Kentucky Fried Chicken (Copycat Recipe)
Copycat KFC-style fried chicken: chicken pieces marinated in buttermilk, dredged in a seasoned flour mix, and deep-fried until golden and cooked through.
Equipment
- Deep FryerOR
- Dutch Oven
- Deep Frying Thermometer
- Baking Sheet
- Instant Read Meat Thermometer
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cupsbuttermilk see note
- 1 whole chickencut into 8 pieces
- 2 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1/4 cupground paprika
- 2 tablespoonskosher salt
- 1 tablespoondry mustard
- 1 tablespoonwhite pepper
- 2 teaspoonsground ginger
- 2 teaspoonsdried thyme
- 2 teaspoonsdried basil
- 2 teaspoonsfreshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoondried oregano
- 1 teaspooncelery salt
- 1 teaspoongarlic powder
- Canola oilfor frying
Instructions
Instructions
- Pour 1¾ cups buttermilk into a large bowl. Add the 8 chicken pieces, turn to coat, cover the bowl, and refrigerate to marinate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- In a shallow dish, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup ground paprika, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon dry mustard, 1 tablespoon white pepper, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon celery salt, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Stir or whisk until evenly mixed.
- Pour canola oil into a deep fryer or a large Dutch oven to a depth of about 3–4 inches. Heat the oil to 350°F.
- Working one piece at a time, lift a chicken piece from the buttermilk and let the excess drip off.
- Dredge the chicken piece in the seasoned flour, pressing firmly so the flour fully coats the piece; shake off any loose excess.
- Fry 3–4 pieces at a time: gently lower the coated chicken into the 350°F oil and cook, turning once halfway through, until the coating is deep golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. This will take about 12–15 minutes per piece, but cook times may vary by piece size—ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Using tongs, transfer fried chicken to a plate or sheet pan lined with paper towels to drain.
- Repeat steps 4–7 with the remaining chicken pieces, avoiding overcrowding the oil.
- Let the chicken rest a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Buttermilk:If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by measuring out1¾ cups of milk, removing 1¾ tablespoons, and adding 1¾ tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir well and let stand for 5 minutes before using.
I like to use a whole chicken, but you can also use your favorite parts!
For gluten-free Kentucky fried chicken, swap the all-purpose flour for gluten-free 1:1 flour.
You can use any neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable, peanut, or avocado.
After marinating your chicken, pat it dry before breading it. This will help the flour stick better.
Coat the chicken thoroughly with flour.
Be sure not to overcrowd the pot. Overcrowding will reduce the oil temperature, leading to oily, soggy chicken.
Always let the oil come back up to temperature before adding more chicken.
Resist the urge to turn the chicken over until you see a golden brown line all the way around the sides of the chicken. This line tells you that the breading is evenly crispy.
Place the chicken pieces in a warm oven to keep them crisp while you continue frying the rest of the chicken.
I like to use a whole chicken, but you can also use your favorite parts!
For gluten-free Kentucky fried chicken, swap the all-purpose flour for gluten-free 1:1 flour.
You can use any neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable, peanut, or avocado.
After marinating your chicken, pat it dry before breading it. This will help the flour stick better.
Coat the chicken thoroughly with flour.
Be sure not to overcrowd the pot. Overcrowding will reduce the oil temperature, leading to oily, soggy chicken.
Always let the oil come back up to temperature before adding more chicken.
Resist the urge to turn the chicken over until you see a golden brown line all the way around the sides of the chicken. This line tells you that the breading is evenly crispy.
Place the chicken pieces in a warm oven to keep them crisp while you continue frying the rest of the chicken.