Crispy, juicy, and delicious, our KFC Fried Chicken is inspired by the restaurant and comes together quickly for a finger-licking good dish.
Esquire recently released an article sharing the original KFC fried chicken recipe. Much to my expectation, the recipe called for all real ingredients.
Crispy, and savoury with a touch of spice to it, the chicken was tender and moist. Paired with homemade crispy baked fries and coleslaw, this recipe is lighter than the original and packed with flavor.
Recipe Card
Homemade Kentucky Fried Chicken
While the recipe doesn't exactly resemble our childhood KFC days it is still finger licking good. The crust is crispy, savoury with a touch of spice to it, and the chicken is tender and moist.
Servings: 6 legs
Ingredients
- 6 whole chicken legs split into thighs and drumsticks
- 4 cups water
- 3 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon thyme
- ½ tablespoon Basil
- ⅓ tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon celery salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried mustard
- 4 tablespoon paprika
- 2 tablespoon garlic salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 3 tablespoon white pepper
- 4 cups peanut oil for frying
Instructions
- In a sauce pan, warm water with 3 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoon of sugar until dissolved. Allow to cool completely and add chicken pieces, cover and place in your fridge for a minimum of 8 hours.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge, remove from brine and pat dry. Leave it on the countertop for 30 minutes to remove the chill before cooking. In a bowl, whisk together the milk, vinegar and egg. In another dish, stir together the flour and 11 herbs and spices.
- Place all of the chicken in the milk bowl. Using one piece of chicken at a time, dredge it in the flour mixture, and set aside on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat the process, until all pieces are well coated.
- In a wide pot, heat a couple inches of oil to 325 F. (It should be hot, but not smoking)
- Cook 3-4 pieces at a time, without crowding the pot, for 12-15 minutes. The larger pieces will take a few minutes longer.
- Set aside on another rack set over a baking sheet while you finish the rest. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, without touching the bone. The cooked pieces should register 160 F.
Nutrition
Calories: 680kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 7946mg | Potassium: 540mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2603IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 5mg
Additional Information
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and let us know!
Rose Martine says
Looks really good. Probably lots of flavor pop. Must try! ????
June Summer says
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I always wondered what was in it!
Chef Sous Chef says
You're welcome June. Enjoy!