KFC-Style Crispy Fried Chicken Legs

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather all your ingredients. Use chilled chicken legs. Other cuts of chicken work great here too — separated wing sections or strips of chicken breast. The kefir is for the marinade, so the fat content doesn't matter. The cornflakes should be unsweetened — you'll find plain, sugar-free flakes in the health-food aisle.

2. Step 2:

   

   Start with the marinade. Stir the ground pepper into the kefir. Any kind of ground hot pepper works — I used a blend of ground hot peppers.

3. Step 3:

   

   Add the thyme. The exact marinade isn't critical in this recipe, so feel free to toss in your own favorite herbs and spices. Fenugreek or ground smoked paprika are all great options — pick whatever you like.

4. Step 4:

   

   Salt the marinade. I used regular table salt, but a flavored salt would work nicely here too.

5. Step 5:

   

   Peel and mince the garlic, then stir it into the marinade. I pushed the clove through a garlic press, but you can just as easily grate it on a fine grater or chop it with a knife.

6. Step 6:

   

   Peel the onion and slice it into half-moons.

7. Step 7:

   

   Add the onion to the marinade.

8. Step 8:

   

   Rinse and pat the chicken drumsticks dry. Trim off any stray feathers if needed.

9. Step 9:

   

   Add the drumsticks to the marinade and let them sit for at least 30 minutes. You can marinate them for up to two days for even more flavor.

10. Step 10:

    

    For the coating, crush the cornflakes — but not to a powder; leave some small, craggy pieces for texture. I used a potato masher for this.

11. Step 11:

    

    Mix in the grated Parmesan. I had pre-grated cheese on hand, but if you're starting with a wedge, grate it on the fine side of a grater.

12. Step 12:

    

    Dredge the drumsticks one at a time in the cornflake coating, pressing it firmly onto the chicken with your fingers so it sticks. Fry in well-heated oil over medium heat until fully cooked through, about 15–20 minutes. Keep the heat moderate — you want the chicken to cook all the way through, not just the coating.

13. Step 13:

    

    Serve the crispy chicken hot. Enjoy!