Missing fast food? Here is the recipe to KFC's 11 herbs and spices to make your own at home

We're only a few days into the nationwide lockdown, but many Kiwis are probably already missing their fast food fix.

Instead of resorting to boring chicken drumsticks that have been bought from the supermarket, this is the perfect time for people to try to make their own KFC dinner.

Even though the original recipe has been closely guarded since the 1940s, the Chicago Tribune published what it claims to be the secret recipe found in an old scrapbook belonging to one of the Colonel's relatives in 2017.

The Colonel's nephew Joe Ledington stumbled across the scrapbook previously owned by Claudia Sanders, the Colonel's second wife.

Stuck inside an envelope in the scrapbook is a handwritten note with the recipe alongside Claudia's will.

Claudia passed away in 1997 so cannot confirm the authenticity of the note.

When asked if he thought it was the original recipe Joe said: "Yeah, I do."

"I don't want to get in an argument with [KFC's parent company] Yum! Brands about it but ... I'm pretty sure that it's pretty close to the original."

Decide for yourself and give the recipe a crack.

THE ORIGINAL 11 SPICES SECRET RECIPE

(As published in The Chicago Tribune)

Prep: 30 minutes
Soak: 20-30 minutes
Cook: 15-18 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 tablespoon dried basil leaves
1/3 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
1 tablespoon celery salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried mustard
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons garlic salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons ground white pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
1 chicken, cut up, the breast pieces cut in half for more even frying
Expeller-pressed canola oil

Method

Mix the flour in a bowl with all the herbs and spices; set aside.
Mix the buttermilk and egg together in a separate bowl until combined. Soak the chicken in the buttermilk mixture at room temperature, 20-30 minutes.
Remove chicken from the buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off. Dip the chicken pieces in the herb-spice-flour mixture to coat all sides, shaking off excess. Allow to sit on a rack over a baking sheet, 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat about 3 inches of the oil in a large Dutch oven (or similar heavy pot with high sides) over medium-high heat to 350 degrees (175C). (Use a deep-frying thermometer to check the temperature.) When temperature is reached, lower the heat to medium to maintain it at 350. Fry 3 or 4 pieces at a time, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry until medium golden brown, turning once, 15-18 minutes. Transfer chicken pieces to a baking sheet covered with paper towels. Allow the oil to return to temperature before adding more chicken. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Last year, KFC ran cooking workshops for 3000 special guests in the UK who won a prize to discover the secrets for cooking the world's most iconic fried chicken.

They were taught the step-by-step process of making their juicy burgers and signature bits of chicken.

Here are some other tips to follow.

Preparation

The chefs at KFC begin with a mixture of raw, on-the-bone chicken thighs, drumsticks and wings.

Cuts of rib and keel are also used in the famous sharing buckets, however, they're a bit harder to find in a standard supermarket.

Coating

The way you must coat the chicken is said to be very specific.

Begin by filling a large tray or bowl with the flour and spice mix.

Toss the chicken through the mix - scoop it underneath and then fold it over to ensure no part misses out on being coated.

Then, apply pressure to the chicken with both hands so the flour sticks.

Remove the chicken pieces, two at a time.

Excess

As the pieces are removed, shake off the extra coating and then tap the bits together.

Stop the meat touching by simply knocking your thumbs.

The bits of thigh and wing are now ready to go on the oven tray, but the drumsticks need a second coating so the skin can become super crisp.

Hold the bottom of the drumstick and twist it to the top so extra air can be released.

Fry it up

The process takes 20 minutes, with 15 for frying and five for draining excess oil.

No deep fat fryer, no worries. Just heat up a lot of oil in a large saucepan to mimic the effect.

Then, you'll have legitimate KFC fried chicken cooked from the comforts of your own home.

This article was first published on the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.