KFC Famous Bowl Copycat Recipe
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This KFC Famous Bowl recipe is my copycat version of the restaurant’s popular chicken bowl. Mountains of mashed potatoes hidden under a layer of melted, ooey-gooey cheese, with corn and the creamiest brown gravy — just like the Famous Bowl from KFC!
This meal is the perfect combo of comfort foods, all mixed together in one bowl, and with this copycat KFC™ recipe, it can be on your dinner table in a snap!!
Forget about fast food and those high costs, and make your own copycat KFC bowls at home.
I’m sure you’ve seen this on KFC menus and wondered how hard this easy dinner recipe would be to make.
I’ll be the first to tell you that it’s the ultimate comfort meal, and it’s not hard to make at all!
The whole family will appreciate the perfect blend of golden brown chicken paired with sweet corn, a three-cheese blend, home-style gravy, and potatoes.
I’m a huge fan of this easy recipe – which is why I always make a large bowl! It’s time to make your own KFC favorites and enjoy the whole thing at home.
One bowl is literally a full meal and is super simple to dish out into individual servings.
I sometimes like to add some bacon crumbles as well because it compliments the extra crispy chicken bites so well!
Table of Contents
KFC Famous Bowl
Why have one main dish and a couple of sides when you can have all of it together in one simply scrumptious dish?
That’s exactly what this copycat recipe for the KFC Bowl is all about! This meal is super filling and satisfying!
Fluffy KFC mashed potatoes with a blanket of luscious, creamy gravy is enough for a meal in itself.
Add in some tender corn, crunchy breaded fried chicken, and cheese, and homemade KFC bowls are a juicy, savory, and completely filling dinner.
But maybe you don’t want all of this at once — and that’s okay!
You can always make an air fryer chicken breast, then cook up an easy corn casserole and brown gravy separately.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken – I use boneless chicken breasts for my KFC bowls, but thighs are fine too.
Don’t hesitate to make things easier for yourself — you could even use frozen chicken tenders or nuggets! - Mashed Potatoes and Gravy – For a true copycat KFC Famous Bowl, make the copycat mashed potatoes and KFC gravy recipe.
Of course, you can use any family recipe or make instant potatoes if that’s easier for you. - Corn – Use kernels that are already cooked. Canned and frozen are both a-okay! You can even use leftover roasted corn if you’d like.
- Cheddar – Everything is better with cheddar! But if it’s not your favorite, you can use Colby or any other shredded cheese instead.
- Breading – Set up a dredging station with three different bowls: seasoned flour, eggs, and panko breadcrumbs.
The spices are mixed right into the flour, so no additional seasonings are necessary! But if you want to work them into the breadcrumbs as well, feel free.
Tips for a Perfect KFC Bowl
- Fresh is best.
Make the mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn all before the chicken. All of these components can be rewarmed easily in a microwave just before assembling each KFC bowl.
However, the fried chicken should be cooked last to ensure that it is as crispy, crunchy, and juicy as possible!
- Get extra crunch with double the breading!
Don’t skip the second coating of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs!
A double coating provides extra crunch that stands out among the softer, creamier ingredients in the Famous Bowl KFC copycat.
- Monitor the temperature of the frying oil.
Finally, keep an eye on the oil temp — it should stay at a constant 350°F. Using a digital or instant-read cooking thermometer will make this easy.
The oil temp will drop after frying your first batch of chicken, so you’ll have to play around with the heat to keep the oil hot enough.
Quick Dinner Shortcut
Short on time? You can use prepared or convenient ingredients to create a dinner with the same components as this KFC bowl recipe. Here are some suggestions:
- Frozen chicken nuggets
- Mashed potato flakes or heat-and-eat refrigerated mashed potatoes
- Canned corn
- Prepared gravy, or whip up a gravy packet
Famous Bowl KFC FAQ
You bet! Not only is it faster, but you’ll save on calories too.
I still recommend seasoning the poultry for flavor — use the same spice blend in this KFC bowl recipe, but rub it into the chicken instead of mixing it into the flour.
Maybe it’s just the oil you’re concerned about? In that case, bread the nuggets the same way but spritz with oil. Then, toss them in your air fryer or oven instead!
It’s essentially the same as a regular KFC famous bowl, but the chicken is drizzled with Nashville hot sauce — the same they use on their hot chicken.
So if you want an extra kick in your homemade version, grab a bottle of your favorite hot sauce!
Storing and Reheating Leftover KFC Bowls
Any leftovers from this KFC bowl recipe can be kept for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Ideally, you should store all of the components separately. This will give you the freshest results when you build your KFC Famous Bowl the next day!
Reheat the chicken in an air fryer to get it nice and crispy again. Everything else can be warmed in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Be sure to spread the ingredients into a thin layer so they warm evenly. If your mashed potatoes seem a bit dry, stir in a splash of water or broth.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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KFC Famous Bowl (Copycat Recipe)
Equipment
- 3 shallow bowl or empty pie plates
Ingredients
- 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 4 large egg whites
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 4 cups vegetable oil or shortening, for frying
- 2 cups KFC mashed potatoes, prepared
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded, (about 4 ounces)
- 1/2 cup corn kernels, cooked
- 2 cups KFC brown gravy, prepared
Instructions
- HEAT OIL: Add 4 cups vegetable oil or shortening to a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, filling at least 2 inches deep. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F and shimmers slightly.
- SET UP BREADING: In one shallow bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper. In a second bowl, whisk 4 large egg whites until frothy and slightly foamy. Add 2 cups panko bread crumbs to a third bowl.
- BREAD CHICKEN: Coat each piece of 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast in the flour mixture, then dip into the egg whites, back into the flour, again into the egg whites, and finally into the panko bread crumbs. Press gently so the coating sticks and fully covers each piece.
- FRY CHICKEN: Add a few breaded chicken pieces to the hot oil without overcrowding. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until the coating is deep golden brown, crisp, and audibly crunchy. The internal temperature should reach 165°F and the juices should run clear. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- WARM COMPONENTS: Heat 2 cups KFC mashed potatoes, prepared, 1/2 cup corn kernels, cooked, and 2 cups KFC brown gravy, prepared until hot and steaming.
- BUILD BOWLS: Divide the hot mashed potatoes evenly between 4 bowls. Sprinkle each with ¼ cup of 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded and let it begin to melt from the heat.
- ADD TOPPINGS: Top each bowl with crispy chicken pieces and a spoonful of warm corn.
- FINISH AND SERVE: Spoon warm gravy over each bowl until the cheese is melted and the layers are coated. Serve immediately while hot, creamy, and crisp.
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published September 2022, updated and republished August 2024
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We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
This is such a comforting meal. It took a bit longer than I typically would to cook something, but it was a great copycat! I loved it and will definitely be making this at least twice a month.
donna and chad’s KFC Famous Bowl copycat recipe is a winner! So easy to make, and it tastes just like the real deal. 5 stars!
Hi Joshua!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
This recipe from The Slow Roasted Italian is a keeper. It’s finger-licking good, just like KFC’s famous bowl. 5 stars!
Hi Caleb!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn