My friends can tell you that I LOVE KFC. I’ve even dreamed of KFC when I had a stressful day. I’m always looking for copycat recipes of my favorite restaurant food, and I came across an article in a newspaper claiming to have gotten the famous 11 herbs and spices recipe from a member of the Colonel’s family. Of course I had to try it out.

I used chicken tenders, and they came out well. I’m going to have to do it with a whole chicken cut up, but I had the tenders and they cook fast, so that’s what I used.

KFC Copy Chicken Tenders

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2  tablespoon salt

½ tablespoon thyme

½ tablespoon basil

1/3 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon celery salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon dried mustard

4 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons garlic salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

3 tablespoons white pepper

A sprinkle of accent after frying

Enough buttermilk to cover the chicken pieces

1 egg

Mix the flour and the herbs & spices in a large bowl and set aside.

Mix the buttermilk & egg in a separate bowl until combined. Soak the chicken in the buttermilk at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and let the excess drip off. Dredge the chicken through the flour mixture to coat. Shake off excess flour. Repeat until all of the chicken is coated.

Sit the chicken on a rack over a baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Heat up 3 inches of vegetable or canola oil in a dutch oven to 350. Fry a few pieces at a time for 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with accent.

• I do not own a baking sheet with a rack. I laid out skewers over a plate with a lip and set the chicken on those.