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.
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!
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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!
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Buttermilk – in true Southern style, the chicken is marinated in a salted buttermilk. Brilliant for tenderising the chicken and injecting it with salt;
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Egg helps the flour stick better;
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Cornflour / cornstarch – makes the crust crispy but not tough. Pretty standard inclusion in fried chicken breading;
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Flour – just plain white, all purpose flour; and
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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!):
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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);
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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!🌟
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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!!! – Nagi x
PS Don’t ask me for a chips recipe yet, I’m still not happy with my homemade ones! But if you want KFC style potato and gravy (as seen in the video), here is the recipe! drop a comment below and I’ll be happy to share it.
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!!!
I don’t usually deep fry because, like you Nagi, I hate the oil wastage. I relented on the weekend and thought that I would try this recipe. Oh my goodness!!! It was sooooo good. Way better than KFC. I am pretty sure that hubby will be requesting this “treat” recipe again.
Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe. x
Hi Nagi would it be ok to shallow fry this instead of deep fry? Thanks so much! Marnie x
The oil needs to be deep enough to cover half the chicken then you can flip them…see Note 5. Thanks! N x
Thanks SO much for replying. Will do that! Having tonight x
Enjoy! N x
Best KFC recipe ever! This was seriously good. Even better than KFC I would say…
This was absolutely amazing, I used a deep fryer and it tasting amazing, will be my go to for fried chicken
Tried this for the first time last week. I used exactly the specified amounts of everything but found the quantities of salt and pepper to be too overpowering, masking the taste of the other ingredients.
Hi Roger, it shouldn’t be overpowering – what type of salt and pepper did you use? Was it table salt? N x
Hello This is the best recipe my kids love it. I’m from Dubai. I couldn’t leave without the comment. Thank you
Beautifully crunchy and fab spice but maybe a little more heat in the mix and time in the oil for a proper cook through. will adapt and make this often, thanks Nags
I don’t have celery salt. Can I omit this? Will this change the taste? What’s a substitute?
Really want to make tonight but saw to marinate 12-24 hours. Would it still turn out good if only marinating 3 hours ish?
You really need the longer marinade to work its magic on the chicken sorry Kelle! N x
I finally made this tonight and it was AMAZING!! Followed the recipe verbatim and it came out super crunchy on the outside and really flavorful and moist on the inside. I plan to spice up the marinade and breading a bit to use with Buffalo wings! Thanks so much for this!!
I love all your recipes so I am sure this one will be amazing too. I want to make this for a crowd but wondering if I can fry it the day before and then air fryer it before serving?
Hi Christine, it’s best fresh, but I imagine that will be fine to pre-cook then heat back up in an air fryer or oven 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi,
Thank you for this wonderful fried chicken recipe. It was great but the only problem I had was that the flour didn’t stick to the chicken. What am I doing wrong? 😞
Hi Jenni! If you brine in the buttermilk then it should definitely stick, then when you put it in the oil you need to not touch it for a while (time specified in the steps) in order to give the flour a chance to adhere. Resist probing! N xx
Cooked this again tonight with skinless breast and it was delightful. I’m going to cut it back to 10 secret herbs and spices next time because the oregano note is too strong for my palate (my family think I’m crazy). Going to replace that secret with equal amount of pepper.
Thanks for yet another amazing recipe that delights families everywhere!
Yummy but … 🙁 Maybe because I used olive oil? Cooked in deep fryer but had to put in to cook further due to still being very pink inside. Used a combo of Drummies & Thighs, most of similar size. The coating ended up being overcooked, but still tasty in small amounts. Myrtle (Dozer’s Blue Heeler counter-part) enjoyed the left-overs! It was worth a try. Love all your other recipes I’ve tried! Some have become firm favourites that I cook every week. 🙂
Sorry that should have read bangers and mash
OMG Nagi. I have made this twice now and it is a MASSIVE hit with my family. I’m not allowed to make snitty now because it has been replaced with this recipe. Oh and your gravy that goes with your banners and mash recipe is absolutely sensational. Your the best ❤. I’m making your Pad Thai tomorrow xxx
I haven’t tried this recipe yet. But I saw your comment about gravy that goes with bangers and mash. Which gravy is that? I tried a recipe search, and I can’t even find the bangers and mash recipe :(. Can you please give me links? TY so much.
Hi Rayne, in the search bar type in Bangers and Mash (sausage with onion gravy). It is the best 🙂
I DID type bangers and mash in the search bar……..that’s what I said in the first reply………that recipe does NOT come up when I type bangers and mash in the search bar……
Sorry…..but you made me sound like an idiot…..I know how to do a search. Whatever…..I can find a good gravy recipe elsewhere if you can’t even copy and paste a link for me.
Rayne, Im sorry that you feel like that because I never intended to sound rude at all. I do not know how to share the link. Im sorry its not coming up when you search in the recipetineeats search bar as it shows up for me when I search the recipe to make it. I hope you end up finding it because it really is a lovely recipe.
Rayne, your reply to Allison was extremely rude especially as she was just trying to help you and everyone is always so supportive on this site. Here is the link that you requested: https://www.recipetineats.com/bangers-and-mash-sausage-with-onion-gravy/
Can you make this recipe in an Air fryer
Sorry no Susan, you need the hot oil to set and cook the coating here. N x
Looks yummy!
Wondering if I can use boneless thighs? How would that change the cook time?
can i baked drumsticks with this recipe instead of frying?
Hi Jamie, you need to fry this one to get the crust unfortunately – N x
can i bake drumsticks with this recipe instead of frying?