Copycat KFC Bowl Recipe
Oh yes. This is a recipe I've been dreaming of making for YEARS and after lots of testing, I'm so excited to finally share it with you all! KFC copycat bowls with 64 grams of protein that come together in under an hour. They have all of that fried chicken plus mashed potatoes goodness, but this healthy twist uses better-for-you ingredients, adds hidden veggies, and honestly tastes better than the real deal. It's a comfort-food dream meets healthy dinner situation and I'm so completely obsessed. Who needs the drive-thru? We have KFC at home!
Servings 4 -6 Bowls
Calories 734kcal
Equipment
- Potato Masher
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes & Cauliflower
- 3-4 medium Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1 1/2” pieces (about 12 ounces)
- 1 medium head cauliflower core removed and cut into large florets
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons milk of choice
- 1 teaspoons fine sea salt + 1 tablespoon for salting the water
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast diced into 1-inch cubes
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups cornflakes
- 1 cup finely ground almond flour
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Avocado oil or olive oil cooking spray
Homemade Gravy
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon tamari sauce or soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon tapioca starch
Toppings
- 1 1/2 cups frozen green peas steamed
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn steamed
- 3 green onions thinly sliced (dark and light parts)
- 1 cup thick shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with 1 tablespoon of salt.
- Carefully add the potatoes and cauliflower to the pot and boil for 20-25 minutes until fork tender. (covered)
- Turn off the heat. Drain the potatoes & cauliflower and return to the empty pot. Add the butter, milk, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Mash until you’ve reached your desired consistency (smooth or a bit chunky). Set aside.
- For the chicken, whisk the eggs in a wide bowl.
- In a gallon ziplock, add the cornflakes, seal the ziplock and punch until the cornflakes turn into crumbs. Add the almond flour, paprika, salt, garlic and onion powder, zip the bag and shake.
- Place all chicken into the egg mixture and move around to coat.
- Add the chicken to the zip lock bag and shake to coat in the “breadcrumb” mixture.
- Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer, leaving space between each piece. Spray generously with the avocado oil cooking spray.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes until fully cooked through.
- While the chicken bakes, prepare the gravy by combining all the ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil, whisking until thickened about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add the peas and boil for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Assemble the bowls – evenly divide the mashed potatoes, chicken, peas, and corn. Sprinkle it with shredded cheese and green onion. Drizzle each bowl with the gravy.
Video
Notes
- You can whip the potatoes with a hand mixer if desired!
- I like to steam the peas and carrots by heating up a glass bowl full of water (about 3-4 cups) for about 3 minutes in the microwave (until almost boiling). Then I immediately add in the frozen veggies and add a plate over the top. I let it sit there for about 5-10 minutes, then drain!
Nutrition
Serving: 1Bowl | Calories: 734kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 246mg | Sodium: 1145mg | Potassium: 1909mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1896IU | Vitamin C: 119mg | Calcium: 366mg | Iron: 9mg