Three Fried Chicken Recipes That Crush KFC’s “Secret” Blend

The Colonel's secret is out. But you can do better anyway.

August 24, 2016 9:00 am

This week while KFC was hawking chicken sunscreen, a reporter from the Chicago Tribune stumbled upon the fried chicken giant’s 80-year-old top-secret family recipe — by accident.

It all started out as a standard travel story. In an interview with Joe Ledington (Colonel Sanders’s nephew), the Tribune’s Jay Jones was handed a family scrapbook where lo and behold: he found a precisely measured recipe that contained 11 herbs and spices.

And while this could very well be the greatest inadvertent food scoops in food media history, a lot can change in 80 years. To rephrase: the Colonel isn’t the only source for finger-lickin’ good chicken. Advancements: there’ve been a few.

So skip the secrets altogether for these tastier fried bird recipes.

Nashville-Style Hot Chicken
This bird bites back thanks to six tablespoons of cayenne pepper. The result is a melt-your-face-off spice blend that won’t disappoint in heat or crispy crunch. Get the full recipe at Bon Appetit

Korean Fried Chicken Wings
This recipe is a perfect game-day side, but let’s be real: it’s craveable enough to have any day of the week. The spicy ginger-soy glaze comes with a good kick, but the subtlety is balanced by a touch of honey. You can’t get that complexity with a bucket meal. Get the full recipe at Food52

Southern Fried Chicken
If you can’t quit KFC, you’ll wanna try this similar recipe. Not only will it produce a crispier batch of bird, it’ll take you further in the juicy department, because this one is all about technique. Read: a better buttermilk brine and also the fact that you fry the chicken in hot fat and finish it off in the oven. Get the full recipe at Serious Eats

MEET US AT YOUR INBOX. FIRST ROUND'S ON US.

Join America's Fastest Growing Spirits Newsletter THE SPILL. Unlock all the reviews, recipes and revelry — and get 15% off award-winning La Tierra de Acre Mezcal.