If there was a magical list of secret recipes that everyone on the internet has attempted to make before, KFC’s fried chicken is pretty much at the top of that list. There are many copycat recipes around the internet, and they all claim that theirs is the one that reigns supreme, but KFC claims that none come close to the original.
Recently I found out that the supposed real mixture of magical 11 herbs and spices was released, and of course I scrambled to put it to the test. Man oh man, I’m sure glad I did!
So what makes KFC chicken so special? Colonel Sanders used to say, “It’s still freshly prepared in every restaurant, seasoned with a secret blend of 11 herbs and spices, and then hand breaded all day long by a certified cook.” This copycat recipe (as the original recipe is not available to the public) actually does contain 11 herbs and spices, and the two secrets behind the delicious flavor are the monosodium glutamate (MSG) and the use of a pressure fryer.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
3 beaten eggs
4 tablespoons oil
For the coating
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (or chicken stock powder)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon chives
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Directions:
Sift flour and add together all the coating ingredients and grind finely with a mortar and pestle and place in a clean plastic bag. Coat each chicken piece first with the beaten egg, then with the flour mixture in the bag. Make sure you coat each piece completely with the flour.
Heat the oil in a skillet. Brown the chicken in oil slowly, uncovered. Once browned, cover the skillet and keeping frying on a very gentle heat until the chicken is fully cooked. Place on paper towels to drain out the excess