Copycat KFC Chicken Bowl

This copycat KFC chicken bowl is creamy, crispy, cheesy and loaded with layers of comfort food goodness.

Featuring fluffy seasoned mashed potatoes, sweet corn, crispy seasoned chicken bites, savory gravy and melted cheese, this homemade version recreates all the flavors of the fast-food favorite right in your own kitchen. It's hearty, satisfying and perfect for feeding the whole family- just like chicken egg roll bowl.

If you've ever ordered a KFC Famous Bowl, you already know why it's such a popular comfort food meal. The combination of creamy potatoes, crispy chicken and rich gravy creates the ultimate cozy dinner that's hard to resist.

Making it at home allows you to customize every layer. Add extra cheese, make it spicier with some Sriracha salt or jalapeno salt, use homemade gravy or pile on more chicken. Either way, every bite is packed with flavor and texture.

Quick Look: Copycat KFC Chicken Bowl

🔪 Prep time: 10 minutes
⏲️ Cook time: 10 minutes
👪 Servings: 2
📋 Main ingredients: Chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, cheese and seasonings.
♨️ Cooking method: Bread chicken → cook chicken → assemble bowls.
⭐ Difficulty: Easy
🥣 Serving ideas: Serve as a complete meal with a side salad like mango avocado salad or some air fried Parmesan asparagus.

Jump to:

Quick Look: Copycat KFC Chicken Bowl
What's So Great About the Recipe?
Recipe Ingredients
Substitutions & Variations
How to Make Copycat KFC Chicken Bowl
💭Top Tip
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
How to Serve Copycat KFC Chicken Bowl
Troubleshooting and FAQs
More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes
Copycat KFC Chicken Bowl

What's So Great About the Recipe?

It tastes exactly like the fast-food favorite and is loaded with layers of flavor and texture.
It is easy to customize with your favorite toppings. You can add chicken floss, grilled veggies and switch up the seasonings too.
It is great for meal prep and leftovers- just like my chicken Fajita rice bowl.

Recipe Ingredients

Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes.

Buttermilk + flour: To coat the chicken cubes. You can use all purpose flour or any gluten-free flour too.

Seasonings: I used onion powder, garlic powder, ginger powder, thyme, paprika, mustard powder and some salt and pepper. You can try using other seasonings like peri peri seasoning or lemon pepper seasoning to experiment with flavors.

Oil: For frying.

Corn: Fresh corn works best, but you can use canned corn too.

Mashed potatoes: The base for the chicken bowl. I love using my potato Aligot whenever I have it at hand.

Gravy: The classic brown gravy to bring that rich, savory flavor. Sometimes, I end up using my roasted garlic sauce when I have it at hand.

Cheese: Any shredded cheese works well.

See recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions & Variations

Use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast for extra juicy chicken.
You can also air fry the chicken instead of deep frying if you want to keep it low calorie.
Drizzle a bit of your favorite hot sauce (I love using my fermented jalapeno hot sauce) to lend a nice kick of heat to the chicken bowl.
For a nice smoky aroma, use grilled corn instead or regular corn. Sometimes, I take it a step further and use my skillet charred corn.

How to Make Copycat KFC Chicken Bowl

Step 1: In a small bowl, combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger powder, paprika, mustard powder, thyme, salt and pepper.

Step 2: Dip the chicken pieces into the buttermilk. Coat the chicken thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture. Deep fry or bake the chicken until golden brown.

Step 3: Spoon the mashed potatoes into serving bowls. Top with a layer of sweet corn.

Step 4: Add the crispy chicken pieces over the corn. Pour the warm gravy over the chicken and finish with shredded cheese and chopped chives.

💭Top Tip

For the most authentic KFC-style bowl, assemble everything while the chicken, gravy and mashed potatoes are still hot so the cheese melts beautifully on top.

Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe

Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces for consistent cooking.
Let the breaded chicken rest for 5 minutes before frying for a crispier coating. You can also do a double coat if you want to have that nice, crunchy exterior, or use homemade breadcrumbs to coat the chicken.
Swap the mashed potatoes for some cooked rice if you want to. I love using my cheesy broccoli rice sometimes, but you can stick to regular rice too. Warm the gravy before assembling the bowls.
Assemble just before serving for the best texture.
Experiment with different toppings or set up a toppings bar if you're making these for a crowd. Basil gremolata is great for a herby, zesty touch and balsamic pickled onions are splendid for a crunchy, savory element.

How to Serve Copycat KFC Chicken Bowl

This chicken bowl is a complete comfort food meal on its own, but it also pairs nicely with a classic corn coleslaw or a fruity pineapple jalapeno coleslaw, biscuits or a simple green salad.

For family dinners, set up a bowl bar and let everyone customize their own bowl with extra cheese, hot sauce (like my garlic habanero hot sauce), carrot bacon bits, some spicy garlic edamame or additional toppings. Don't forget to pair them with some baked Mac and cheese bites or a simple veggie side like roasted broccoli and potatoes.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Can I make copycat KFC chicken bowl ahead of time?

Yes. Prepare all the components separately and assemble the bowls just before serving.

How do I store leftover KFC chicken bowl?

Store the chicken, potatoes, corn and gravy separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

If you tried this copycat KFC chicken bowl or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!