The Genius Hack TikTok's Favorite Grandma Uses For Copycat KFC

The best part about KFC fried chicken is obvious: the crunchy, golden brown coating that comes from deep-frying the chicken. Deep frying, unfortunately, comes a few downsides, like the fact that it contributes a hefty amount of grease and fat to the chicken. Deep frying at home to make copycat KFC chicken is a messy operation, especially when done on the stove top where the oil spatters everywhere — including onto the person trying to do the frying.

Putting those chicken pieces in the oven is a healthier option, but this method doesn't normally deliver the same satisfying texture and sizzle of fried chicken. However, one TikTok grandma not only makes delicious fried chicken in the oven, she makes it look like a breeze.

@brunchwithbabs

🍗ingredients: 3 lbs bone in chicken 3 eggs1 1/2 cups flour1/4 cups cornstarch 1 Tbsp paprika1 Tbsp pepper1 Tbsp granulated garlic1 tsp each of sage, thyme, oregano, and celery seed2 tsp season salt i.e. Lawry’s2 tsp dried mustard 3 Tbsp buttermilk1/2 cup avocado oil #kfc #copycatrecipe

♬ original sound – everyone’s grandmother

Babs Costello, the wise woman and "everyone's grandmother" behind the hugely popular account Brunch With Babs, shared her recipe for copycat fried chicken. Her crispy, browned chicken pieces look so much like the real thing that when placed in a bucket side-by-side with KFC fried chicken, you can't even tell the difference. And yet, there's no deep frying involved because they're made in the oven, and with significantly less oil.

Babs Costello showed her TikTok viewers how to first coat the chicken pieces in beaten egg and a flour-cornstarch mixture, which includes her take on KFC's secret spice blend: with seasonings that include cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic, and seasoned salt.

There are two ways that Costello's oven-frying hack excels in delivering a crispy, fried chicken crust. The first is using a large, cast iron skillet that gets piping hot in the oven as the chicken is prepared. Her other trick is avocado oil, which has a high enough smoke point to be used for frying, and is also more healthful than oils like peanut or canola.

However, there's no deep frying happening here: She adds a half-cup of oil to the hot, cast iron skillet and enough for all the chicken. As soon as the chicken pieces go in the pan, they begin to sizzle and brown, developing that to-die-for crust as the chicken cooks through in about a half hour. Costello's oven-frying technique can be used to make a crunchy coating on any cut of chicken: wings, legs, thighs, breasts, or a mix of everything. And if you're worried about oil spattering inside the oven, a piece of foil laid across the top of the chicken pieces will help keep splatter in the pan.