If there was a magic list of secret recipes that everyone on the Internet has tried to make before, KFC’s fried chicken is pretty much at the top of that list. There are many copycat recipes on the Internet, and they all claim that yours is the one that reigns supreme, but KFC claims that none are anywhere near the original.
I recently found out that the supposedly royal blend of 11 magical herbs and spices was released, and of course, I went out of my way to test it. Man oh man, I’m so glad I did it!
So what makes KFC’s chicken so special? Colonel Sanders used to say, “It’s still prepared fresh in every restaurant, seasoned with a secret blend of 11 herbs and spices, and then breaded by hand all day by a certified cook. This imitation recipe (since the original recipe is not available to the public) actually contains 11 herbs and spices, and the two secrets behind the delicious flavor are monosodium glutamate (MSG) and the use of a pressure fryer.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
3 beaten eggs
4 tablespoons of oil
For the coating
2 cups of flour
4 teaspoons of paprika
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning (or powdered chicken broth)
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 teaspoon of tarragon
1 teaspoon of parsley
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon of chives
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Instructions:
Sift the flour and add all the coating ingredients and grind finely with a mortar and mallet and place in a clean plastic bag. Cover each piece of chicken first with the beaten egg, then with the flour mixture in the bag. Be sure to cover each piece completely with the flour.
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Brown the chicken in oil slowly, uncovered. Once browned, cover the pan and continue frying over very low heat until the chicken is completely cooked. Place on paper towels to drain excess