Making KFC at Home?

[Debater Slayer]

I'm a huge fan of chicken, but one meal that has always proven elusive to make at home is fried chicken in the style of KFC. I don't necessarily want to make a perfect copy; I just want something close enough. There are many recipes online, but I don't know how close any of them get.

Do you know how to approximate the recipe at home? If you do, please share how! I'd love to have fried chicken without worrying about the sanitation standards of fast-food chains.

 

[John53]

I'm a huge fan of chicken, but one meal that has always proven elusive to make at home is fried chicken in the style of KFC. I don't necessarily want to make a perfect copy; I just want something close enough. There are many recipes online, but I don't know how close any of them get.

Do you know how to approximate the recipe at home? If you do, please share how! I'd love to have fried chicken without worrying about the sanitation standards of fast-food chains.

I tried one years ago which used crushed corn flakes and some spices for the coating, it was disgusting and I never tried again. I'm hoping "corn flakes" is a universal thing and you know what I'm talking about.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I tried one years ago which used crushed corn flakes and some spices for the coating, it was disgusting and I never tried again. I'm hoping "corn flakes" is a universal thing and you know what I'm talking about.

Corn flakes as in the breakfast cereal? If so, that's universal, yeah.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I'm a huge fan of chicken, but one meal that has always proven elusive to make at home is fried chicken in the style of KFC. I don't necessarily want to make a perfect copy; I just want something close enough. There are many recipes online, but I don't know how close any of them get.

Do you know how to approximate the recipe at home? If you do, please share how! I'd love to have fried chicken without worrying about the sanitation standards of fast-food chains.

Use beef tallow.

Plus white pepper and salt seems to be the two key ingredients among the secret herbs and spices.

Also , as a challenge, get a microscope and see if you can identify individual herbs and spices in the batter.

Today's kfc is garbage. Vintage is where it's at.

Of course seek out Sanders kin. Who knows the secrets better?


Did Colonel Sanders' nephew spill the secret to KFC's recipe?

 

[Father Heathen]

When it comes to fast food chains, recipes might vary from country to country, based on local tastes and price/availability of ingredients.

 

[ChristineM]

There are millions of recipes online, I've tried a couple, I've not tried kfc so I can't vouch for how close this comes but it's pretty good

The Best Oven Fried Chicken - crispy & juicy with a fryer nowhere in sight!

 

[John53]

Corn flakes as in the breakfast cereal? If so, that's universal, yeah.

Yep, the cereal

 

[Subduction Zone]

One thing that makes KFC different is that they do not use a traditional deep fry method. They use a pressure fryer. If you have an Instant Pot you may be able to duplicate this. I am not sure if the seals will hold up to the higher temperatures:

Instant Pot Fried Chicken Recipe - Pressure Cooker fried Chicken


EDIT: It appears that Instant Pot disagrees with this. The pot is not designed for pressure frying:
Fried Chicken – Instant Pot Recipes

 

[John53]

One thing that makes KFC different is that they do not use a traditional deep fry method. They use a pressure fryer. If you have an Instant Pot you may be able to duplicate this. I am not sure if the seals will hold up to the higher temperatures:

Instant Pot Fried Chicken Recipe - Pressure Cooker fried Chicken


EDIT: It appears that Instant Pot disagrees with this. The pot is not designed for pressure frying:
Fried Chicken – Instant Pot Recipes

I always worry about recipes that tell me to wash chicken.

 

[Subduction Zone]

I always worry about recipes that tell me to wash chicken.

Is it because splashing can spread salmonella? It may be just an American custom. But one thing one should do is to pat one's chicken dry with some paper towels. Sometimes when I buy my chicken the cooler they are in is very close or past freezing. Though the chicken is not frozen there can be ice in the bag from condensed water. Dry chicken will hold flower much better than wet.

 

[John53]

Is it because splashing can spread salmonella? It may be just an American custom. But one thing one should do is to pat one's chicken dry with some paper towels. Sometimes when I buy my chicken the cooler they are in is very close or past freezing. Though the chicken is not frozen there can be ice in the bag from condensed water. Dry chicken will hold flower much better than wet.

Because at best it's a complete waste of time.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Because at best it's a complete waste of time.

Then skip washing. But do use some paper towels to blot the chicken dry.

And for only $900 American, you can have a pressure fryer too:

https://www.amazon.com/PreAsion-Pressure-Thermostat-Delicacies-Stainless/dp/B09QM71364/ref=sr_1_19?adgrpid=1346903217179183&hvadid=84181668721881&hvbmt=be&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=111632&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-84182395340419:loc-190&hydadcr=20189_10560394&keywords=pressure+deep+fryer+for+home+use&qid=1676228582&sr=8-19&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.2b70bf2b-6730-4ccf-ab97-eb60747b8daf

Personally, we have a chicken that beats the pants off of KFC. It costs twice as much, but one bite and you know why.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Then skip washing. But do use some paper towels to blot the chicken dry.

And for only $900 American, you can have a pressure fryer too:

https://www.amazon.com/PreAsion-Pressure-Thermostat-Delicacies-Stainless/dp/B09QM71364/ref=sr_1_19?adgrpid=1346903217179183&hvadid=84181668721881&hvbmt=be&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=111632&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-84182395340419:loc-190&hydadcr=20189_10560394&keywords=pressure+deep+fryer+for+home+use&qid=1676228582&sr=8-19&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.2b70bf2b-6730-4ccf-ab97-eb60747b8daf

Personally, we have a chicken that beats the pants off of KFC. It costs twice as much, but one bite and you know why.

$900 is expensive as heck, especially where I live. I'll have to stick to traditional frying methods even if that doesn't live up to the standards of Colonel Sanders.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Oh! I almost forgot the chicken with a very appropriate name for this forum:

Heaven Sent - Home

 

[John53]

Then skip washing. But do use some paper towels to blot the chicken dry.

And for only $900 American, you can have a pressure fryer too:

https://www.amazon.com/PreAsion-Pressure-Thermostat-Delicacies-Stainless/dp/B09QM71364/ref=sr_1_19?adgrpid=1346903217179183&hvadid=84181668721881&hvbmt=be&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=111632&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-84182395340419:loc-190&hydadcr=20189_10560394&keywords=pressure+deep+fryer+for+home+use&qid=1676228582&sr=8-19&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.2b70bf2b-6730-4ccf-ab97-eb60747b8daf

Personally, we have a chicken that beats the pants off of KFC. It costs twice as much, but one bite and you know why.

Or I could use my $100 (AUD) air fryer and get the same result.

And stop washing chicken people! You're wasting your time!

 

[Debater Slayer]

Oh! I almost forgot the chicken with a very appropriate name for this forum:

Heaven Sent - Home

That's from an alternative universe where the serpent was a chicken who enticed humans to eat from the tree of knowledge.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Or I could use my $100 (AUD) air fryer and get the same result.

And stop washing chicken people! You're wasting your time!

I wash it and soak it in water mixed with vinegar or lemon for 15-20 minutes to get rid of any undesirable smell. It feels much cleaner to me that way.

 

[Subduction Zone]

$900 is expensive as heck, especially where I live. I'll have to stick to traditional frying methods even if that doesn't live up to the standards of Colonel Sanders.

Cheapskate!!. Okay, too rich for my blood too. It would take a lot of chicken to make that worth it.

I have heard that the pressure fryer is what makes KFC so difficult to duplicate. Instant Pot does not advise it for their machines. The interior of the cooker gets to the same temperature as its contents when under pressure. 375 F appears to be too hot for the seals.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I wash it and soak it in water mixed with vinegar or lemon for 15-20 minutes to get rid of any undesirable smell. It feels much cleaner to me that way.

I find placing it and immersing in saline solution and keeping it in the fridge or freezer will make for a restaurant quality piece of chicken.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I'm a huge fan of chicken, but one meal that has always proven elusive to make at home is fried chicken in the style of KFC. I don't necessarily want to make a perfect copy; I just want something close enough. There are many recipes online, but I don't know how close any of them get.

Do you know how to approximate the recipe at home? If you do, please share how! I'd love to have fried chicken without worrying about the sanitation standards of fast-food chains.

From what I've always heard you need a pressure cooker to do it, and it might be the herbs and spices have a hint on the Facebook page.