19 KFC Recipes To Recreate at Home
Kentucky Fried Chicken stepped into the spotlight in 1952 when the franchise opened its first fast-food restaurant.
The original recipe comes from Harland Sanders, also known as Colonel Sanders, who perfected his 11 herbs and spice mix in a motel he purchased in the 1930s. The exact recipe still lives on in the thousands of KFC locations we have today.
Crispy fried chicken is a favorite comfort food of many people around the world due to its delicious crunchy outside and juicy meat on the inside.
Sure, you can go to a KFC and buy some of this juicy goodness, or you can learn to make it at home. Here are some KFC copycat recipes that are worth a try.
You can make the classic KFC fried chicken you know and love with chicken pieces, a seasoned flour dredge, buttermilk, and eggs.
The trick to getting the perfect fried chicken is soaking the chicken in buttermilk and eggs for about half an hour. Then you can cover the chicken pieces in the flour mixture and fry them until golden brown.
I love the crunch this recipe gives the chicken. It tastes like the real deal!
The chicken bowl casserole is a stomach-filling favorite that contains creamy mashed potatoes, corn, fried chicken, cheddar cheese, and savory brown gravy.
For this KFC copycat recipe, you can use pre-made options or create homemade mashed potatoes, fried chicken, and gravy.
I highly recommend using crunchy popcorn chicken, so each bite is easier to eat.
No KFC meal is complete without their signature coleslaw.
To make this fresh-tasting slaw at home, you’ll need cabbage, carrots, vinegar, mayonnaise, and some seasoning.
I recommend buying the cabbage that’s already shredded to make things easier. This crunchy, tangy dish is the perfect KFC side for fried chicken and even offers you about a third of your daily vitamin C!
Mashed potatoes aren’t the same without gravy. So, to make the KFC gravy at home, you’ll need to gather chicken broth, butter, flour, and some seasonings and cook it all in a pot.
The result should be a thick, flavorful brown gravy that’s perfect for pouring on your meal or dipping.
I like to drizzle it on top of my fried chicken and mashed potatoes.
If you’re a fan of spicy chicken, then this KFC copycat recipe for Nashville hot chicken tenders will be a winner for you.
To make it, you’ll dredge the chicken tenders in a seasoned flour mixture and a buttermilk mixture and then fry them until golden.
The last step is to create a heat-packed oil with cayenne and chili pepper to dunk the tenders in after they finish cooking.
I’m a big fan of spice, so I recommend dipping your crunchy tenders in the spicy oil while eating them as well.
If you like hot chicken, check out the best hot chicken chains to visit!
Copycat KFC biscuits are easy to make at home with flour, cream of tartar, butter, and a few other common household ingredients.
When you finish mixing the dough, cut out little circles, and bake them off until the tops are slightly brown.
When you break open these buttery biscuits, there should be all kinds of nooks and crannies. I think these little pockets are perfect for catching gravy or melted butter.
Copycat KFC honey BBQ sauce is the perfect condiment to have your chicken bursting with flavor.
The recipe is quite easy, with the primary ingredients being tomato paste, brown sugar, and vinegar.
The final result should be a sweet, tangy, and flavorful sauce that goes well with copycat KFC fried chicken. I like to use it as a dipping sauce.
Check out KFCs other sauces.
The copycat KFC mashed potatoes recipe calls for instant mashed potatoes rather than real ones.
However, the recipe also uses butter, milk, and seasoning to make them creamy and flavorful, just like the real KFC mashed potatoes.
Ensure you also make the gravy to drizzle on top! I like to add a little extra butter on top of my mashed potatoes for a more buttery flavor.
If bone-in chicken or chicken tenders aren’t your thing, copycat KFC chicken nuggets are a great alternative to traditional fried chicken.
You’ll need to cut chicken breast meat into chunks, dredge them like normal fried chicken, and fry them.
They only take about five minutes to make! I find that these flavorful nuggets go rather well in the casserole bowl.
Chicken pot pie is another comfort food in itself. To create the copycat KFC chicken pot pie, you will need to cook chicken, peas, carrots, cream, and many other ingredients to make your delicious filling.
Once you cook everything down, you can pour the mixture into some ramekins and top them with puff pastry for a buttery and flaky crust.
I like to brush my pot pies with an egg wash to get a beautiful golden crust when they come out of the oven.
If you want the familiar and flavorful seasoning that Colonel Sanders used himself, you will need to combine 11 spices and herbs, including some of the following: Thyme, Basil, Paprika, Garlic salt, And seven more!
The result will give you a savory seasoning that makes your fried chicken taste just like the original KFC. I sometimes use this seasoning on plain grilled chicken as well!
KFC makes a mayonnaise-based macaroni salad that’s creamy and delicious.
The KFC copycat recipe for this includes elbow macaroni, mayonnaise, veggies, and a few seasonings. The pickles are a nice touch, as they add some sweetness and a hint of acidity.
I recommend chilling the salad in the fridge for at least an hour after making it to get it completely cold.
You can make a healthier version of fried chicken by simply grilling it, but that doesn’t mean it lacks flavor.
The copycat KFC grilled chicken recipe entails brining the chicken in MSG and salt for a few hours, coating it in liquid smoke, covering it in KFC seasoning, and grilling it for almost an hour.
The result is juicy, perfectly cooked chicken.
I love the slight char on the outside, as it helps bring out the flavor of the seasonings.
Creating a copycat version of KFC’s potato wedges is easy with ingredients, including russet potatoes, an egg dredge, and a seasoned flour dredge.
After you coat the wedges, you can place them in the oven or an air fryer to cook until golden brown.
I love the peppery taste that comes from the paprika in the flour dredge.
To create the copycat KFC hot chicken wing recipe, you’ll need to marinate your chicken wings in a seasoned buttermilk marinade and then coat them with a seasoned flour dredge.
They taste like KFC’s normal fried chicken but with a little heat. I recommend adding a pinch of chili powder if you want more spice.
The copycat KFC potato salad uses similar ingredients to the macaroni salad, such as mayonnaise, pickles or relish, veggies, and plenty of seasonings.
If you follow the recipe, your potatoes should come out soft yet firm so they don’t break apart.
I love how soft, creamy, and slightly acidic this potato salad is. It provides a great contrast to crunchy fried chicken.
If you want to make KFC’s spicy popcorn chicken at home, you’ll follow similar steps to the fried chicken nuggets.
You’ll need to cut chicken breast meat into small cubes, marinate them in a chili buttermilk marinade, coat them in a flour and breadcrumb mixture, and fry them until golden.
These chicken pieces offer mouth-watering spice in the marinade and on the outside, as you’ll toss them in a spice mix when they finish frying. I think they have the perfect amount of heat without being too overpowering.
The KFC mac and cheese, another comfort food, is easy to make at home with elbow macaroni, milk, Velveeta, cheddar cheese, and a few other household ingredients.
The result is a thick, creamy, and extremely cheesy side dish. It’s a rather filling dish. This is one of my top favorite copycat recipes.
If you’re looking for a side dish that’s on the healthier side, the copycat KFC green beans are the perfect addition to your meal.
You’ll simply need to saute green beans, peppers, onions, bacon, and seasonings to create the dish. The bacon adds a nice salty and porky flavor to the green beans.
Green beans are delicious and can offer you healthy vitamins, including potassium, vitamin A, vitamin K, and folate.
Final Thoughts
Make your favorite KFC order at home with these recipes, and check out other fast food copycat recipes like McDonald’s recipes or Burger King copycat recipes!
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