Oven Fried Chicken (KFC Copycat)
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My recipe for oven fried chicken has everything you love about crispy chicken with way less hassle. Chicken is marinated in buttermilk, dredged in a batter with 11 herbs and spices, then baked to crispy perfection. This baked version is easier, healthier, and loaded with just as much crunch and flavor!
This recipe for oven fried chicken is one that I had been working on perfecting for a long time. Through much trial and error, I finally came up with the winning formula back in 2014. I’m sharing this again with new updated information, photos and a new video below in the recipe card to see how to make this.
Like any decent KFC copycat recipe, this recipe features a blend of 11 zesty and robust herbs and spices. Instead of going into the deep fryer, however, this chicken gets rendered and crispy right in the oven. This method leaves you with tender, juicy meat on the inside and a delightful crunchy exterior. Plus, it makes both cooking and cleanup easier!
Table of Contents
For more tasty chicken recipes, check out my Habanero Apricot Chicken, Baked Cubano Chicken, and Creamy Chicken Madeira.
- Chicken – I like to use bone-in, skin-on cuts for this recipe, and I use all the different pieces. Using boneless chicken breasts is also an option, but you will need to decrease your cooking time to 10 minutes per side.
- Buttermilk – Keeps the chicken tender and moist while helping the breading stick.
- Panko Breadcrumbs – These light, airy bread crumbs add an extra layer of crunch.
- Butter – Added to the baking pan, this adds an extra layer of crispness and flavor.
- 11 Herbs and Spices – A combination of salt, white pepper, black pepper, celery salt, Italian seasoning, garlic, mustard, paprika, ginger, turmeric, and cayenne make this a true KFC copycat recipe.
- Baking Powder – Gives the seasoning mix an added crunch factor.
To double dip and dredge or not?
- The image above and shows the seasoning and breading I came up with although the photo shows the batch that I double dipped. As in buttermilk marinated chicken, then shake it off, dredge in the seasoned flour and then back in the buttermilk with an added beaten egg and dredged again. Double dipped and ready to bake. Melted butter gets drizzled over each chicken piece and in the oven they went.
- What I found out was this double dredge technique is great if your actually frying the chicken (yes, I tested it that way, too!). It was good (see image below), though the breading was too much and got slightly steamed on the inside while baking. It was crunchy on the outside, but half of it slide off when taking a bite. Not that crunch-tastic fried chicken feel I was looking for.
- While it did indeed taste great, I adjusted the paprika and black pepper and used white pepper for the next batch and liked that better as well only doing one dredge. To get the extra crunch my secret is to add some baking powder to the dredge.
- I prefer how the recipe is listed below in the recipe card (watch the video!), but feel free to experiment if you like!
- Marinate the Meat. Place all of the chicken pieces, skin intact, in a sturdy ziploc bag. Pour the buttermilk into the bag and squeeze out any excess air. Use your hands to massage the buttermilk into the chicken, then place the whole bag in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours.
- Mix the Seasoning. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, panko, and 11 herbs and spices. Set the bowl aside.
- Batter the Chicken. Place a 13×9 inch pan in the oven to get hot for at least 15 minutes. In the meantime, remove the chicken from the buttermilk, shaking off any excess. Then, use one hand to dredge each piece in the seasoned flour mix, coating on all sides.
- Transfer to Baking Dish. Drizzle the melted butter into the bottom of the heated pan and arrange each piece of chicken, skin side down, in the pan. Make sure to leave plenty of room so they fry rather than steam.
- Bake Until Crispy. Keep the pan uncovered and bake the chicken for 12 minutes. Flip the pieces over, return the pan to the oven, and bake for another 12 minutes. You may need to add more time for larger pieces, but your chicken will be done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Serve. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before diving in.
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To get the crispiest, crunchiest fried chicken possible, be sure not to overcrowd the baking pan. Air needs to be able to circulate around each piece to get the oven-fried effect we are aiming for.
Make sure that your oven is fully preheated and set to 425 degrees F. Cooking at too low of a temperature will also lead to less-than-crispy results. Don’t forget to preheat the baking pan too!
When dredging and battering your chicken, be sure that you shake off any excess liquid and leave only what you need for the breading to stick.
Since this is a KFC copycat recipe, I like to pair it with homemade versions of some of my favorite KFC sides like Mashed Potatoes, Brown Gravy, and Biscuits.
Oven fried chicken is also tasty with classic comfort foods like Baked Mac and Cheese or with lighter sides like a Classic Caesar Salad. The possibilities are endless!
Cooked leftovers will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container.
If you end up with lots of leftover fried chicken, freezing is also an option. Arrange cooked pieces on a baking sheet, then place the entire sheet in the freezer and let the chicken flash freeze for about an hour. After that, you can transfer the pieces to a freezer-safe bag and store them for 3-4 months. Be sure to label and date!
When it comes time to reheat the frozen chicken, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for around 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of your portions.
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Oven Fried Chicken (KFC Copycat)
Ingredients
- 4-5 lbs chicken (See Note 1)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 4 tbsp butter melted
Seasoning Blend
- 2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried mustard
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
Instructions
- Place the chicken parts with the skin on in a plastic bag and pour the buttermilk in to coat. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal. Massage the chicken and buttermilk with your hands to coat evenly and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes minimum up to several hours.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. In a medium sized bowl using a whisk, mix together the flour, Panko, baking powder and 11 herbs and spices. Set aside.
- Place a 13×9” baking dish in the oven to get hot for at least 15 minutes (See Note 2). While pan is heating up remove the chicken from the buttermilk, shaking off excess, and dredge in the seasoned flour mixture (See Note 3), coating on all sides with one hand.
- Drizzle the melted butter in the heated baking dish and arrange the chicken pieces skin side down on top of butter (with plenty of room on each side so they “fry” not "steam").
- Bake for 12 minutes, uncovered. Carefully turn the chicken pieces over and bake another 12 minutes or until internal temperature reads 165°F depending on the size of your chicken. (See Note 4) Remove from oven and allow to rest 5 minutes and then serve.
Video
Notes
- I use all parts of a chicken fryer (breasts, wings, thighs and legs). The photos show 6 chicken drumsticks only.
- Avoid glass bakeware as oven temperature and adding of liquid (melted butter) is not something advised per most manufacturers instruction on care.
- When dredging I keep one hand for the wet part and the other for the dry part. This avoids getting clumpy fingers on both hands.
- If using boneless chicken breasts bake/fry 10 minutes per side instead of 12.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This was SO GOOD! I used boneless skinless chicken breasts and some leftover bone-in thighs. I let the thighs cook a little longer. The breasts were so moist and juicy. The flavor of the crust was amazing! I couldn’t stop sampling. The thing I liked most about it was that it was so simple to make. I used powdered buttermilk because I had that on hand. Definitely making this again.
Hi Jenny! I am so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed it!
I’ve tried this recipe and it was absolutely amazing.
but I will say that I left out the buttermilk and it still turned out great
So glad you enjoyed this one, thanks for letting me know!
I’ve never been impressed with either KFC copycat or oven fried chicken recipes but had a craving and thought I would give this a try. This recipe was amazing! Thanks Kevin! I was actually even missing 5 of the spices but didn’t want to run to the store and it still turned out very flavourful and tasty. The texture of the panko and flour together creates a great crunchy crust. And the buttermilk left the chicken very juicy. Instead of butter though I sprayed the chicken with olive oil and baked on a wire rack. I will definitely make this again and I’m sure it will be even better when I use all the spices.
Thank you so much for sharing! I am so glad you enjoyed it! I hope you make it again! We love this one!
I agree with placing the chicken pieces on a rack and spraying with olive oil on both sides – helps the meat come out super crunchy! I bake mine at 220 deg Celsius and they’re (if using chicken tenders) ready in about 15 mins! My family LOVES this recipe, we have tried it using fish (for fish tacos – YUM!) and hard tofu for the vegetarian version! All came out super crunchy and delish! I also don’t bother buying buttermilk – just use regular (5%) or skim milk (2%) and add 1 or 2 teaspoons of white vinegar to get the milk to curdle for a creamy soak! Thanks for a brilliant recipe Kevin and I have passed it onto sooooo many people.
Thank you! I am so glad you are going to pass it on!
My go to recipe for our family and friends. I have been making your recipe for a couple years and have had it requested for functions and been asked for the recipe many times . I also make a large batch (30-32 pieces)to have for that day and to cool and freeze individually to be warmed at a later day . It warms as crispy and flavourful as he day it was made . Thank you so much !!
Thank you for sharing this! I love reading things like this! Glad you enjoy it!
This recipe absolutely nails it. Juicy chicken, crispy skin and nicely balanced crumb mix.
Before making I read a few comments asking if you can use skinless and/or boneless cuts, and if you can use canola spray instead of melted butter. The short answer is yes.
I used a tray with baking paper, sprayed and also sprayed the pieces themselves, turned halfway and sprayed again. I used drumsticks and skinless breasts, halved, and they cooked evenly at the same time. Cooked for about 5 mins longer as I had chips in too half way.
Result? All pieces cooked evenly, quite possibly the best crispy chicken coating I’ve ever had. Breast pieces held the coating well despite lack of skin and were very tender and juicy. This will be in regular rotation now for sure!
Thanks for taking the time, and money, to cook it several different ways so that a moderately competent home cook like me can smash out of the park first go.
Thank you so much Andy! I am so glad you stopped by and tried this recipe! I hope you try many more!
Flavor is dead on KFC! Excellent! The only problem I had is that the milk solids in the butter burned. It made the chicken taste and smell a little burnt. I will keep the recipe, but use oil or oil butter combo next time.
I am glad you enjoyed this recipe! Maybe give it another try!
So do I have to use multiple 9 x 13 pans for a whole cut chicken so that the chicken doesn’t steam?
I would or just be sure they are not touching each other. Just a little breathing room.
This is the best ever baked fried chicken recipe I’ve ever found. Thanks for sharing it
You made my day, thanks!
This is the best oven fried chicken recipe I have ever found. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
Hi, Kevin, I loved this recipe ever since I came across it and used it many times. Except that the first time I accidently used dried celery leaves instead of celery salt. I liked that so much that I kept doing that. (I even started adding the celery leaf to other dishes I make). And I used the coating for a lot of other dishes as well, e.g oven baked eggplant
Recently I started a low carb diet, which I really like. One of my cravings however was this chicken of yours.
So I made another alteration: I substituted the flour and Panko for almond flour and protein powder, And although not as crispy as before, the chicken really tasted great. Loved it. I think it is the seasoning blend that does it.
Love your adaptions here Wendy, way to make it your own!