Copy Cat “KFC” Chicken Tenders

Growing up I absolutely loved KFC chicken. I didn’t eat it every single day. It was something I had on occasion but I sure did enjoy it. Nowadays, I just don’t eat fast food that much anymore. I enjoy making all my food at home. Every now and again I will stop by some place and get a pizza or some thing but it is a very rare occasion.

This recipe for my version of KFC tenders is somewhat similar to theirs but different. It took me a very long time to narrow down the flavors to the best of my ability. I now fill confident putting this up on my blog. This recipe is very spice heavy, so it KFC’s. Even though it is spice heavy, you are going to love it. They are simple to whip up and you can use this recipe on any cut of chicken you like.

Again the flavors are somewhat similar however, The way I make this and other ingredients are somewhat different but it is still so good.

Let’s get started.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 C. Flour
1 C. Bread crumbs (unflavored)
2 C. Buttermilk ( or 2 c milk and 3 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice)
2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Cardamom
1/2 Tsp. White pepper
1/2 Tsp. Black pepper
2 Tsp. Garlic powder
1 Tsp. Ground Ginger
1 Tsp. Coriander
1/4 to 1/2 Tsp. Cayenne pepper ( add to taste and spice level)
2 Tsp Rubbed sage (or 1 Tsp. ground sage)
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp. Nutmeg
1 Tsp. Ground Clove
2 Tsp. Italian Seasoning ( or Parsley)
1/2 Tsp. Allspice ( or 1/4 tsp)
1 Tsp. Paprika

1 Tsp. Ground Mustard (add to the buttermilk)
1 Tsp. Paprika (add to the buttermilk)
1/2 C. Neutral oil – for frying

DIRECTIONS:

1. To a medium bowl add in the buttermilk, ground mustard, and the paprika. Mix well. Add in your chicken tenders. Toss to coat well. Cover with a lid and chill for 2 to 4 hours.
2. In a separate bowl combine the flour, bread crumbs, and all of the spices and herbs. Be sure to look at the spices and herbs to make sure you don’t add the ones meant for the buttermilk.
3. Once you get all of the spices added to your flour and bread crumbs go ahead and mix them all together very well.
4. Remove the chicken from the fridge and allow to come to room temp. This should take about 10 minutes or so. This just helps the chicken not seize up when putting it in the hot oil.
5. Speaking of oil, go ahead and add that oil to a large skillet. Turn the heat on to medium low and allow the oil to get hot.
6. In the meantime you can go ahead and bread that chicken. Take a piece of the chicken from the buttermilk and place it in the flour mixture. Toss to coat well. Place on a plate. Repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken. I like to double bread so I dip each piece back into the butter milk and back into the flour and place back onto the plate.
7. Once you get those all breaded how you want them, we can fry them up.
8. Once your oil is nice and hot add a few pieces of the chicken into the hot oil and allow to cook about 4 to 5 minutes (or so) on one side before flipping over to cook about 3 to 4 minutes on the other side. If you are cooking chicken breast it will take about 10 minutes per side and about the same for chicken thighs. I use a meat thermometer to help me gauge the core temp. You want the temp to read between 160 to 165 on the thermometer.
9. Once the chicken is golden brown and cooked through you can remove them to a paper towel lined plate. What I like to do is place a few pieces of paper towel on a sheet pan and then add a wire rick. This, to me, helps the coating stay nice and crispy and allows the excess grease to drip off. You can do which ever is easier for you.
10. Now repeat the process until all the chicken is cooked. Once they are cooked and you let let them rest a minute or two, you can serve them up.

• Serve these chicken tenders up however you like. I switch up the sides every time I make them depending on what I want. Sweet potato fries, french fries, Cole slaw, green beans, biscuits, mashed potatoes and gravy, or pepper gravy. How ever you serve these up you are going to love them.
• If there is any spice you don’t like or don’t have just leave it out. It will still be absolutely delicious.
• Be mindful of the salt. Add a little in the mix because you can always sprinkle a little extra over the chicken as soon as it comes out of the hot oil.
• If you are unsure about how long to cook chicken, I recommend using a meat thermometer to check the core temp of any and all meat that you are cooking. This makes it easier for you to learn how to gauge how long each type of meat should cook.
• Keep the temp low so the outside of the chicken doesn’t burn before the inside has a chance to cook. We want golden brown or a deep golden color and a center cooked completely through.
• Always allow the excess grease to drip off. And always allow the meat to rest before cutting or serving. This allows the juices in the meat to redistribute and makes the chicken more juicy and tender.
• If you want it extra tender add about 1/2 tsp of baking soda to the buttermilk mixture and allow to marinate for the allotted time.

Enjoy!

(p.s. – I keep forgetting to take pictures and uploading them. My goodness. lol.)