The colonel's secret recipe revealed? Not so fast, says KFC (2024)

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RELATED ARTICLES Share this article THE ORIGINAL 11 SPICES SECRET RECIPE? Most watched News videos Comments 404 FAQs
  • A reporter visited with Joe Ledington, a nephew of Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Harland David Sanders
  • The reporter was working on a story for the Chicago Tribune about Corbin, Kentucky, where the colonel served his first fried chicken
  • At one point, Ledington pulled out a family scrapbook containing the last will and testament of Sanders' second wife, Claudia Ledington
  • On the back of the document is a handwritten list for a blend of 11 herbs and spices to be mixed with two cups of white flour
  • While Joe Ledington initially told the reporter that it was the original recipe, he later said that he didn't know for sure
  • KFCsays that the recipe the reporter saw is not the real thing

By Associated Press

Published: | Updated:

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KFC is insisting a recipe discovered in a scrapbook belonging to Colonel Sanders' nephew is not authentic.

However, that hasn't stopped rampant online speculation that one of the most legendary and closely guarded secrets in the history of fast food has been exposed.

It all started when a Chicago Tribune reporter visited with Joe Ledington, a nephew of Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Harland David Sanders.

Joe Ledington, of Corbin, Kentucky, holds a 1980s photo of him with his uncle, Colonel Harland Sanders, who created his world-famous Kentucky Fried Chicken in his Corbin cafe

A handwritten list of 11 herbs and spices, jotted down on the back of the will of Claudia Sanders, the late wife of Colonel Harland Sanders who created his world-famous Kentucky Fried Chicken, is displayed

The reporter was working on a story for the Tribune's travel section about Corbin, Kentucky, where the colonel served his first fried chicken.

At one point, Ledington pulled out a family scrapbook containing the last will and testament of Sanders' second wife, Claudia Ledington.

On the back of the document is a handwritten list for a blend of 11 herbs and spices to be mixed with two cups of white flour.

While Joe Ledington initially told the reporter that it was the original recipe, he later said that he didn't know for sure.

Colonel Harland Sanders is pictured in this file photograph

Joanne Gould tried out the recipe that was discovered in the scrapbook. She said: 'I think it is safe to say that this is probably the correct original recipe'

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KFC — which is a subsidiary of Yum Brands Inc. — calls its recipe 'one of the biggest trade secrets in the world'.

It says that the recipe the reporter saw is not the real thing.

'Many people have made these claims over the years and no one has been accurate — this one isn't either,' KFC said in a statement.

The Louisville, Kentucky-based company says that the original recipe from 1940 handwritten by Sanders is locked up in a digital safe that's encased in two feet of concrete and monitored 24 hours a day by a video and motion detection surveillance system.

Joe Ledington could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday.

Above, a commemorative representation of the 11 secret herbs and spices Colonel Harland Sanders made famous in his recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken

THE ORIGINAL 11 SPICES SECRET RECIPE?

Prep: 30 minutes

Soak: 20-30 minutes

See Also
Browned Butter Shortbread Recipe | Homemade Holiday Dessert

Cook: 15-18 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 tablespoon salt

1/2 tablespoon dried thyme leaves

1/2 tablespoon dried basil leaves

1/3 tablespoon dried oregano leaves

1 tablespoon celery salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried mustard

4 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons garlic salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

3 tablespoons ground white pepper

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

1 chicken, cut up, the breast pieces cut in half for more even frying

Expeller-pressed canola oil

1 Mix the flour in a bowl with all the herbs and spices; set aside.

2 Mix the buttermilk and egg together in a separate bowl until combined. Soak the chicken in the buttermilk mixture at room temperature, 20-30 minutes.

3 Remove chicken from the buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off. Dip the chicken pieces in the herb-spice-flour mixture to coat all sides, shaking off excess. Allow to sit on a rack over a baking sheet, 20 minutes.

4 Meanwhile, heat about 3 inches of the oil in a large Dutch oven (or similar heavy pot with high sides) over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. (Use a deep-frying thermometer to check the temperature.) When temperature is reached, lower the heat to medium to maintain it at 350. Fry 3 or 4 pieces at a time, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry until medium golden brown, turning once, 15-18 minutes. Transfer chicken pieces to a baking sheet covered with paper towels. Allow the oil to return to temperature before adding more chicken. Repeat with remaining chicken.

- The Chicago Tribune

KFCChicago

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The colonel's secret recipe revealed? Not so fast, says KFC (4)

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The colonel's secret recipe revealed? Not so fast, says KFC (2024)

FAQs

What did the colonel say about KFC? ›

And I know wallpaper paste, by God, because I've seen my mother make it. ... There's no nutrition in it and they ought not to be allowed to sell it. ... [The] crispy [fried chicken] recipe is nothing in the world but a damn fried doughball stuck on some chicken.

Tell Me More ›
What is the secret to KFC? ›

In Todd Wilbur's television program Top Secret Recipe, Sanders's former secretary, Shirley Topmiller, revealed that Sanders learned from his mother that sage and savory are good seasonings for chicken. Also, Winston Shelton, a former friend of Sanders, said that the secret recipe contains Tellicherry black pepper.

Get More Info Here ›
Did KFC reveal their recipe? ›

KFC Accidentally Revealed The Top-Secret Recipe For Its Fried Chicken. KFC has made a real thing out of how guarded a secret their recipe is for their fried chicken. But someone got their hands on what appears to be the recipe. the Tribune test kitchen tried the recipe and compared it with the real thing.

Keep Reading ›
What did Colonel Sanders always say? ›

I've only had two rules: Do all you can and do it the best you can.

View More ›
What is Colonel Sanders recipe for chicken? ›

ingredients
  1. 2 packages dried Italian salad dressing mix.
  2. 3 tablespoons flour.
  3. 2 teaspoons salt.
  4. 1 dash black pepper.
  5. 1⁄4 cup lemon juice.
  6. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
  7. 2 1⁄2 - 3 lbs broiler-fryer chicken pieces.
  8. 2 cups carbonated soda water.

Read On ›
What is the KFC secret recipe slogan? ›

The secret recipe is regularly identified with the phrase "eleven herbs and spices," the amount and identification of which remain a trade secret.

Learn More Now ›
Why does KFC only follow 11? ›

Their recipe uses 11 herbs and spices, so that's exactly who they follow on Twitter. Don't believe us? Well, the 11 people KFC follows on Twitter are: the five former members of the pop group The Spice Girls, and six men named Herb.

See Details ›
What is hidden in the KFC logo? ›

There is a popular urban legend that the letters "KFC" in the KFC logo stand for "Kentucky Fried Chicken." However, the company has never officially confirmed this and the current KFC logo does not include any hidden messages or symbols.

Show Me More ›
Who knows the KFC secret recipe? ›

This recipe is believed to have 11 different herbs and spices, and it is said that Sanders carried the recipe around with him in his wallet. In fact, very few company executives knew what the recipe was. This secret remained intact after the recipe was kept safely locked inside a vault.

Show Me More ›
How old was Colonel Sanders when he sold his recipe? ›

By 1964, there were more than 600 franchises in the USA and Canada. He sold the company to a group of investors in 1964 for $2 million dollars (about $19.4 million in 2023 dollars). At that time, Sanders was 73 years old and upon the sale of his company he became the brand ambassador for KFC.

Explore More ›

What is KFC full name? ›

The full form of KFC chicken is Kentucky Fried Chicken. It is a famous American fast-food restaurant chain that is enjoyed globally. At present, KFC is the second-largest restaurant chain in the world after McDonald's, spread over 150 countries globally including India.

See More ›
Did KFC apologize? ›

KFC has apologised after sending a promotional message to customers in Germany, urging them to commemorate Kristallnacht with cheesy chicken. The Nazi-led series of attacks in the country in 1938 left more than 90 Jewish people dead, and destroyed Jewish-owned businesses and places of worship.

Learn More ›
Did Colonel Sanders invent KFC? ›

Colonel Sanders officially started KFC when he turned 40, back in 1930. He bought a roadside motel in Corbin, Kentucky, and started serving his southern style chicken. But Colonel Sanders didn't perfect his unique blend of 11 herbs and spices that are still used today, and still top secret, until 1939.

Show Me More ›
What did KFC take off their menu? ›

In an effort to add new items to menus, the fast food chain is removing five items that have become mainstays — Kentucky fried chicken wings, Nashville hot sauce, strawberry lemonade, chocolate chip cookies and popcorn chicken, according to USA Today.

Find Out More ›
Why did the Colonel sue KFC? ›

The lawsuit claimed that Heublein prevented Sanders from franchising his new restaurant and that it was unlawfully using his image for products he didn't develop. The lawsuit was eventually settled for $1 million and the couple was allowed to keep their eatery.

Know More ›
Why did Colonel Sanders sue KFC? ›

In 1973, Sanders sued. —the then parent company of Kentucky Fried Chicken—over the alleged misuse of his image in promoting products he had not helped develop.

Get More Info ›
What did Colonel Sanders do for KFC? ›

Colonel Harland David Sanders (September 9, 1890 – December 16, 1980) was an American businessman, best known for founding fast food chicken restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken® (also known as KFC®) and later acting as the company's brand ambassador and symbol. His name and image are still symbols of the company.

See More ›
Why did Colonel Sanders leave KFC? ›

Branding himself "Colonel Sanders", the founder became a prominent figure of American cultural history, and his image remains widely used in KFC advertising. The company's rapid expansion made it too large for Sanders to manage, so in 1964 he sold the company to a group of investors led by John Y. Brown Jr.

Continue Reading ›
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