KFC sauce is the signature sauce served at KFC restaurants. It is used as a condiment and dipping sauce for KFC’s famous fried chicken. The original recipe was created by Harland Sanders, the founder of KFC, in the 1940s.
The History of KFC Sauce
Harland Sanders opened his first restaurant in 1930 and began serving his secret recipe fried chicken to customers. As the popularity of his chicken grew, Sanders created a special sauce to serve with the chicken to enhance the flavor. The original sauce was made with basic pantry ingredients like black pepper, salt, garlic, and oregano.
In 1952, Sanders created the official Original Recipe Kentucky Fried Chicken. He patented his method for pressure frying chicken in a specialized cooker he developed. His secret blend of 11 herbs and spices was coated on the chicken to create KFC’s distinctive crispy coating.
The signature KFC sauce was included with the Original Recipe chicken. It was packaged in pouches to be served alongside the chicken. The ingredients of the original sauce are not fully known outside of the company due to the secret recipe, but it included basics like soybean oil, vinegar, and egg yolks.
When KFC began franchising in the 1950s and 1960s, the sauce was supplied to all restaurants to ensure consistency. The sauce became popular as a condiment for dipping chicken pieces into and for pouring over items like mashed potatoes and biscuits.
Ingredients
While the full recipe remains a secret, KFC has confirmed some of the ingredients used to create the signature sauce today:
- Soybean oil
- Corn syrup solids
- Spices and flavorings (including black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder)
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Xanthan gum
- Egg yolks
- Lemon juice
- Chili sauce
The sauce contains no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The blend of spices gives it a slight reddish color.
Flavors
The KFC sauce has a sweet, tangy and creamy flavor profile. It is thicker than many condiment sauces. The flavors include:
- Sweetness – from corn syrup, egg yolks, and spices like ginger
- Tanginess – from the lemon juice and vinegar
- Spiciness – from black pepper and chili sauce
- Savoriness – from the soybean oil, garlic, onion and salt
- Creaminess – from the egg yolks
The sauce complements the salty and crispy fried chicken coating. It also enhances other menu items it’s served with.
Uses
The signature KFC sauce has a variety of uses:
- Served in pouches alongside Original Recipe chicken as a dipping sauce
- Poured over chicken pieces, tenders and popcorn chicken
- Served with KFC Famous Bowls
- Used as a dip for chicken nuggets and strips
- Served with mashed potatoes and gravy
- Used as a dip for French fries
- Poured over KFC biscuits
- Used as a sandwich spread
The sauce is the perfect complement to KFC’s fried chicken. Its sweet and tangy flavor also enhances sides like mashed potatoes and biscuits.
Availability
The KFC sauce is available at all KFC locations in the United States and globally. Customers can get sauce packets to use while dining in or to take home.
KFC sells larger containers of the sauce in some locations for dipping and preparing meals at home. The sauce is also available for purchase online from grocery sites.
There are a few varieties of KFC sauce available:
- Original – The classic sauce
- Hot and Spicy – With added tabasco and cayenne
- Nashville Hot – Spicy cayenne pepper sauce
- Georgia Gold – Honey mustard BBQ sauce
The original sauce remains the most popular and recognized flavor.
Storage
Unopened packets of KFC sauce can be kept refrigerated for up to 6-8 weeks. Once opened, the packets should be used within 1-2 weeks.
For larger containers, the sauce should be kept refrigerated after opening. It will maintain optimal quality and flavor for 4-6 weeks when stored properly in the fridge.
Here are some tips for storing KFC sauce at home:
| Storage Method | Shelf Life |
|---|---|
| Unopened packet | 6-8 weeks refrigerated |
| Opened packet | 1-2 weeks refrigerated |
| Large container unopened | 8-12 weeks refrigerated |
| Large container opened | 4-6 weeks refrigerated |
For optimal freshness and flavor, use KFC sauce within 1-2 weeks of opening. Discard any packets or sauce that smell odd or show signs of spoilage.
Nutrition
KFC sauce is high in fat and sodium as it contains oil and salt. A single dipping packet (1 fl oz/28g) contains:
- 150 calories
- 16g fat
- 1.5g saturated fat
- 460mg sodium
- 8g sugars
The sauce packs a high calorie punch for such a small serving. For those watching their sodium intake, the 460mg per packet is also quite high.
Enjoy KFC sauce in moderation along with the chicken for best nutrition and to avoid consuming excessive calories, fat, or sodium.
Copycat Recipes
Since the original KFC sauce recipe remains secret, many home cooks and food bloggers have created copycat versions. These copycat recipes aim to imitate the signature sweet, tangy, and creamy flavors using easy-to-find ingredients.
Popular do-it-yourself KFC sauce recipes include blending together:
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard
- Honey
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
- Vinegar
- Chili sauce or ketchup
The recipes can be adjusted to make the sauce thicker or thinner, spicier or milder. Adding a touch of milk or egg yolk helps create a creamy texture like the original.
Conclusion
KFC sauce is the special seasoned sauce that sets KFC fried chicken apart from other recipes. It has been an important part of the KFC menu since the original restaurant opened in 1930. The sweet and tangy sauce complements fried chicken like no other condiment.
While the official recipe remains a secret, customers can still enjoy the signature KFC sauce today. It can be used as a dip, poured over chicken, or served with side dishes. Homemade copycat recipes allow cooks to imitate the sauce’s unique flavors using common ingredients.
Love it or hate it, KFC sauce has become an American fast food icon over the past 90+ years alongside the famous fried chicken it was created to enhance.