Y’all know I love a good homemade take on a fast food classic, and this KFC-style chicken bowl might just be better than the original. This isn’t just a copycat, it’s the upgraded version. I’ve been making bowls like this for years, and I’ve tested everything from the chicken seasoning to the texture of the potatoes, so you can count on this recipe to work.
KFC Famous Bowl Ingredients
- Mashed Potatoes
- Crispy Chicken: The best chicken to use is actual chicken tenderloins. The restaruant recipe uses chicken tenders. Tenders are more tender than any other part of the chicken. This is because it’s a muscle that the chicken doesn’t use very often in comparison to its breast muscle. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
- Corn
- Gravy
- Shredded Cheese
Herbs and Spices
This is a copycat recipe so of course there's a long list of spices you will need if you want to get the chicken to taste like KFC. If that isn't important to you, feel free to use a store bought chicken rub or my Dry Rub for Chicken recipe blend.
KFC's "Secret Recipe" of 11 herbs and spices has been a closely guarded trade secret that has been the cornerstone of the company's success and iconic flavor for many decades. At some point, the listing of spices was leaked. It's hard to know if it was an exact and accurate listing.
I have adapted it fit this recipe and it is pretty on point! Here is what you will need.
- Paprika
- Garlic salt
- Salt
- Dried thyme
- Dried basil
- Dried oregano
- Celery salt
- Pepper
- Ground mustard
- Ground ginger
- White pepper
When you measure out the spices it will look like a lot....honestly it may look like it's too much! It isn't and I actually think that's a core component of the "secret" part of the recipe. Once combined with the flour it will coat every bite of the chicken and provide immense flavor.
How to Make KFC Famous Bowl Recipe
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Combine the flour and all of the spices in a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken tenders.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then the buttermilk and egg mixture, and again in the flour mixture.
- Bake or air fry.
- Pair with mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and shredded cheese.
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KFC Famous Bowl Recipe
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also grab your FREE ebook with my best 30-minute one-pot meals! Dinner stress stops here.
Ingredients
Chicken and Bowl Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken tenderloins or chicken breasts Sliced into chunks (Equal in size, whatever size you wish).
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- cooking oil spray I use olive oil.
- 1-2 cups cooked corn kernels
- 1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Chicken Spices (Or you can use your favorite store-bought chicken rub.)
- 1 ½ tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon salt Season to taste and use less if you prefer.
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
Mashed Potatoes
- 2 pounds Yukon gold or russet potatoes Peeled or leave the skin on if you wish. See notes.
- 3 cups water or broth Broth will simply add additional flavor; any type of broth.
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Homemade Gravy
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1-2 cups beef broth You can use any broth. Beef broth is best for dark colored gravy.
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Assembling the Chicken
- Combine the flour and all of the spices in a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken tenders.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then the buttermilk and egg mixture, and again in the flour mixture. Keep a moist towel nearby. Your hands will get sticky.
Air Fryer Chicken Instructions
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil. Add the breaded tenders to the basket. Spritz the tenders with cooking oil spray.
- Air fry for 8 minutes at 400 degrees.
- Open the air fryer and flip the tenders. Be careful so that you do not lose any of the breading. Air fry for an additional 4-8 minutes at 400 degrees or until the chicken is crisp.
- Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. This indicates the chicken is done cooking and is safe to eat. Use a meat thermometer.
Baked Chicken Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place an oven-safe baking rack on a baking sheet or a sheet pan. Lightly spray with non-stick spray. (The baking rack will produce crispy tenders and is optional. You can use just the sheet pan with parchment paper if you wish).
- Place the breaded tenders on the rack or sheet pan. Spritz the tenders with cooking oil spray.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Flip each chicken tender, be careful so that you do not lose any of the breading. Bake for another 10 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. This indicates the chicken is done cooking and is safe to eat. Use a meat
Stovetop Mashed Potatoes
- Add the potatoes to a large pot along with cold water or broth. Use enough to completely cover 1 inch above the potatoes.
- Place the pot on the stove on high and allow the liquid to come to a boil. When the liquid reaches boiling, reduce to medium-high. Cook the potatoes for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Pierce with a fork to check.
- Drain the excess liquid from the pot.
Instant Pot Potatoes
- Place the potatoes in the Instant Pot with enough broth or water to completely cover the potatoes. (No need to go an inch above).
- Cook on Manual High Pressure for 10 minutes.
- When the Instant Pot beeps that it is complete, quick release the steam.
- Open the lid and drain the excess liquid from the pot.
Assemble the Mashed Potatoes
- Mash the potatoes with a potato masher.
- Add in the buttermilk, Greek yogurt or sour cream, butter, and spices.
- Stir until creamy.
Homemade Gravy (Use store bought gravy if you prefer).
- Heat a saucepan or skillet on medium heat. Add the butter.
- When melted, add in the flour. Add it in stages and stir continuously to avoid clumping. This will create a roux, which will thicken the gravy.
- Add 1 cup of broth and the spices. Stir until the gravy begins to thicken. If the gravy is too thick, add additional broth. Stir (and continue to add broth) until the gravy reaches your desired consistency.
- Whisk continuously (be patient) to remove any clumps.
- Taste repeatedly and add salt and pepper to taste as needed.
Assemble the Bowls
- Assemble the bowls with mashed potatoes, gravy, chicken, corn, and shredded cheese.
Notes
- The recipe includes 11 different herbs and spices, just like KFC. If this is too much for you, season the chicken to suit your taste.
- Substitute any of the herbs and spices for your favorite spices.
- Garlic salt is a combination of garlic powder and table salt, so it contains both garlic flavor and saltiness. If you substitute garlic salt, keep this in mind.
- If the serving size noted for items with sodium is too much for you, adjust the servings to suit your preference.
- If you see white spots on the chicken while it cooks, spray these with oil. This also helps crisping.
- You can use whatever type of potatoes you wish.
- When you boil the potatoes for too long it will result in potatoes that are overcooked and absorb a lot of liquid. When you go to mash them, they will be soupy. Instead of having fluffy mashed potatoes, you will have a watery blob. If you are cooking your potatoes on the stovetop, keep a watchful eye.
- For the potatoes, you can use milk, heavy cream, or half and half instead of buttermilk if you wish.
- Buttermilk is used in the breading for the chicken, so using it to make the mashed potatoes works great, because then you don’t have to worry about wasting leftover buttermilk.
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Frequently Asked Questions and Recipe Pro Tips
The KFC Famous Mashed Potato Bowl is a popular menu item offered by KFC. It is a hearty and flavorful combination of various ingredients served in a single bowl, making it a satisfying and convenient meal option.
Heat a saucepan or skillet on medium heat. Add the butter.
When melted, add in the flour. Add it in stages and stir continuously to avoid clumping. This will create a roux, which will thicken the gravy.
Add 1 cup of broth and the spices. Stir until the gravy begins to thicken. If the gravy is too thick, add additional broth. Stir (and continue to add broth) until the gravy reaches your desired consistency.
Whisk continuously (be patient) to remove any clumps.
Taste repeatedly and add salt and pepper to taste as needed.
The recipe shows you how to make homemade gravy to drizzle over the potatoes. I love my Homemade Gravy recipe in this dish.
I love to use my Southern Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes recipe for these bowls. Buttermilk is used in the breading for the chicken, so using it to make the mashed potatoes works great, because then you don't have to worry about wasting leftover buttermilk.
Russet potatoes are really starchy and they are fluffy. Yukon gold potatoes have smooth, waxy flesh, that is also moist. Red potatoes are similar to Yukon and are really creamy. If you want super smooth potatoes you can use Yukon gold or red potatoes.
If you want fluffy potatoes, go with russet.
If you want that crispy, crunchy breading that actually holds up, go ahead and double bread it. Yeah, your hands might get a little messy, but it’s worth it. I also use this technique in my Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders recipe.
All you’re doing is coating the chicken in seasoned flour, dipping it in buttermilk and egg, then going back into the flour one more time. That second layer is what gives you that thick, golden crust instead of something thin and soggy.
It’s a classic Southern move for a reason. The first coating helps everything stick, and the second one locks it in. When it fries up, you get that crispy outside with juicy, tender chicken on the inside. That’s the goal every single time.
Buttermilk is slightly acidic. It’s great for tenderizing chicken and it won’t toughen up the meat. It will help break down the protein of the chicken which will help produce chicken that is tender and loaded with flavor.
To swap it, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk, let it sit for 5–10 minutes. This is the closest you’re gonna get.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge tightly covered and sealed for 3-4 days.
The best way to reheat the chicken is in the air fryer or oven at 350 degrees until crisp and warm.
You can use the microwave for the remaining ingredients or even for the chicken if you wish, but the chicken will soften.
Reheating can cause a slight loss of crispiness in the chicken, so it may not be as crispy as when freshly prepared.
Substitutions
You can substitute/make your own buttermilk if you wish by combining milk and vinegar (or lemon). Get instructions on How to Make a Buttermilk Substitute here. You can also omit if you wish. The chicken won’t be as tender and the breading won’t turn out as thick.
Variations and Add-Ins
- Bacon
- Broccoli
- Sour Cream
- Onions
- Bell Peppers
- Mushrooms
- Green Onions
- Hot Sauce
More Copycat Recipes
Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken
Breakfast Crunchwrap
Chicken Madeira Cheesecake Factory Recipe
Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi
Watch step by step instructions on how to make this recipe here on Youtube.
Ashley says
This is so good! Everyone in the house destroyed this meal! Thanks for the recipe because yes, we have food at the house kids!
staysnatched says
haha! Yes, love to see it.
Amanda G. says
We had this for dinner tonight and we really enjoyed it! The chicken was delicious and worth the sticky hands!
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Pat says
You nailed the 11 herbs and spices. Col Sanders, as told thru a cousin in an article in the Chicago Tribune years ago, said white pepper was the key to the success of his mixture. In that article, the white pepper was 3 teaspoons and all the other ingredients were basically the same as your recipe. NICE
staysnatched says
So good!