When I was a kid, a bucket of KFC was a huge treat. It is one of those “nostalgic” foods. I remember craving KFC one day and couldn’t get it out of my head. We live far away from a KFC, or any fried chicken place, so I did what I do best – I went down a rabbit-hole of recipes and articles to find the closest copycat recipe possible. It paid off because I found an article with a picture of a handwritten list of spices that was the mix used for KFC. The only thing not on the list was MSG but the article mentioned that it was part of the mix just not listed as a spice.
Now, don’t run because of the MSG. It does elevate the flavor to match KFC but if you cannot have MSG, then leaving it out is okay; or you can let each person sprinkle some on their pieces of chicken. Either way, you will still have fantastic fried chicken.
I’ve made homemade fried chicken many times, but this changed everything and now I won’t make it any other way. Give it a try and I am sure you will be amazed, and your family will be thrilled!
One of the most protected, discussed, and sought-after secret recipes in the food world is KFC’s Original Recipe Fried Chicken. Long ago I published my first hack of the famous formula, but the recipe, which was based on research from “Big Secrets” author William Poundstone, includes only salt, pepper, MSG, and flour in the breading, and not the blend of eleven herbs and spices we have all heard about. The fried chicken made with my first recipe is good in a pinch, but it really needs several more ingredients to be a true clone.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 ½ tsp. dried basil leaves
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 Tbsp. celery salt
1 Tbsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. dried mustard