Fried Chicken – with the most insanely crispy, thick craggy crust heavily seasoned with a KFC copycat “11 secret herbs and spices”! This recipe uses a Southern buttermilk marinade to make the flesh juicy all the way through, and a breading secret trick for how to make fried chicken with an ultra crunchy, nubbly crust.
Serve with French fries and potato with gravy for an epic homemade KFC experience at home.
Fried Chicken
I’m going to call it (obnoxious as it is) – this fried chicken is better than KFC. There’s not a trace of soggy skin anywhere (all you closet KFC lovers know exactly what I’m talking about!) and the crust is thicker and craggier.
Every inch of this crust is insanely crunchy, and there’s loads of those nubbly bits that get extra crunchy. The seasoning is satisfyingly spot on – strong but not outrageously overpowering – the buttermilk marinated flesh is tender and juicy all the way through, and the deep golden colour is sheer perfection.
Seriously, what kind of human being could resist a piping hot pile of freshly made fried chicken?? {Vegetarians are excused}
The seasoning for this fried chicken is a KFC copycat. 11 Secret Herbs & Spices!
What you need to make the best Fried Chicken
Here’s what you need.
11 Secret Herbs and Spices (lots of it). And not much else!
The Seasoning is a KFC copycat. There’s 1.5 tablespoons of pepper in it which sounds like a lot. But trust me, you need it for the KFC flavour and it doesn’t make it spicy. Also, remember that only a certain amount ends up stuck to the chicken itself!
Buttermilk – in true Southern style, the chicken is marinated in a salted buttermilk. Brilliant for tenderising the chicken and injecting it with salt;
Egg helps the flour stick better;
Cornflour / cornstarch – makes the crust crispy but not tough. Pretty standard inclusion in fried chicken breading;
Flour – just plain white, all purpose flour; and
Oil – vegetable, canola or peanut oil, for neutral flavour and ability to heat to the temperature needed without burning the chicken or the oil smoking.
No seasoning in marinade?
I don’t put Seasoning into the buttermilk marinade. Reason being that the crust is quite heavily seasoned (it’s unsatisfying if it’s not flavoured enough) so if the chicken flesh is also seasoned, it’s just too much of the same flavour.
It’s just tastier to have that awesome contrast of juicy chicken flavour inside (salted but not flavoured) and the wickedly crunchy, seasoned crust on the outside. It’s the KFC way!
How to make Fried Chicken
And here’s how to make it (video below super helpful I think!):
Marinate chicken overnight in buttermilk brine – this salts the flesh all the way through and makes it beautifully tender and juicy (also gives you room for error in cook time);
Drizzle some brine in the seasoned flour and rub in to make lumps = extra nubbly craggy bits on crust. 🌟Secret trick that makes the crust so epic!🌟
Coat chicken in flour then fry until golden.
How long does it take chicken to fry?
Thighs and drumsticks take 8 minutes, or until the internal temperature in centre of thickest part is 75°C / 167°F. Breast takes around 7 minutes (internal temperature at thickest part 65°C / 150°F).
Reusing the oil
Typically, oil used for deep frying can be reused 3 times or so once it’s been cleaned. However, I find that for Fried Chicken, it’s usually only good for one more batch of Fried Chicken or similarly flavoured food. I think the oil just gets too tainted by the heavily flavoured breading and while the oil can be cleaned of all the bits in it, you can’t remove the flavour.
To remove impurities, I find the best and easiest way is a Cook’s Illustrated method using a cornflour/cornstarch and water method, cooked in the oil over low heat until it solidifies and captures all the impurities. Strain the cornflour “jelly”, then store the oil for another use. (PS Using a fine strainer isn’t good enough to filter the oil after this recipe, you’d need to use a coffee filter or similar which takes ages. But for other fried recipes like Honey Chicken and Sweet & Sour Pork, straining is fine).
What to serve with fried chicken
For the full homemade KFC experience, serve it with Coleslaw*, chips, KFC copycat potato and gravy.
For a Southern meal, add a side of steamed or grilled corn, cornbread, Slaw, Potato Salad and Southern Baked Beans. A fully loaded plate – my style!
* If you or your hips are anti mayo, try the RecipeTin No Mayo Coleslaw – it’s very, very good!
Some great sides for fried chicken!
I know deep frying is an effort. Preparing, cleaning up, disposing of the oil.
And – well, you know. My hips prefer me to avoid fried foods. 😩
Therefore I don’t deep fry often. So when I do, I make sure it’s worth it.
THIS is worth it!!!
Serve with French fries and potato with gravy for an epic homemade KFC experience at home.
– Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Fried Chicken – ultra craggy crispy crust!
Ingredients
- 1.8 kg/ 3.6lb bone in, skin on small thighs (< 200g/7oz), drumsticks, whole wings, breast (< 200g/7oz) (Note 1)
Buttermilk marinade:
- 1 cup buttermilk (Note 2 for sub)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 egg
Fried Chicken Breading (Note 9):
- 2 1/4 cups flour , plain / all purpose
- 3/4 cup corn flour / cornstarch
KFC 11 Secret Herbs and Spices (Note 9):
- 3 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp celery salt
- 1.5 tbsp black pepper (Note 2)
- 1.5 tsp sweet paprika (ie. not hot or smoked)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper , optional
- 1.5 tsp onion powder
- 3 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 3/4 tsp ginger powder
- 1.5 tsp dried thyme
- 1.5 tsp dried oregano
To fry:
- 1.5 – 2 litres / quarts vegetable oil (or canola or peanut, Note 8 for re-use)
Instructions
Buttermilk Marinade Chicken:
- Mix Marinade in a bowl until salt dissolves.
- Pour over chicken in ziplock bag, massage to coat chicken. Press out excess air, seal, refrigerate 12 to 24 hours, turning once or twice.
- Pour chicken and marinade into large bowl.
Breading mixture:
- Whisk together Breading and all KFC Secret Herbs & Spices.
- Drizzle 4.5 tablespoons of Marinade into flour mixture. Use fingers to rub in so you get lots of pea sized lumpy bits all throughout (this creates extra super crunchy craggy bits).
- Spread out in a shallow dish or pan (easier to work with).
Prepare to cook (work in specified order of steps):
- Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F and place rack on tray – to keep chicken warm. (Note 3)
- Add oil to a wide, heavy based pot to a depth of 6 cm / 2.5 ” (my 26cm/10.5″ cast iron pot = 1.75L/quarts oil, Note 4)
- Heat oil over medium to medium high heat to 180°C/350°F – maintain temp as best you can (Note 5).
Breading:
- Cooking order: Start with thighs and drumsticks, wings next and cook breast last. (Note 6).
- Squidge a piece of chicken in remaining marinade, place in flour.
- Coat well, pressing very firmly to adhere. Transfer to plate.
- Coat 2 or 3 more pieces – just for one cooking batch, covering oil surface in single layer. (Note 7)
Frying:
- Carefully place chicken in oil – it will bubble energetically but it will not spit.
- Once chicken is in, oil temperature should drop to 150°C/300°C – adjust heat to target this.
- DO NOT TOUCH chicken for 2 minutes – to let the crust bond with the chicken skin. After this, you can move them around but oil should be deep enough that you do not need to flip (but you can if you want!).
- Thighs and drumsticks – cook for 8 minutes (wings for 5 minutes), or until deep golden brown and internal temperature at thickest part is 75°C / 167°F.
- Breast – fry for 6 minutes or until internal temperature at thickest part is 65°C / 150°F (time depends on size).
- Place onto rack and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining chicken, coating each batch just prior to cooking.
- Serve immediately!
- Classic sides: Coleslaw, KFC copycat potato and gravy, steamed or grilled corn, cornbread or soft rolls, fries, potato salad, Southern Baked Beans!
Recipe Notes:
- Might seem like a lot of pepper, but it’s key to KFC flavour and doesn’t make it spicy. Remember that not much of the seasoning actually ends up on each piece of chicken.
- Hot & Spicy version – just add 2 tsp cayenne pepper into the breading! That will give it a nice buzz (but won’t blow your head off)
- There is more breading coating flour than you need, so you’ll throw out 1 cup or so. As wasteful as it sounds, I’ve tried using less and it gets messy/hard with the last pieces. So I conceded and upped the breading quantity – because this recipe is all about the crust!
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
He was booted out while I was deep frying. But other than that, he was firmly planted next to the shoot table for every second while I was filming and photographing this chicken!!!
Hi Nagi, I’m hanging out to make your Fried Chicken. I’ve ordered the drumsticks from my local butcher. *Touchwood* I’ll be making it within the next week. However, I’m going to apologise here now; I’m a little anal (under exaggeration) though and I try to follow recipes to the ‘T’. Your instructions in preparing to cook “Add oil to a wide, heavy based pot to a depth of 6 cm … (my 26cm cast iron pot = 1.75L)” would it be okay if I used a 29 cm cast iron pot? Yeah, yeah, (my family would be rolling their eyes too :)) I know, I know, I did warn you that I was anal. I figure that you took a lot to put this recipe together, then to put it in words posting up a blog with a helpful video deserves my full attention 😀
Anyway, I’d love to hear from you and I appreciate the time and effort that you put in with all your recipes. As I said in a previous comment you are my ‘go to cooking bible now’ when I’m in the mood to cook something I go to your website first.
That will be fine! Just add a little extra oil so you have a good depth for the chicken to be submerged. Enjoy!!! N x
Thank you Nagi, I get a bit nick picky when cooking. I’ve printed up your KFC copy cat gravy and potato recipe. It will be just a matter of time waiting for my pot to arrive 🙂
Sonja, we used a massive 14″ cast iron pan when frying up our 2 chickens cut into pieces. Worked great and that pan will be perfectly seasoned for months and months.
Good luck and enjoy!
Thank you for that Cathy C i shall put my fingers to work and order the pot online 🙂
Hi Nagi … thanks again for all of your wonderful and incredibly generous recipes .. the tips and tricks you provide have taken my cooking to a new level. I cook your recipes most nights and my wife and kid are starting to call me ‘MasterChef’ … but the truth is that’s you!! Quick question … I know that the fried chicken is a take on KFC but do you think that a bit of Chinese five spice powder would work in the spice mix? Thanks, Geoff
Hi Geoff, oh I love hearing this!!! And you could definitely add a little five spice for an Asian twist!
This looks incredible! I’m hoping you could do an oven-baked version down the track please?? Maybe a slightly lighter style coating…? (love deep fried food but it doesn’t love me back). Thanks xx
Give this one a try https://promotown.info/kfc-oven-baked-fried-chicken-tenders/%3C/a%3E N x
This recipe looks divine! Quick one: can this be done in the air fryer?
I haven’t tried Anita – would love to know if it works though! N x
Hi Nagi, been making my own KFC for a while using the “leaked 11 herbs and spices” from the Colonels grandson or something, but only used skinless Breast or tenderloins. (My kids don’t like REAL) chicken pieces. I like the addition of the broth for extra lumpy, but am desperate for the potato and gravy recipe, 🙏. Thanks in advance Nagi. Cheers Grant x
It’s now linked – enjoy!! N x
Thanks Nagi, I actually found your gravy recipe last week, OMG! Cooked up the fried chicken and made the gravy as well. TO DIE FOR.👨🍳🙏xx
Well!! Just so you know Nagi, your “32% more” would’ve been slightly higher had your Fried Chicken post not ended up in my Junk emails!!!… do you think someone was trying to tell me something😂
Luckily your Dan Dan Noodles email saved the day and I went looking for your elusive Fried Chicken recipe…. and there is was….hiding….but not for long! YAY – can’t wait to make it!!
Hugs and kisses to precious Dozer❤️🐾
I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing Lyn!! 😂
Is there any way we can use an air fryer instead of deep frying? Or I guess it won’t come out the same?
I’m afraid I haven’t tried Jackie! If I get a chance I will give it a go and let you know 🙂 N x
What does squidge mean? Thank you!
The formal word for “push down into the marinade to coat chicken well just before pulling it out to press into the flour – to help the coating stick better” 😂 N xx
Could you use an air fryer to cook the chicken instead of deep frying it?
Hi Karen, I haven’t tried but would love to know if it works!! N x
MMMMMM!!!!😁😁😁
Can hardly wait to make it. Thanks for passing on the mashed potato and gravy recipe too. 👍
You’ll love it Dale!
Hold the phone! Can I please have the mashed potato and gravy recipe too!
Can I please have the mashed potato and gravy recipe too!
Hi there, love your website!
Do you think this recipe would work well in an air fryer?…
I’ve been asked this a fair bit – would love to know as well Sonya!
Great!.. Thanks for the helpful reply. Maybe a light spray of oil with give it the golden look.
Hi Nagi, I would love to try the fried chicken but, at the age of 60, I have been diagnosed with a genetic gluten intolerance. Could I substitute GF flour or almond meal for the all-purpose flour?
Hi Max, it wont work with almond flour – not too sure about the gluten free flour (I’ll have to test and get back to you on that!) N x
Looks sooo good, would love to make it, but my fiancé is celiac, is there a gluten flour replacement that you would recommend?
More for you then 😈 Just kidding! I need to test and get back to you on that one! N x
Made this last night. Nagi you cracked it! I’ve been trying to make authentic southern fried chicken for years. This was gorgeous, much much better than kfc and I managed to half fry half bake it too. hadn’t much oil so I put small amount in heavy pot and heated it in oven and then just turned chicken so it cooked evenly. Crunchy and gorgeous
YES YES YES!!! I’m so glad you loved it too Joanie! Isn’t that CRUNCH amazing when you bite into the crust?? N xx
Hi Nagi I love all your recipes. You are my go too for everything.
I am just wondering if there is any chance that I can use this recipe but bake the chicken in the oven instead. I love fried chicken but fried anything doesn’t love me! This looks so delicious and thinking about doing it regardless but know I will pay a price.
Give this one a go! https://promotown.info/kfc-oven-baked-fried-chicken-tenders/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
This is the recipe I’ve been waiting my life for I was so happy when this came in my email inbox!! I’d love the potato and gravy recipe
This is the kind of food that makes me happy too 😂 The gravy is now linked as a preview – N x
Hi Nagi going to cook the KFC tomorrow night got the chicken in the fridge now , can I please get the potato and gravy recipe. Love your work cheers.
Just added to recipe! Linked in the last instructions step (it’s a preview recipe, so not properly done up with photos and video yet!) N x
Hi Nagi :we have our chicken marinating.can u please forward potato and Gravy recipe.Can not wait to make sooo exciting .thanks Nagi
Just added to recipe! Linked in the last instructions step (it’s a preview recipe, so not properly done up with photos and video yet!) N x
I’d love you to share your “KFC” potato and gravy recipe also Nagi 🙂 Thank You 🙂
It’s now up! Linked as a preview recipe ☺️
Very nice thank you. Had a kg of chicken breast slices and no idea what to do with it. Made my buttermilk as you said and marinated overnight. In fridge. Substituted dijon mustard for the powder and teaspoon of chicken gravy powder for the salt and arrowroot for the cornflour. Fantastic. My wife loves KFC and she says yours is better. XOX
Woah what a compliment!!!! That’s awesome Paul – N x