KFC-Style Crispy Chicken Bites with Coleslaw and Fries

Extra-crispy fried chicken bites (palomitas de pollo) inspired by KFC, made with chicken breast brined in vinegar and salt, a blended spice mix of garlic, ginger, thyme, oregano, basil, paprika, and pepper, then coated in equal parts flour and cornstarch. Served with double-fried chips and a sweet coleslaw. Full recipe with exact weights and measures.

40m Prep

20m Cook

1h 20m Total

2 Servings

kfc-style fried-chicken palomitas-de-pollo chicken-bites crispy crujiente coleslaw ensalada-de-col double-fry fast-food street-food broster-chicken spice-mix victor-heredia master-cook

Ingredients

Chicken & Brine

400 g chicken breast (boneless, skinless) (cut into small 1 cm cubes; keep size uniform; total weight including brine water is 400 g)
water (brine) (add to chicken until total weight reaches 400 g; chicken absorbs the brine)
15 g white vinegar (for brine) (add to brine; helps tenderize and reduces the impact of salt)
5 g salt (for brine) (the vinegar slightly reduces the saltiness, hence 5 g instead of the standard 4 g)
seasoning powder (optional) (optional; original KFC recipe includes it; approx. 1 g (1/4 tsp = 1.25 mL)) opcional
10 g mustard (add to brine mixture)

Coating

100 g all-purpose flour (mixed 50/50 with cornstarch for the fry coating; flour provides golden browning)
100 g cornstarch / maicena (fécula de maíz) (mixed 50/50 with flour; provides the crunch)
1 unit egg (beaten; mixed with the marinated chicken before dredging in the flour-cornstarch mix)

Coleslaw

white cabbage (col / repollo) (slice julienne very fine; soak in cold water (or salted water) to desangre — remove excess bitterness) opcional
small piece of onion (finely sliced; mixed into coleslaw)
mustard (for coleslaw) (add to coleslaw dressing)
vinegar (for coleslaw) (any vinegar of choice)
white sugar (for coleslaw dressing) (generous amount; the KFC-style coleslaw is notably sweet)
mayonnaise (for coleslaw) (add just before serving)
carrot (grated, for coleslaw) (grate finely; add at serving time)

Cooking

neutral vegetable oil (for frying) (use a separate oil for chicken vs fries; first fry potatoes, then use oil for chicken separately)

Side

potatoes (soaked in salted water; double-fried: first at 160°C until cooked, then at 180°C until golden and crispy) opcional

Spice Mix

garlic powder (approximately 2 g; blend with other spices)
ginger powder (kion) (under 1 g; blend with other spices)
thyme powder (half teaspoon; blend with other spices)
oregano powder (half teaspoon; blend with other spices)
dried basil leaves (2–3 dried leaves; blend to pulverize with other spices)
paprika / pimentón (approximately 1 g; blend with other spices)
sugar (half teaspoon; blend with other spices)
white pepper (freshly ground) (half teaspoon; blend with other spices)
black pepper (freshly ground) (half teaspoon; blend with other spices)

Steps

1

Cut the chicken breast into small 1 cm uniform cubes. Weigh to approximately 373 g net chicken. Add water until total weight reaches 400 g. This is the brine base.

Consejo: Uniform size is critical for even cooking — too large and the inside will be raw when the outside is golden.

~5 min
2

Prepare the brine: add 15 g white vinegar, 5 g salt, mustard (10 g), and optional seasoning powder (1/4 tsp) to the chicken and water. Mix well. Set aside.

Consejo: The vinegar acts as an acid that slightly reduces the impact of salt, allowing a higher salt ratio for better seasoning.

~3 min
3

Blend the KFC spice mix: put garlic powder (1/2 tsp), ginger powder (1/4 tsp), thyme powder (1/2 tsp), oregano powder (1/2 tsp), 2–3 dried basil leaves, paprika (1/2 tsp), sugar (1/2 tsp), white pepper (1/2 tsp), and black pepper (1/2 tsp) into a blender. Blend until pulverized — the basil and oregano leaves need to be powdered.

Consejo: You can make this spice mix in large batches and store in an airtight container. It keeps well and can be used for any of Heredia's pollo broster recipes.

~3 min
4

Prepare the coating mix: in a bowl, combine 100 g flour and 100 g cornstarch. Add 5 g of the blended spice mix and mix well. Reserve the remaining spice mix for future use. Beat 1 egg and add to the marinated chicken. Mix well so each piece is coated.

Consejo: The flour provides golden browning; the cornstarch provides the crunch. Together they create the KFC-style crust.

~5 min
5

Rest: leave the egg-coated chicken to rest 30 minutes so the flavors amalgamate. This also allows the small pieces to absorb the brine fully.

Consejo: Small cubes do not need 12–24 hour marinade times — 30 minutes is sufficient.

~30 min
6

Prepare the double-fried potatoes: cut potatoes and soak in salted water. First fry at approximately 160°C until cooked through but not browned (to avoid premature darkening). Remove and cool — ideally completely cold before second fry. Second fry at 180°C until golden and crispy.

Consejo: Use a separate oil for potatoes — ideally the potato oil can be reused 2–3 times; the chicken oil from multiple batches should be replaced more often.

~15 min
7

Prepare the coleslaw: julienne the white cabbage as fine as possible. Add sliced onion. Soak together in cold water (or water with a little salt) for a few minutes to remove some of the strong bitterness (desangrar). Drain well. In a bowl, mix a little mustard, vinegar, generous white sugar, and dissolve. Drain the cabbage, add to dressing, add mayonnaise at serving time, and garnish with a little grated carrot.

Consejo: The KFC-style coleslaw is noticeably sweet — do not be shy with the sugar. This sweetness contrasts well with the salty, crispy chicken.

~10 min
8

Dredge and fry the chicken: drain excess liquid from the marinated chicken. Dredge in the flour-cornstarch-spice mix. First mix gently to coat, then press lightly to form the crust. Heat oil to 180°C. Fry in two batches to avoid cooling the oil. Do not move with utensils at first — let the crust form. Fry until deep golden and cooked through.

Consejo: Deep fry — the oil should completely cover the pieces. Full submersion in hot oil forms the crust instantly and prevents oil absorption.

~8 min
9

Plate and serve: arrange chicken bites in the center, add double-fried chips and a portion of coleslaw (with grated carrot added just before serving). The full standardized coleslaw and KFC chicken recipes are referenced by Heredia with exact weights in separate dedicated videos.

~2 min

Nutrition (por porción)

480

Calorías

40g

Proteína

42g

Carbohidratos

18g

Grasa

Fibra

Cultural Context

Victor Heredia presents this as a fast-food classic that families can make at home for movie nights. He notes that the same spice mix can be used to recreate any of his pollo broster (broster chicken) recipes. The technique of soaking chicken in a brine (salmuera) before frying is typical of professional Peruvian kitchen practice and produces a juicier result. He emphasizes two separate oils — one for fries, one for chicken.