Are These The 11 Spices That Make KFC's Fried Chicken Taste So Good?

Food lovers everywhere have attempted to make restaurant-quality dishes at home, and rarely does it live up to the real deal — especially when it comes to fried chicken. Even a lifelong home cook may scratch their head wondering, "Why doesn't my fried chicken taste like a bucket of KFC?" Luckily, a leaked family recipe may just reveal the exact 11 spices Colonel Sanders and company use to make the iconic entree; and the reviews are shockingly mixed.

Of all the fast food fried chicken chains, KFC has remained particularly hush-hush about its seasoning blend. According to a note from a Sanders family scrapbook shown to Chicago Tribune, the spices you need are paprika, white and black pepper, salt, thyme, ground ginger, garlic salt, basil, oregano, celery salt, and dried mustard.

However, a few fried chicken fans have since tried this 11-ingredient mixture for themselves and the results are inconclusive. Certain taste testers have reported that the seasoning was predictably mediocre and felt more like haphazardly dumping ingredients in a bowl, admitting it didn't do the fast food chain justice. On the other hand, some chefs swear this mixture is undeniably identical to the taste of KFC. The only way to find out is to dig out your spices, follow the leaked recipe to a tee, and give it a try first hand. You could even make it an event — prepare the entree at home, then order from the KFC drive thru, to see if you're able to tell your homemade chicken apart from the real deal.

Of course using the right seasoning is important, but it's only half the battle in recreating fast food level chicken — you need to upgrade more of your homemade fried chicken ingredients. Using high quality items like potato starch for extra crispiness, buttermilk to help your seasoning stick to your batter, and even frying in peanut oil instead of vegetable can all give you more of that restaurant effect. You can even use a common restaurant practice and double dredge your chicken for the crispiest fried results. In essence, it's all about staying true to the entire cooking process — which is why your copycat seasoning won't be at its peak if the chicken itself isn't good.

When it comes to breading the fried chicken, remember to give your spices a proper mix before dipping the protein into the mixture. Since you're combining so many seasonings, you want to be sure they're fully integrated to prevent any single-flavor spots. Once your chicken is properly fried, complement the meal by making your own KFC-inspired sides such as mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and sweet corn. Even if you decide the secret recipe is better left to the professionals, making homemade fried chicken can be a fun experiment, and a way to learn about your spice preferences. Who knows, you might make a tweak or two that you end up liking better than the original.