Kentucky Fried Chicken, more commonly known as KFC, is one of the most popular fast food chicken chains in the world. The iconic red and white buckets filled with fried chicken are a staple menu item at KFC. The standard $20 bucket contains a variety of pieces of juicy, crispy fried chicken that serves 3-4 people. But what exactly does this popular bucket include?
How many pieces of chicken are in the $20 bucket?
The $20 KFC bucket contains 12 pieces of mixed fried chicken. This includes:
- 4 breasts
- 4 thighs
- 4 drumsticks
So you get a good mix of white meat (breasts) and dark meat (thighs and drumsticks) in each bucket. Each piece is freshly prepared when you order and then hand breaded and pressure fried in KFC’s signature original recipe seasoning blend.
What are the calories and macros in the $20 bucket?
Here is the full nutrition information for the $20 KFC chicken bucket:
| Item | Calories | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 chicken breasts | 840 | 35g | 0g | 88g |
| 4 chicken thighs | 960 | 72g | 0g | 72g |
| 4 chicken drumsticks | 840 | 42g | 0g | 76g |
| Total (12 pieces) | 2640 | 149g | 0g | 236g |
As you can see, the whole bucket contains 2640 calories with 149g of fat, 0g of carbs, and 236g of protein. So it packs quite a punch of protein and fat. The chicken is fried in soybean oil, which accounts for most of the fat content.
What are the KFC $20 bucket options?
While the standard $20 bucket includes a mix of chicken pieces, KFC offers some other $20 bucket options:
All white meat
You can get an all white meat $20 bucket which contains 12 pieces of breaded chicken breasts. Great if you prefer the milder flavor of white meat.
All dark meat
For chicken thigh and drumstick lovers, you can get a bucket with 12 pieces of juicy dark chicken meat.
Sandwich combo
Instead of bone-in chicken pieces, this $20 bucket comes with 6 KFC chicken sandwiches, made with the Colonel’s chicken fillet between two buns. A good option for sandwich and chicken fillet fans.
Tenders
For those who like chicken tenders, the $20 bucket comes with 20 chicken tenders, which are strips of all white chicken meat with a light crispy breading.
What sauces and sides come with the $20 bucket?
The bucket itself just contains fried chicken pieces. However you can add sides and sauces for an additional cost:
Sides
- Mashed potatoes
- Gravy
- Coleslaw
- Biscuits
- Corn
- Mac and cheese
- Cookies
Sides range from $3-$5 depending on portion size.
Sauces
- BBQ sauce
- Honey mustard
- Ranch
- Gravy
KFC’s sauces are around $0.50 each.
How does KFC prepare and cook the chicken?
KFC uses a proprietary cooking process to prepare its fried chicken. It involves a few steps:
- Chicken is delivered fresh, never frozen, to each KFC restaurant.
- The chicken is then hand breaded in KFC’s original recipe flour blend with the secret 11 herbs and spices.
- The breaded chicken is pressure fried in soybean oil at 340 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pressure frying cooks the chicken from the inside out, keeping it extra juicy and tender.
- The chicken is cooked until golden brown and crispy on the outside.
This method of hand breading and pressure frying results in KFC’s signature crispy, crunchy fried chicken that is well-seasoned and moist on the inside.
Is KFC chicken healthy?
While fried chicken is delicious, it is high in calories and fat, especially saturated fat. Some health considerations with KFC’s fried chicken include:
- Very high in calories and total fat – each bucket contains over 2,500 calories and around 150g of fat.
- High in saturated fat – the frying method adds a lot of saturated fat from the oil.
- Loaded with sodium – the chicken and seasoning is very high in sodium.
- Minimal vitamins and nutrients – frying strips away most of the vitamins in the chicken.
Occasionally enjoying KFC fried chicken is fine but it should be eaten in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet.
Is KFC good value for money?
For $20 you get a bucket with 12 pieces of fried chicken, which can feed 3-4 people. When you break it down per piece, that’s just under $2 per piece of chicken. Compared to other fast food chain fried chicken buckets, KFC offers a very reasonable price point. You’d be hard pressed to find another family meal with protein, sides and biscuits for $5/person. So the KFC bucket is great value, which is why it remains such a popular meal choice.
Conclusion
The KFC $20 bucket is a chicken lover’s dream – 12 pieces of the Colonel’s secret recipe fried chicken. You get a tasty mix of breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, all hand breaded and pressure fried to crispy perfection. It packs a wallop of calories but provides good value as a filling family meal. Add on some classic sides like mashed potatoes or enjoy the chicken on its own. Whatever your preference, the KFC bucket satisfies a fried chicken craving in a convenient, affordable package.