieces, frying no more than 3-4 at a time.
Deep Fry the Chicken: Fry the chicken for 12-15 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the oil and place it on the wire rack. Place the baking sheet in the oven. Once the oil returns to 350°F, repeat the dredging and frying process with the remaining pieces of chicken.
Warm and Serve: Once all the KFC chicken is done frying, keep them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, maintaining the internal temperature of 165°F until ready to serve.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the original recipe consists of 11 herbs and spices, including: salt, thyme, basil, oregano, celery salt, black pepper, dried mustard, paprika, garlic salt, ground ginger, and white pepper. To amp ours up a bit, we added onion powder and MSG (optional).
With the chicken breast side up, pull each leg away from the body, then slice through the skin between the breast and drumstick. Turn the chicken onto its side and bend each leg back until the thighbone pops out of its socket. Cut through the joint and skin to detach the leg completely, then pull each wing away from the body and cut through the joint. Lift up the chicken and cut down through the ribcage and then shoulder joints to separate the breast from the back. Place the breast skin side down. Split the center bone using a chopping motion, then slice through the meat and skin to separate it into 2 pieces. To divide the legs, turn each skin side down and cut through the joints along the white fat line to separate the thigh from the drumstick.
I recommend marinating the chicken overnight if you have time, but 30 minutes is sufficient if you’re in a hurry.
If your heat is set too high, you’ll end up with chicken that has a burnt exterior but is still raw and uncooked inside. Be sure to use a thermometer to check your oil temperature often, and use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat.
If your heat is set too low, it can take too long for the chicken to fry, and it will become dense, oily, and soggy. Be sure to use a thermometer to check your oil temperature often, and don’t overload the Dutch oven with too many pieces of chicken at once.
Yes! Preheat your air fryer to 390°F and lay parchment along the bottom so that the chicken doesn’t stick. Place the chicken in the air fryer in a single layer with no pieces touching one another (you may have to fry in batches) and air fry for about 25 minutes, flipping once halfway, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
This was very disappointing! It tasted nothing like KFC chicken and I followed the recipe exactly as given. It was dry and had almost no flavor.
I’m sorry to hear this recipe didn’t work out for you, Colleen! It sounds like your chicken may have gotten overcooked. I recommend investing in an instant-read thermometer to ensure the chicken doesn’t get overcooked in the future!
Exciting – gorgeous & my dream recipe!!!
Thanks a million Becky dear!!!