If you’ve ever bitten into a piece of original recipe chicken from KFC, you know there’s something magical about that crispy coating and juicy meat. Over the years, many have tried to crack the code on how KFC manages to fry chicken so perfectly every time. As it turns out, there’s some fascinating science and technique behind their famous fried chicken.
In this article, we’ll explore the secrets behind KFC’s finger-lickin’ good fried chicken. We’ll look at how their chicken is marinated, battered, breaded, and fried to crispy perfection. You’ll also learn about the special equipment KFC uses for frying their chicken under pressure. By the end, the mystery behind the unique flavor and texture of this iconic fried chicken will be solved.
The Importance of Marinating the Chicken
One of the keys to KFC’s moist and flavorful chicken is that they marinate it before breading and frying. The chicken soaks in a blend of 11 secret herbs and spices for hours before cooking. This marinade acts almost like a brine, allowing the seasonings to fully permeate the meat. As a result, the chicken takes on loads of flavor.
Marinating also helps keep the chicken incredibly moist and tender during frying. The herbs and spices break down the proteins in the meat, resulting in a more tender final product. Drying out is not a concern with KFC’s chicken thanks to this marination process.
Coating with Signature KFC Breading
Once marinated, the chicken moves onto the breading station It is first dredged in flour, which helps the breading adhere tightly to the meat The flour also contributes to making the crust extra crispy.
Next, the chicken is dipped into the signature KFC breading mixture. This top-secret blend of 11 herbs and spices is what gives KFC chicken its distinctive flavor and aroma. While the exact formula is a closely guarded secret, ingredients like salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and oregano are commonly used for breading fried chicken.
The breading forms a flavorful, textured coating on the chicken that turns deliciously crispy once fried. Applying a thick layer of this seasoned breading is key to achieving KFC’s signature crunch
Frying Under Pressure
Here’s where the magic happens – the pressure frying process that makes KFC chicken so juicy KFC uses specially designed pressure fryers to cook their chicken These pressure fryers rapidly fry the chicken under high pressure, sealing in moisture and flavor.
The chicken is submerged in oil and the fryer is sealed shut. As pressure builds, the temperature inside reaches over 250°F. The intense heat quickly sears the breading, trapping steam inside the chicken. In just 12-15 minutes, the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 180°F with a perfectly crispy crust.
Pressure frying results in chicken that is moist, tender and full of flavor in a quick cooking time. The high temperature also makes the skin extra crispy, giving you that satisfying crunch with every bite. This method yields KFC’s signature juicy chicken paired with a crispy, seasoned shell.
The Special KFC Cooking Oil
You can’t achieve KFC’s level of fried chicken crispiness without using the right oil. KFC fries their chicken in a proprietary oil blend of soybean oil and canola oil. This combination of oils has high heat tolerance, which allows the chicken to fry without burning at the high temps required.
The oil is also free of trans fats and contains natural antioxidants to maintain freshness. As an added bonus, the oil is eco-friendly and derived from renewable sources. KFC’s unique frying oil withstands high temperatures for perfect crispiness without compromising flavor or quality.
Rigorous Quality Control
Maintaining consistent quality is paramount at KFC. Their team of quality control experts oversees each step of preparation closely. They rigorously inspect fresh chicken shipments and monitor cooking times and temperatures. This ensures every batch meets KFC’s exacting standards for texture and flavor.
By keeping a close eye on all stages of the process, KFC delivers the same crispy, juicy chicken customers love every single time. From marination to frying, KFC’s secret recipe and cooking methods have been perfected over decades to give us the ultimate fried chicken experience.
So next time you sink your teeth into a delicious Extra Crispy drumstick, you’ll appreciate the clever cooking techniques KFC uses to achieve fried chicken perfection. Their special blend of herbs and spices, signature breading ritual, and innovative pressure frying system set their chicken apart from all the rest.
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To make KFC original fried chicken, start by blending salt, thyme, basil, oregano, celery salt, black pepper, dried mustard, paprika, garlic salt, ground ginger, and white pepper in a food processor. Then, combine the seasoning with some flour in a bowl. Once youve made the breading, dip the chicken into an egg-buttermilk mixture and then the breading. Finally, fry the chicken in vegetable oil until its cooked through and crispy. To learn more about frying the chicken after you bread it, scroll down!
Marinating and Breading the Chicken
- 1 Cut the chicken apart into 10 pieces. You will need: 2 wings, 2 legs (drumsticks), 2 thighs, and 2 breasts. Cut each chicken breast in half so that you have 4 breast pieces total.[7] Try to use a chicken that is around 3 pounds (1.4 kg).[8]
- You can also buy chicken pieces separately. For example, you could use 10 chicken breasts.
- Leave the skin on the chicken pieces. This will make it nice and crispy.
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2 Marinate the chicken in the buttermilk for 20 to 60 minutes. If you are short on time, then 20 to 30 minutes will do just fine.[9] A full hour would be much better however. Be sure to marinate the chicken on the counter; if you put it into the fridge, the cold meat will decrease the temperature of the hot oil.[10]
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap to keep the marinade from spoiling.
- If it is very hot in your kitchen, then you could marinate the chicken in the fridge at first, then halfway through the marinating time, transfer it to the counter.
- 3 Dredge the chicken through the flour-spice blend. Take a piece of chicken out of the buttermilk, and let the excess mixture drip off. Place the chicken into the spice-flour blend, then flip it over so that both sides get covered. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet.[11]
- Repeat this step for each piece of chicken. Work 1 piece at a time.
- Keep the chicken pieces in the buttermilk until you are ready to dredge them.
- 4 Let the chicken pieces rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Discard any leftover spiced flour. It came into contact with raw meat, so it is no longer safe to use.
- Be sure to discard any leftover buttermilk marinade; its been contaminated by raw meat, so you cant reuse it.
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How Kentucky Fried Chicken Is Made (from Unwrapped) | Unwrapped | Food Network
FAQ
Does KFC fry or pressure cook their chicken?
Cook. Then pressure cooked at a low temperature to preserve all the great taste we’re known for around the world.
Is KFC chicken fried in oil?
Yes, KFC chicken is fried in oil. Specifically, KFC uses a blend of canola oil and hydrogenated soybean oil, with TBHQ and citric acid added for flavor protection, and dimethylpolysiloxane as an antifoaming agent.