KFC Crispy Chicken Hack (Printable)

Crispy fried chicken with a secret blend of spices for bold, flavorful coating and tender, juicy meat.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 pieces skin-on, bone-in chicken (drumsticks, thighs, or breasts)

→ Marinade

02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Seasoned Flour (Spice Blend)

05 - 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 2 teaspoons paprika
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
15 - 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
17 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
18 - 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
19 - 1 teaspoon salt

→ For Frying

20 - 4 cups vegetable oil (for deep frying)

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of one hour, preferably overnight for enhanced flavor.
02 - In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, basil, oregano, celery salt, white pepper, black pepper, mustard powder, ground ginger, cayenne pepper, ground sage, and salt. Stir thoroughly to blend spices evenly.
03 - Remove the chicken from the marinade and allow excess to drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the seasoned flour, pressing gently to ensure an even and firm coating. Place coated chicken on a wire rack and let stand for 10 minutes to adhere.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot to 340°F (170°C), monitoring temperature closely.
05 - Fry the chicken in batches without overcrowding the pot. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the coating is golden brown and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (75°C).
06 - Remove the chicken from oil and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving to ensure crispiness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes shockingly close to the real thing without needing a secret restaurant connection.
  • The spice blend is complex enough to feel special but balanced enough that it never tastes like you overdid it.
  • Your kitchen will smell incredible, and everyone will know exactly what you're making before you even plate it.
02 -
  • If your oil isn't hot enough, the coating will drink all the oil and become greasy instead of crispy—too hot, and the outside burns while the inside stays raw, so respect the thermometer.
  • The double-dip trick (buttermilk again, then flour again) sounds excessive, but it creates the exact shatteringly crisp texture that makes people keep eating long after they're full.
03 -
  • Marinating overnight isn't just tradition; it changes the texture of the meat itself, making it stay juicier inside even though the outside shatters.
  • If you're frying multiple batches, let your oil come back to temperature between each one, or the later batches will be noticeably greasier than the first.
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