I found a copy of Country Home Cooking among my papers and in this book is a recipe for KFC Copycat Fried Chicken. Wow! This is a cookbook written by an Old Order Mennonite woman in Virginia and it is just packed with amazing recipes, including one for KFC Copycat Fried Chicken.
I think the Colonel uses 11 herbs and spices, but this Mennonite KFC Copycat fried chicken one calls for 16! I think I have heard the original recipe from the Colonel is stored in a vault at company headquarters, so no way to know how close this is to the real deal. Man, whoever has access to the original KFC recipe knows one of the best kept food secrets. I'd love the secret recipe.
KFC Copycat Fried Chicken
KFC has been challenged in recent years by Popeyes and Chick-Fil-A, but the Colonel still remains the iconic purveyor of poultry. When I was living in Saudi Arabia as a child, they didn't have many American chains, but they did have KFC. Man, it was a wonderful, amazing connection with home to be halfway around the world and see "Kentucky Fried Chicken" and a big red and white bucket emblazoned with the Colonel's likeness.
Fried chicken recipes are cherished in Amish and Mennonite homes. This particular recipe comes to us from the Dayton, Virginia Old Order Mennonite settlement where traditional recipes are perfected and then passed down among generations. The recipes there are simple and flavorful with all the right spices. Many of the herbs in this recipe are homegrown, cultivated in backyard gardens. I am surprised basil does not make an appearance in this recipe. You could add some, and I think a little celery salt would go a long way. But I don't think that is part of the KFC spice blend.
Each family as their own favorite fried chicken recipe and I'll share more from this settlement soon and you can taste the different recipes. This one is made in a cast-iron skillet, ideally, but you could use stainless steel and it'll be fine. Many Amish and Mennonites like Buttermilk fried chicken. A buttermilk marinade is amazing, so you should try that sometime too, because all you really need is a cup buttermilk.
So, this recipe comes to us from a Mennonite woman in Virginia.
The above shows all the ingredients needed for this recipe (Brown sugar is also called for but didn't make the photo). And, of course, chicken. This is all you need to take on the legendary colonel Sanders! This recipe has amazing flavor.
Most Amish Cooks would use a cast-iron pan to make this delicious copycat KFC chicken. The best way to fry this chicken is in lard, but if you can't do that, olive oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oil are all decent alternatives. I'm not crazy about the taste of coconut oil, but you could do that also. Chicken breasts are my favorite, but you can use drumsticks, thighs, wings, or whatever piece of chicken you have on hand.
Among the Amish and Mennonites, "copycat" recipes are considered challenges and just good old-fashioned fun. They are exposed to mainstream culinary culture like everyone else, yet generally aren't going to eat a ton at fast-food establishments. But if they can create the Colonel at home or "McDonald's fries" at home, sure. Many Amish cooks will spend hours and many attempts tweaking a recipe, swapping out a spice here and there, changing cooking times and temperatures. That is what this Mennonite cook did to create a near-perfect homemade copy KFC recipe!
You don't need a deep fryer for this, just a trusty skillet. You can make the chicken in batches according to how many chicken pieces you have.
The fried chicken pairs well with mashed potatoes and gravy (ignore the calories!) perhaps some corn. This chicken is so good you can just eat it as is, or you could make a honey mustard sauce to dip into.
🍗 KFC Copycat Chicken Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken, breasts, thighs, or a mix
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon sage
- 1 tablespoon rosemary
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon thyme (fresh or dried thyme)
📋 KFC Copycat Chicken Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and mix well.
- Add 2 tablespoons of mix to 1 cup of flour for coating chicken.
- Fry over medium heat until golden brown.
- Drain on a paper towel and serve.
👨🍳 More Amish Copycat Recipes
Amish cooks are often creative corner cutters, they like McDonald's fries, but don't necessarily want to go to McDonald's. So a good Amish cook will start playing around in the kitchen to see if they can make a copycat version!
These don't look a lot like Swiss Rolls, but they taste like them!
COPYCAT PANERA BROCCOLIA-CHEESE SOUP
Well, this isn't just like Panera, this version doesn't cost $10 a bowl!
Better than the real thing!
So good!
🖨️ Full Recipe
KFC Copycat Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken, breasts, thighs, or a mix
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon sage
- 1 tablespoon rosemary
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons chicken boullion
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon thyme
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and mix welll
- Add 2 tablespoons of mix to 1 cup of flour and dredge each piece of chicken through the mixture.
- Fry over medium heat until golden brown.
- Drain on a paper towel and serve.
Diane Zoulek
Too you think you could do this in an air fryer?
Kevin Williams
Yes, I think you could do it in air-fryer, it might even be better!