Air Fryer KFC Copycat (Cookin' with Sash 11-Spice)

Source video by Cookin' with Sash on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules and is marked for human review.

From Cookin' with Sash. Bone-in chicken pieces are oiled, dipped in beaten egg, then breaded in a flour mix carrying eleven spices: dried thyme, basil, oregano, white pepper, ground ginger, smoked paprika, garlic granules, onion granules, mustard powder, salt and a heavy hand of freshly ground black pepper. The breading is pressed on, then the chicken goes into the air fryer with 3-4 tbsp of oil for 20 minutes at 200°C, flipping at around 10-12 minutes. A final 5-minute rest in the off air fryer lets the juices settle. The cook notes this uses more oil than most air-fryer recipes, but says that's the trade-off for KFC-style results.

Ingredients

• bone-in chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs, wings), washed, patted dry, lightly coated in oil
• rapeseed oil (for the chicken)

• 2large eggs, beaten

• 4 tbspplain flour
• 0.5 tsponion granules
• 0.5 tspgarlic granules
• 2 tspsmoked paprika
• 0.5 tspground ginger
• 0.5 tspdried thyme
• 1 tspdried basil
• 1.5 tspdried oregano
• ground white pepper
• ground black pepper, freshly ground
• 0.5 tspEnglish mustard powder
• salt

• 4 tbsprapeseed oil (for the air fryer basket)
• oil spray

Method

1. Wash and pat dry the chicken pieces. Coat lightly in oil.

   ~3 min

2. In a bowl, combine the 4 tbsp of plain flour with all the spices: 0.5 tsp each of onion granules, garlic granules, ground ginger, dried thyme, ground white pepper, English mustard, salt; 2 tsp of smoked paprika; 1 tsp of dried basil; 1.5 tsp of dried oregano; about 1 tsp (15-20 grinds) of fresh black pepper. Whisk to combine.

   ~3 min

3. Beat 2 eggs in a separate bowl. Set up the breading station: egg bowl, flour bowl, plate.

   ~2 min

4. One piece at a time: dip the chicken in the egg, then press into the flour mix. Compact the breading hard onto the chicken. Keep one hand wet, one hand dry to stop the breading clumping.

   ~8 min

5. Add 4 tbsp of oil to the air fryer basket. Run at 200°C for 2-3 minutes to heat the oil.

   ~3 min

6. Lower the breaded chicken into the hot basket. Spray any white spots of breading with oil to make sure the whole crust gets colour.

   ~2 min

7. Cook at 200°C for 20 minutes. At 10-12 minutes, flip each piece over and spray any still-pale spots.

   ~20 min

8. When the time's up, turn the heat off but leave the chicken in the basket for 5 minutes. The residual heat finishes the cook and lets the juices settle.

   ~5 min

9. Lift out and serve.

   ~1 min

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