Copycat KFC crispy chicken strips are boneless chicken tenders marinated in buttermilk and hot sauce, then double coated in seasoned flour and fried until they shatter when you bite in. They taste like the drive thru, but crispier and fresher out of your own kitchen.
Copycat recipes are always fun to follow along and see if they match up to the original. This KFC style crispy chicken strip is a copycat recipe by Spice Eats on YouTube. I have always had trouble making the perfect breading for fried chicken because I would be scared I would undercook the chicken. For some reason it would come out too thick or clumpy. This one seems so easy, and it was a great video to follow along with. I love how Spice Eats put the instructions right on screen while cooking. I make mine a little spicier by adding cayenne and black pepper to the breading.
Watch Spice Eats make them in the video below, then scroll down for the full recipe, my tips, and the questions I get asked most.
Why These Chicken Strips Work
Two things give these strips that craggy, extra crispy crust. First, the buttermilk and hot sauce marinade tenderizes the chicken and seasons it all the way through, so it stays juicy inside. Second, the double dredge, flour then egg then flour again, builds up those rough little edges that fry into crunchy bits. The pinch of baking powder in the seasoned flour helps too, since it lifts the coating so it turns light and shattery instead of dense.
Ingredients:
For the marinade:
- 2 large boneless chicken fillets, cut into strips
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tsp hot sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the breading:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
- Refined oil, for deep frying
How to Make Copycat KFC Crispy Chicken Strips
Step 1: Marinate the chicken
Wash and pat the chicken fillets dry, then cut them into strips. Toss them with the buttermilk, hot sauce, and salt, cover, and chill for at least an hour so they soak up the flavor and stay juicy.
Step 2: Mix the seasoned flour
In a wide dish, stir together the flour, salt, white pepper, chilli powder, garlic powder, and baking powder. This is the coating that gives the strips their flavor and crunch.
Step 3: Set up the egg dip
Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt in a separate bowl and set it next to the flour so you have a little breading station ready.
Step 4: Double coat the strips
Take one strip at a time out of the marinade, coat it in the seasoned flour, dip it in the egg, then press it back into the flour again. That double dredge is what builds the craggy, extra crispy coating.
Step 5: Fry until golden
Heat the oil to about 350 degrees F. Fry the strips a few at a time, without crowding the pan, until they are deep golden and cooked through, about four to five minutes. Drain them on a wire rack so they stay crisp.
How to Serve Them
Serve these hot with your favorite dips, honey mustard, ranch, or a drizzle of hot honey are all good with the spice in the coating. They round out a plate with fries and coleslaw, tuck into a wrap with lettuce and pickles, or go straight onto a salad. They are a cookout and game day kind of snack.
Storage and Reheating
Keep leftover strips in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. To bring back the crunch, reheat them in a 375 degree F oven or air fryer for a few minutes rather than the microwave, which turns the coating soft. Cooked strips also freeze well, so reheat them straight from frozen in the oven when you want a quick snack.
My Tips for the Crispiest Strips
- Marinate at least an hour. Longer, even overnight, makes the chicken more tender and flavorful.
- For a spicier, more KFC-hot flavor, add cayenne and a little extra black pepper to the seasoned flour.
- Keep the oil around 350 degrees F. Too cool and the strips soak up grease, too hot and the coating browns before the chicken cooks.
- Do not crowd the pan. Fry in small batches so the oil stays hot.
- Drain on a wire rack instead of paper towels so the bottoms stay crisp.
Copycat KFC Chicken Strips FAQ
Can I bake or air-fry these instead of deep frying?
Yes. Air fry at 400 degrees F for about twelve minutes, flipping halfway, or bake at 425 degrees F on a rack. A light spritz of oil helps them brown. They will be a bit less craggy than deep fried, but still crispy.
What oil is best for frying?
Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like refined vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. They hold a steady frying temperature without adding a strong flavor.
How do I make them spicier?
Add cayenne and a little more black pepper to the seasoned flour, and use a hotter hot sauce in the marinade. That is how I bump mine closer to a spicy fried chicken.
Can I use chicken tenders or breast?
Yes. Chicken tenderloins work as they are, or slice boneless chicken breasts into even strips so they cook at the same rate.
How do I keep them crispy?
Drain the fried strips on a wire rack, not paper towels, so steam does not soften the bottoms. Reheat leftovers in the oven or air fryer, never the microwave.
More Copycat Recipes You’ll Love
If you love these, try my homemade KFC hot chicken wings or the Chick-fil-A copycat spicy chicken sandwich. You will find plenty more restaurant favorites in our copycat recipes collection.
This recipe is adapted from Spice Eats on YouTube.
