KFC Original Recipe Chicken was a staple of my youth. When I was a youngster, my aunt would bring me home from school and we’d stop at the KFC half a street away. We’d split some chicken and a strawberry parfait from the restaurant. In contrast to the Pioneer Chicken,

KFC Original Recipe Chicken was a staple of my youth. When I was a youngster, my aunt would bring me home from school and we’d stop at the KFC half a street away. We’d split some chicken and a strawberry parfait from the restaurant. Unlike the Pioneer Chicken that my mother used to buy, this meal memory is one that I can revisit whenever I want.

So why make a copycat recipe when there’s one a mile down the road? A: Copycat recipes are a lot of fun, and B: They are far, far, far superior in quality. Have you eaten at a KFC in the last ten years? I’ve only come a few times, but each time I’ve been disappointed because the chicken chunks have shrunk… a lot. Also, and hey, to each his own (I’m certainly guilty of my fair share of food sins), KFC includes MSG in its KFC Original Recipe Chicken recipe. Last but not least, fast food is usually quite expensive.

So here we are, all attempting to decipher the fabled 11 herbs and spices. Everyone has theories, and no one has ever been proven correct, according to KFC. So I’ve been watching the copycat rounds unfold from afar. Then something amazing happened.

A food reporter for the Chicago Tribune paid a visit to Colonel Sanders’ nephew. He recalls this recipe, which he used to make by the bucketload. And lo and behold, he has a recipe copy in an old scrapbook. So, of course, the reporter takes a photo and brings it back to Chicago for some serious taste testing.

As a major lover of KFC Original Recipe Chicken, I’m intrigued. They test the formula and discover that with just one addition of MSG, they’ve replicated that unmistakable delicious flavor.

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, sliced into bite-sized portions
three beaten eggs
4 tbsp olive oil

In order to apply the coating

2 c. flour
4 paprika teaspoons
1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp poultry seasoning (or chicken stock powder)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped chives
a half teaspoon garlic powder
a half teaspoon onion powder
a half teaspoon celery salt

Directions
Sift flour and combine all coating ingredients in a clean plastic bag. Grind finely with a mortar and pestle. Coat each chicken piece in the bag with the flour mixture first, then with the beaten egg. Make sure to completely coat each piece in flour.

In a large skillet, heat the oil. Brown the chicken slowly in oil, uncovered. Cover the skillet and continue frying on a low heat until the chicken is fully done. Place on paper towels to absorb any excess liquid.