Recipe This | KFC Spice Blend For The Air Fryer (2024)

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Here is how to make the best chicken seasoning rub just like Kentucky Fried Chicken. This KFC spice blend is perfect for loading on chicken before air frying. You can store it in your pantry and use it whenever you cook air fryer fried chicken.

It is so easy to make that 4 year old Jorge will be showing you how to make the KFC 11 herbs and spices recipe, then use it one of many of our KFC chicken recipes.

We originally shared with you this KFC spice blend in 2016 and wanted to update it today for you with new photos and extra ideas.

Recipe This | KFC Spice Blend For The Air Fryer (1)

Table of Contents

KFC Spices

True Milner family fact…..My wonderful husband Dominic is allergic to KFC chicken.

Yes, I said it.

How can someone be allergic to something that tastes so amazing???

It took us many years to realise this and often prior to the air fryer a bad diet was blamed and so was IBS.

We found out he was allergic to both tarragon and sage. And I am sure you are aware with tarragon being the best seasoning for a homemade chicken rub, it was why he had such a problem with KFC.

Our solution was a slight modification to the famous Kentucky Fried Chicken spices, and we cooked the chicken in the air fryer instead.

Today, is all about showing you how to make your own homemade KFC spice blend to be able to cook the best ever air fryer KFC chicken.

How Does KFC Cook Their Chicken?

Firstly, lets talk about how KFC cook their chicken, because then you can understand the way we adapt it to the air fryer.

Firstly, they use pieces of chicken from a whole chicken that have been chopped up and often the breast and wing stay attached to create bone in chicken breast.

If you have not chopped up a chicken before we recommend you read how to cut up a whole chicken.

Then the chicken is coated in flour, then in egg and then in breadcrumbs.

With the breadcrumbs being loaded up with the copycat KFC seasoning to give it that KFC taste we all love.

But of course, we are using the air fryer, which keeps the calories down.

What Is KFC Secret Seasoning?

KFC secret seasoning or KFC secret spices is two of many names given to the KFC 11 herbs and spices recipe.

People want to recreate a KFC chicken bucket at home and want to know the KFC seasoning, so that they can make it as close to the real thing as possible.

KFC uses 11 different herbs and spices to make their KFC chicken the best it can possible be.

Though, like I mentioned above, you can make modifications if you don’t have one of the herbs or spices and make it your own homemade chicken rub.

KFC Seasoning Ingredients

Recipe This | KFC Spice Blend For The Air Fryer (3)

To make the KFC seasoning you will need the following ingredients:

I have included the full ingredients in the recipe card for you too, so that you can print it out at home.

But the best thing about this recipe is that I made enough for six batches of chicken, and you can double, or triple this recipe to create a much bigger batch.

Then follow our KFC chicken recipes and use this chicken rub in them:

  • Air Fryer KFC Chicken
  • Air Fryer KFC Twister Wrap
  • Air Fryer KFC Zinger Burger
  • Air Fryer KFC Chicken Strips
  • Air Fryer KFC Popcorn Chicken

How To Make The Homemade Chicken Rub?

Now you know what goes into the KFC chicken seasoning, its time to get it ready and then get yourself organised for your first batch of air fryer KFC chicken.

Buy – Firstly you will need to buy the ingredients. I often find that when I am making a copycat spices blend that I don’t have all the ingredients to hand. I will buy in what I don’t have and then fill up my pantry. Note that you can make a much bigger batch for future air fryer chicken meals.

Load – Next load the ingredients into a suitable storage container. I used a glass container that I found in my kitchen cupboard with a plastic lid. It keeps it fresh in the pantry and then I can use it for a lot of KFC.

Mix – use a fork to mix the herbs and spices together. Then make sure you seal the lid on your container to keep the KFC spice recipe fresh for longer.

Listen To Air Fryer KFC Spice Blend

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Recipe This | KFC Spice Blend For The Air Fryer (5)

Recipe This | KFC Spice Blend For The Air Fryer (6)

Print Recipe

KFC Spice Blend For The Air Fryer

Here is how to make the best chicken seasoning rub just like Kentucky Fried Chicken. This KFC spice blend is perfect for loading on chicken before air frying. You can store it in your pantry and use it whenever you cook air fryer fried chicken.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Air Fryer

Servings: 6

Calories: 23kcal

Author: RecipeThis.com

Ingredients

Kitchen Gadgets:

  • Airtight Container

KFC Spice Blend Ingredients:

MetricImperial

Instructions

  • Load all the ingredients into an airtight container.

    Recipe This | KFC Spice Blend For The Air Fryer (7)

  • Mix well with a fork or spoon so that your seasonings are well mixed.

    Recipe This | KFC Spice Blend For The Air Fryer (8)

  • Store in your pantry and use as needed.

    Recipe This | KFC Spice Blend For The Air Fryer (9)

Video

Notes

Swaps. My husband has a tarragon allergy, and we swapped the tarragon for mixed herbs, and it tasted just as good, you can do the same if you don’t have or don’t like a specific seasoning.

Double. If you want to cook fried chicken regularly in the air fryer, then I recommend you double or triple the quantities above. That way you have a good supply for future recipes.

Dried. Note that all seasonings above are dried not fresh herbs and spices.

Thanks for reading our KFC spice blend recipe on Recipe This. We have many more KFC recipes for you to check out next that are all cooked in the air fryer. I would recommend you start with our air fryer KFC popcorn chicken and use this blend on it.

Nutrition

Calories: 23kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1453IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition InfoPlease Note: Nutrition values are our best estimate based on the software we use at Recipe This and are meant as a guide. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Recipe This | KFC Spice Blend For The Air Fryer (2024)

FAQs

Did KFC reveal their recipe? ›

KFC Accidentally Revealed The Top-Secret Recipe For Its Fried Chicken. KFC has made a real thing out of how guarded a secret their recipe is for their fried chicken. But someone got their hands on what appears to be the recipe. the Tribune test kitchen tried the recipe and compared it with the real thing.

Is KFC 11 herbs and spices a trade secret? ›

Sanders' Original Recipe of "11 herbs and spices" is one of the most famous trade secrets in the catering industry.

What oil does KFC use? ›

KFC products are fried in oil which may contain the following: Canola Oil and Hydrogenated Soybean Oil with TBHQ and Citric Acid Added To Protect Flavor, Dimethylpolysiloxane, an Antifoaming Agent Added OR Low Linolenic Soybean Oil, TBHQ and Citric Acid Added To Protect Flavor, Dimethylpolysiloxane, an Antifoaming ...

What is the king of all spices? ›

Black Pepper is considered the 'king of spices' and rightfully so. Unlike its perennial companion, salt, which is easily available in any nook and corner of the world, the black pepper owes its origins to Kerala – a state in South India.

What is the recipe for Colonel Sanders fried chicken? ›

ingredients
  1. 2 packages dried Italian salad dressing mix.
  2. 3 tablespoons flour.
  3. 2 teaspoons salt.
  4. 1 dash black pepper.
  5. 14 cup lemon juice.
  6. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
  7. 2 12 - 3 lbs broiler-fryer chicken pieces.
  8. 2 cups carbonated soda water.

Why does KFC taste different? ›

They used to fry their chicken in lard using the Colonel's 11 herbs and spices. Now they fry it in vegetable oil with a microscopic amount of the 11 herbs and spices, enough to still make a valid claim that it contains the herbs and spices, but not enough to affect the taste. So it's no longer Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Does KFC use MSG? ›

Yes, KFC does use MSG (monosodium glutamate) in some of their chicken recipes. MSG is a common flavor enhancer utilized by many restaurants to add an extra savoriness to their foods. Here's the breakdown: * The Colonel's Original Recipe: The famous Original Recipe chicken DOES include MSG.

Why is KFC original recipe so good? ›

KFC Uses A Special Signature Blend Of Herbs And Spices

A big part of what makes KFC's chicken so tasty is its highly coveted blend of herbs and spices. The restaurant's chicken is savory and herbaceous with lingering notes of pepper. The flavoring is simple but it hits all the right notes.

Why does KFC smell so good? ›

“But the Colonel's blend of 11 herbs and spices also lights up a very sensitive area of the brain called the amygdala, where emotions are processed, so we crave it as a food source and also as a source of comfort, because it reminds us of family dinners and picnics filled with this lovely warm scent of spices and herbs ...

Why does KFC only follow 11? ›

Their recipe uses 11 herbs and spices, so that's exactly who they follow on Twitter. Don't believe us? Well, the 11 people KFC follows on Twitter are: the five former members of the pop group The Spice Girls, and six men named Herb.

What did KFC take off their menu? ›

In an effort to add new items to menus, the fast food chain is removing five items that have become mainstays — Kentucky fried chicken wings, Nashville hot sauce, strawberry lemonade, chocolate chip cookies and popcorn chicken, according to USA Today.

What oil does McDonald's use? ›

Once in our kitchens, we cook them in our canola-blend oil so you can have them crispy and hot—just the way you like them. Want to hear more about our fry ingredients? Get the down low on how we flavor our fries.

Does KFC use egg in their batter? ›

Original Recipe® Chicken Fresh chicken. Breaded in: Wheat flour, Salt, Monosodium glutamate, Spices, Dehydrated garlic, Modified milk ingredients, Dried egg white (Egg white, Baker's yeast, Citric acid). Cooked in: Canola oil (Dimethylpolysiloxane (Antifoaming agent), TBHQ). Contains: Wheat, Milk, Egg.

What cheese does KFC use? ›

Cheese: Low Moisture Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese (Cultured Pasteurized Part Skim Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Cheddar Cheese (Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto), Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack and American Cheese with Peppers [Monterey Jack and American Cheese, (Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Enzymes), ...

How many herbs and spices are in Colonel Harland Sanders original KFC recipe? ›

Our mission: find out if 11 ingredients handwritten on a piece of paper could be the secret blend of 11 herbs and spices that go into Kentucky Fried Chicken's Original Recipe — a closely guarded formula that remains one of the world's biggest culinary mysteries.

What is in 13 spice? ›

If toping up Five Spices ingredients with nutmeg(肉蔻), aged tangerine peel (陳皮), fructus amomi (砂仁), angelica dahurica (白芷), Rosa banksiae (木香), Alpinia zerumbet (月桃 a.k.a. 良薑), Kaempferia galanga (a.k.a. sand ginger 三奈), Amomum cardamomum (白蔻) you will have Thirteen Spices (十三香), another very widely used condiment in ...

What is KFC chicken coating made of? ›

Copycat KFC Original Recipe Chicken EXACTLY how the Colonel makes it 🔥 Secret Herb & Spice Mix: - 2.5 cups of flour - 2 teaspoons of Salt - 3 teaspoons of Paprika - 2 teaspoons of Dried Mustard - 2 teaspoons of Garlic Powder - 1.5 teaspoons of Onion Powder - 1 teaspoon of Dried Thyme - 1 teaspoon of Dried Basil - 1 ...

What is the 7 spice? ›

Stir black pepper, cumin, paprika, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom together until evenly blended. Store in an airtight container.

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