KFC style fried chicken recipe, how to make crispy fried chicken in KFC style at home. With time and experience we get better in cooking, day after day and this is what happened with me. After numerous trials, I felt this is one of the best and easy recipe to make KFC fried chicken at home.
How KFC makes the best tasting fried chicken is a trade secret which no one knows. But there can definitely be a no better and healthier way to enjoy a fried chicken than to prepare at home. Healthier and a deep fried chicken! Not really though.
There are no pesky ingredients like MSG / ajjinomotto or what so ever in my recipe. You can try using brown bread crumbs or pulsed oats or pulsed corn flakes for a healthier choice.
Kfc doesn’t use bread crumbs for the fried chicken. But I have used it here just for the extra crisp outcome.
For the best look, use bread crumbs or panko crumbs that are not too large. Using large crumbs makes covering look husky like the one in pictures. If using dried rosemary, crush it well and then add.
However an healthiest way is to bake the chicken, check out my baked chicken fingers to learn how to bake it.
This best fried chicken recipe can be used to fry drumsticks too. But i had a not so good experience frying them. The drumsticks were cracked and the inner part began to splash on to me while frying.
I suggest drumsticks if you are experienced in choosing the right ones for deep frying. Otherwise it will mess up the oil and discolor the chicken.
You may like to check these Chicken recipes
KFC style popcorn chicken
Chicken shawarma
Chilli chicken
Chicken 65
Chicken tikka in oven
Fried chicken recipe
KFC fried chicken
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
To brine
- 500 grams chicken drumsticks or fillets (½ kg)
- 1¼ cup buttermilk (or 4 tbsps curd or yogurt)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For crispy coating
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (white corn flour)
- 1 egg white
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 2 to 3 cups Oil for deep frying
Seasoning (or 1½ tbsp cajun spice mix)
- ½ teaspoon Salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder (or paprika)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (pepper powder)
- ¼ teaspoon allspice (or 1 tsp garam masala)
- ¾ tablespoon garlic powder (1 tbsp ginger garlic paste)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon mixed herbs (oregano, thyme, basil)
How to make the recipe
Preparation – Brine chicken
- Pour buttermilk to a bowl. If you do not have it, add 4 tbsp yogurt to a bowl and pour 1 cup water. Whisk it well with ¼ tsp salt.
- Immerse the cleaned chicken into the buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least for 4 hours. This makes the chicken turn tender and soft.
How to make crispy fried chicken
- When you are ready to fry the chicken, pour the egg white to a bowl and add ¼ cup of the buttermilk to the egg. You can use the same buttermilk from the chicken brine.
- Whisk both of them well until combined. Set aside.
- To another wide bowl add bread crumbs. Set aside.
- Drain buttermilk from the chicken completely. Add all the seasoning and rub well for 2 to 3 mins. Then sprinkle corn starch and mix it. If it is too dry add a tbsp of water. Set aside until needed.
- Arrange the bowl of chicken, egg bowl, bread crumbs bowl and a wired rack side by side.
- Pick up each chicken piece and dip it in the egg and then roll it in the bread crumbs. Press down the bread crumbs to stick to the chicken well.
- Place it on the wired rack. Repeat the same with all the chicken pieces. Rest for at least 10 mins before you fry.
- Pour oil to a heavy bottom pan. Heat it on a medium flame.
- Check if the oil is hot enough. Drop a small portion of the wet mixture to the hot oil. If it rises without browning then the temperature is right. If you have thermometer you can check. It has to be 350 F or 175 C.
- Gently shake off the excess crumbs from the chicken if any. Gently slide the chicken one after the other to hot oil. You can fry about 2 to 3 pieces in one batch.
- Fry them on a medium heat till golden & crisp. If the flame is too high, it gets browned without getting cooked inside. Keep stirring or rotate the pieces after every few minutes.
- When golden and crisp remove the chicken to a wired rack.
- Serve fried chicken hot with ketchup or your favorite dip.
NUTRITION (estimation only)
If you are a beginner or new to Indian cooking, I highly suggest you to check the supporting step by step photos for best results. Step by step photos with description available below after the recipe card.
How to make
1. Wash chicken well. You can use either large fillets or drumsticks. Drain off excess water.
2. Add salt to buttermilk and mix. Add chicken to this. Refrigerate 4 hours to over night. I do not suggest to skip this as the chicken will not cook through properly without brining.
3. Break an egg and add the white to the bowl. Pour 4 tbsps of buttermilk to this and whisk it very well.
4. Drain the chicken.
5. Add all the seasonings to the chicken and rub well for 2 to 3 mins. Then add the corn starch and mix everything well. If it is too dry sprinkle some water. Set this aside.
6. To another bowl add bread crumbs and set aside. Pick up each piece of chicken and dip it in the egg mixture and then roll in the bread crumbs.
7. Press down each piece of chicken so the bread crumbs stick to the chicken well. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.
8. Heat oil in a heavy bottom deep pan/kadai. Fry till golden at medium high temperature. If the oil is very hot chicken gets browned fast without getting cooked inside. The oil should be hot enough and the flame at medium high.
Enjoy fried chicken with your favorite ketchup.
Saumya says
I have tried out this receipe tdy and it came out awsome👌🏻 My family loved it alot and my foodie son passed me excellent comments… Thank you somuch swathi, and I’m a silent follower of ur blog and have tried out many of ur receipes and most of them used to turn out yummylecious😅… Thank you!!!
swasthi says
Hello Saumya,
You are welcome! Glad to know!
Thank you so much for following the blog.
🙂
Mishu says
I am doing this today but with chicken legs. And I used rice flour as I did not have corn flour. The thing is after adding rice flour..it became all dry and there was no coating on the chicken..there’s was just lumps of the rice flour and spices etc. So I am thinking I’ll dip the chicken in egg then flour then crumbs separately again before frying..
swasthi says
Hi Mishu,
I guess I am late in replying. I haven’t tested this recipe with rice flour. Hope you are able to fix it.
Sravs says
In bread crumbs place shell Ican add oats
swasthi says
Oats soak up lot of oil and don’t turn crisp
Ash says
Hi, I just want to know that instead of buttermilk can I use maida marinated, still can be use as refrigerator, can u help me with that
swasthi says
Hi Ash
Buttermilk or yogurt is the key to get that tender yet crisp chicken. It tenderises the meat and keeps it moist after frying. I highly recommend using it. Hope this helps
karthika kumar says
Really super
swasthi says
Thanks Karthika
kageni ann says
wow I like this recipe Soo much in fact am going in the supermarket right now see you later
Ridhima says
Can I use oats instead of bread crums?
swasthi says
Hi Ridhima
Yes you can but oats will not crisp up much like bread. You can instead use cornflakes.
Madhvi says
Hi! As always yr recipe was amazing. One question can I shallow fry instead of deep fry?
swasthi says
Hi Madhvi
Thank you. Large pieces of chicken will not get cooked well if shallow fried. You can shallow fry if using thin fillets. You can also grill it in the oven.
Madhvi says
Thanks for d response Swasthi
Memoona Rubab says
I have tried the kfc style chicken once and my family loves it so much, i am always being asked to make it again on family gatherings! Making it again today! Thank you Swastiiiii!
swasthi says
Hi Memoona
Thank you so much for the comment. Very happy to know your family loves it.
🙂
Nega says
I tried this recipe last night.Since I didnt have time to marinate in brine liquid I tried using smaller pieces.Inspite of skipping the main marination step,the chicken turned out to b yum.Keeping it healthy I airfryed them.5 stars from myside for this recipe.Simply one of the best KFC chicken type recipes on the internet.
swasthi says
Hi Nega
Thank you so much for the comment. Very glad to know the recipe was useful.
🙂
Avinash Sharma says
Thanks Madam.
Very nice and easy recipe.
Nafisa Khan says
Hello swasti thanks for the recipe but I have a doubt , the recipe makes three pics so what I have to do to make much more chicken , or can I use chicken pics instead of leg pics or drum stick so how to made it pls give suggestion.
swasthi says
Welcome Nafisa,
The recipe is for half kg chicken. I have a similar recipe of frying chicken pieces (big or small any). Please check it here Chicken burger. I have made the burger patties the same way as this kfc fried chicken. If you want to make – like 1 kg then just double the recipe. Hope this helps.
Fatima says
I do put chicken for brining but my chicken at end turns dry….it doesnt remain juicy…what should i do?
swasthi says
Hi Fatima
It depends on how long you have kept the chicken in brine liquid. For me buttermilk brine works the best when done for 4 hours or more.