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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.
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
To make the KFC seasoning you will need the following ingredients:
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Tarragon
- Parsley
- Chives
- Thyme
- Chicken Seasoning
- Dried Garlic
- Cayenne Pepper
- Sea Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
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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KFC Spice Blend For The Air Fryer
Ingredients
Kitchen Gadgets:
- Airtight Container
KFC Spice Blend Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp Paprika
- 2 Tbsp Oregano
- 2 Tbsp Tarragon
- 1 Tbsp Parsley
- 1 Tbsp Chives
- 1 Tbsp Thyme
- ½ Tbsp Chicken Seasoning
- ½ Tbsp Dried Garlic
- ¼ Tsp Cayenne Pepper
- ½ Tsp Sea Salt
- ½ Tsp Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Load all the ingredients into an airtight container.
- Mix well with a fork or spoon so that your seasonings are well mixed.
- Store in your pantry and use as needed.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Can’t make it now? Then pin it for later!
I just wanted to let ya’ll know that the actual “secret ingredient” in KFC’s 11 herbs and spices is white pepper. Ironically, in all the KFC copycat recipes, I never see white pepper listed in the ingredients.
What type of paprika do you use.
Hi Lyn,
We just used normal paprika as in non-smoked 🙂
It tastes good and tastes like kfc. Try it.
Looking forward to trying this as we live in the U.S. and love KFC! By the way “dried chicken seasoning” in America is called “poultry seasoning” ?
Thank you very much for tip Robin 🙂
Kind Regards
Sam
The two teaspoons garlic & onion- is that 2 tsp ea or a total of two (1 ea garlic and onion)?
HI SKC,
It is combined. When you buy a container of dried garlic and onion it is a mixed tub and has both in there. Therefore if you bought them separately you need to half the amounts.
Kind regards
Sam
X
How can I cook the chicken? Do you have suggestions? I somehow don’t want to deep fry my chicken. I like frying it in a skillet and then finishing off in an oven. Would that work?
Hi Jen,
Thanks for your message.
This blog post was actually the first of a week look feature we ran on the blog where we showed you how to make a homemade KFC and this one you have read is just for the dry rub.
You can access all the recipes and find out how to cook the chicken in the airfryer here:
http://recipethis.com/airfryer-kfc-recipes-7-magical-recipes-for-a-homemade-kfc-fakeaway/
kind regards
sam
X
hi! thanks for the recipe. you have mentioned chicken seasoning in this KFC rub recipe. what is that?
Hi
The chicken seasoning is a jar of dried chicken seasonings from Spain. We can sometimes use chicken stock cubes if we did not have any in, but generally different countries have a jar of chicken seasoning and they will probably not change that much from country to country.
Regards
Sam