What is Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Secret Recipe?

Kentucky Fried Chicken’s famous secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices has been closely guarded for decades. As a lover of fried chicken, I’ve always been fascinated by the mysterious blend of seasonings that makes KFC taste so finger-lickin’ good!

In this article, I’ll break down everything we know about the top-secret list of ingredients used to create the Colonel’s Original Recipe chicken. Get ready to unlock the secrets behind one of the world’s most legendary fast food recipes!

A Brief History of The Colonel’s Secret Recipe

The story begins back in 1930 when Harland Sanders opened a gas station in Corbin, Kentucky that was well-known for its fried chicken. At the time, it took 30 minutes to fry the chicken in a pan, so Sanders started experimenting with pressure cookers to reduce the cooking time.

By 1940, Sanders had perfected his blend of 11 herbs and spices and began selling “Kentucky Fried Chicken” to restaurants. To maintain secrecy of the recipe, he provided restaurants with premixed spices.

The recipe has been locked away in a vault at KFC headquarters since. Only two suppliers know half the recipe each, and no single person knows the full list! Pretty wild right?

What We Know About the 11 Secret Ingredients

While the full recipe remains a mystery, a few clues have leaked out over the years:

• Sanders once said the ingredients “stand on everybody’s shelf.” Common household spices seem to be part of the blend!

• Chef Todd Wilbur claimed to have cracked the code. He listed the spices as salt, thyme, basil, oregano, celery salt, black pepper, mustard, paprika, garlic salt, ginger, and white pepper.

• A former Sanders friend hinted that tellicherry black pepper is key.

• One recipe online also includes baking powder as an ingredient to help achieve KFC’s signature crispy coating.

So while we don’t know the exact measurements, it seems the secret blend includes common spices like black pepper, thyme, oregano and garlic. Clever Colonel!

Why Keep The Recipe Secret?

You may be wondering why KFC keeps their signature recipe under lock and key. Well, a few reasons:

• It’s brilliant marketing! The mystery creates hype and keeps customers guessing.

• As a trade secret, the recipe doesn’t expire like a patent would. KFC can legally protect it indefinitely.

• The secret formula helps differentiate KFC from competitors. No one can copy their signature flavor!

So while we may never know the exact recipe, keeping it secret has been a smart business move for KFC. After all, everyone loves a good mystery!

Replicating That Signature KFC Flavor

While we can’t replicate the exact blend of 11 herbs and spices, home cooks have come up with ways to achieve similar flavors:

• Soak chicken in buttermilk overnight before dredging in flour seasoned with black pepper, thyme, oregano and paprika.

• Fry in oil around 350°F to get an extra crispy coating.

• Flavor the flour with onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt and cayenne for a spicy kick.

• For a quick weeknight dinner, broil chicken seasoned with a basic blend of salt, pepper, paprika and parsley.

With some experimentation at home, you can absolutely come close to mimicking the Colonel’s famous flavor. Get creative with your own herb and spice combinations!

The Secret’s Out!

While we may never know the exact measurements, we’ve uncovered quite a bit about the legendary 11 herbs and spices recipe. From clever marketing ploy to finger-lickin’ flavor, KFC’s secret recipe has made the chain famous across the globe. By following a few tricks using common household spices, we can come pretty close to replicating the Colonel’s signature flavors.