Kentucky Fried Chicken may not seem to be a leader in fine cuisine, but when it comes to fried chicken, they definitely seem to have it going on. That may be why so many strive to emulate the dish in their own recipes.
No one is really sure why Kentucky Fried Chicken is so addictingly good. Many cite the 11 herbs and spices. Another factor contributing to the chicken’s great taste is the fact it is cooked in a pressure cooker, which allows the chicken to cook faster with less oil and locking in moisture.
It may be the semi-emulsified crust that really carries the flavor and blends well with the chicken. Or even the aroma of the chicken that makes it so mouthwateringly good or the use of peperine which can release anti-depressants in the brain.
Juicy and filled with flavor from the perfect blend of herbs and spices, this recipe is a fantastic copycat of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Plus, you’ll save yourself a lot of money by cooking this at home.
Cooking with a pressure cooker helps infuse the chicken with the seasonings throughout each and every piece. This method also seals in the juices, so you’ll get the same high-quality juicy tender chicken as you would at a KFC restaurant.
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Ingredients:
2 fryer chickens, cut up into 8 pieces and marinated
6 cups Crisco shortening
1 egg, well beaten
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground pepper
3 Tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon msg * see below why you can safely use this tiny amount of msg
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 dash paprika
Directions:
1. Place shortening into the pressure cooker and heat over medium heat to the shortening reaches 400°F.
2. In a small bowl, combine the egg and milk.
3. Combine the remaining six dry ingredients in a second bowl.
4. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk until fully moistened.
5. Roll the moistened chicken in the flour mixture until well-coated.
6. In groups of four or five, drop the covered chicken pieces into the shortening and lock the lid.
7. When pressure builds up cook for 10 minutes.
8. Release the lid according to the pressure cooker manufacturer's instructions.
9. Remove the chicken, drain on paper towels, and serve hot.
* Below is just one example of what we have found regarding the use of msg, but we felt that Sam put it best when he said:
Voted the Best Answer!
Serve with the KFC coleslaw recipe and corn on the cob and you’ve got yourself a feast the Colonel himself would be proud of (at a fraction of the cost). Try cooking this crispy chicken for your family tonight! And if you loved this dish, you'll love our other chicken recipes. Enjoy!
Try one of our fan-favorite chicken recipes:
Chicken Salad
Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken
Chicken Alfredo
Chicken and Dumplings
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Michael C. Gray/Shutterstock.com.
Sam is a trusted home cook.
added about 1 year ago
Do you have a rational reason for not using MSG? It's a naturally occurring chemical (Like sodium chloride)
And formal studies have found no link to the ‘Chinese restaurant syndrome' people complain about.
In fact your own body produces about 40 grams of MSG a day—about the 1/2 the size of a Accent container. http://www.lakeconews.com…
But if you're just worried about MSG. You can soak some dried mushrooms with some seaweed and use that for liquid…but I hate to break it too you; if you do that. You've just extracted MSG.