This Copycat KFC Bowl recipe tastes just like the restaurant classic, but it’s been revised with a few shortcuts so you can quickly and easily make it at home. With only 5 ingredients, this bowl has the same base of buttery mashed potatoes followed by layers of corn, gravy, and shredded cheese, then pieces of crispy chicken are placed on top to create the perfect all-in-one meal.
Easy KFC Chicken Bowl
A Copycat KFC Bowl is my favorite restaurant recipe that I’ve recreated and simplified, using an air fryer (or oven), microwave, and 5 frozen and packaged ingredients to create the best bowl of comfort food at home.
It takes only minutes to prepare each individual part and then assemble them into your very own version of Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Famous Bowl.
As described by Colonel Sanders himself: “Creamy mashed potatoes, sweet corn and bite-sized chunks of crispy chicken are layered together then drizzled with home-style gravy and topped with a perfect blend of three shredded cheeses.”
This easy-to-make meal is a true copycat of your favorite take-out without ever having to stop at the drive-through.
If you love fast food but don’t like the hassle of leaving the house, try my Copycat Crunchwrap Supreme, Bang Bang Shrimp, and KFC Coleslaw.
Why we love KFC Bowls
- Quick and easy to make.
- Only uses 5 simple ingredients.
- Picky-eater approved and delicious family-friendly dinner idea.
- A hearty bowl full of comfort food with that classic KFC taste.
- A homemade version of Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Famous Bowls, but better!
KFC Bowl Recipe ingredients
- Chicken nuggets or tenders
- Frozen corn: You can substitute canned corn if you wish. You will need 1 (15 ounce) can.
- Idahoan Buttery Homestyle Mashed Potatoes
- Heinz chicken gravy: You can use canned chicken gravy or prepare a package of gravy.
- Cheddar cheese
SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW
Famous Bowl KFC Substitutions and Additions
- Choose Your Chicken: Instead of chicken nuggets, you can use chicken strips, popcorn chicken, or breaded chicken cutlets cut into thin strips. You can even use baked or roasted chicken instead of nuggets. This will change the flavors a little bit since it won’t have the breading but it still tastes delicious.
- Pick Your Potatoes: You can substitute any instant mashed potatoes or even homemade mashed potatoes if preferred. You will need 4 cups of prepared potatoes.
- Change The Cheese: Feel free to use your favorite cheese in shredded form, like a mild cheddar, extra sharp, Monterey Jack, or a taco blend.
Recommended tools for this KFC Chicken Bowl
- Large bowls
- Mixing bowl
- Air Fryer
- Saucepan
- Mixing tools
- Measuring tools
How to make this KFC Famous Bowl Recipe
Copycat KFC Bowl is a hearty meal full of comfort food with the classic taste of take-out without ever having to leave your house. This easy-to-make recipe can be prepared in minutes and is a delicious dinner that brings the family together!
- Cook The Chicken: Cook the nuggets in an air fryer at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 7-10 minutes or until crispy and cooked through (you can also cook in the oven or microwave, just follow the instruction on your chicken nugget package.)
Pro Tip: It’s best to place and cook 10 nuggets in the basket at a time (depending on the size of your air fryer). - Heat The Gravy: Heat the gravy over medium-low heat until bubbling, about 5-7 minutes, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low and cover.
- Cook The Corn: Steam the corn in the microwave and allow it to sit in the microwave when finished.
- Prepare The Potatoes: Prepare the mashed potatoes according to the package directions, cover and allow them to sit until you are ready to assemble the bowls.
- Assemble: Add mashed potatoes to the bottoms of each bowl, sprinkle with corn, gravy, shredded cheese, and top with 5 crispy nuggets.
- Serve: Serve hot and enjoy!
KFC Bowl Tips
- I highly recommend preparing these bowls just before serving as they do not store well.
- Sprinkle on your favorite seasoning mixture for a bit of extra flavor. This can be especially helpful if you are using unseasoned mashed potatoes and chicken.
Storage Tips for KFC Bowls
- To Store: If you have leftovers that you want to keep for later you can cover them or place them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat: You can reheat the bowls in the microwave until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit inside. The texture, especially of the nuggets, will change when reheated.
KFC Famous Bowl FAQs
Yes, you can prepare this meal as a casserole. Simply assemble the same ingredients in a casserole dish and bake at 350ºF for 10-12 minutes, until the casserole is hot and the cheese is melted. Scoop into individual bowls and serve.
If you do not own an air fryer, no worries! I prefer heating the nuggets in the air fryer because they get nice and crispy and it only takes about 10 minutes per batch. But there are definitely other methods to heat the nuggets if you prefer.
You can heat the nuggets in the oven or a toaster oven, following the instructions on the package. You could also heat the nuggets in the microwave but I recommend placing a folded paper towel under them so that they don’t get soggy.
They still aren’t likely to get crispy but they will taste better than soggy ones!
You can absolutely use a different style of potato in the bowl. I like using hash browns or even breakfast potatoes. You can also use leftover baked or boiled potatoes and just mash them up quickly with some butter for some fast, easy mashed potatoes.
The Famous Bowl from KFC typically consists of a bed of mashed potatoes topped with crispy chicken tenders, sweet corn, and shredded cheese, drizzled with gravy and sprinkled with crispy fried onions.
Yes, the KFC Famous Bowl is a filling and satisfying meal due to its combination of chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, cheese, gravy, and fried onions. It has a high calorie count, so it can be a substantial meal for one person or shared as a side dish among multiple people.
The KFC Famous Bowl was first introduced by KFC in 2006 as a limited-time offering and later became a permanent menu item due to its popularity.
Other Easy Copycat Recipes
- Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
- Mongolian Beef
- White Castle Sliders
- Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
- Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
- Not a copycat, but you must try our Taco Spaghetti
- KFC Zinger Burger
- Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole
- Big Mac Sloppy Joes
Copycat KFC Famous Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 20 chicken nuggets or tenders divided
- 12 ounce bag frozen corn divided
- 8 ounce bag Idahoan Buttery Homestyle Mashed Potatoes prepared and divided
- 18 ounce jar Heinz chicken gravy divided
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded and divided
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit and place 10 nuggets in the basket in a single layer.
- Cook the nuggets for 7-10 minutes or until crispy and cooked through.
- Remove the nuggets and place them on a plate. Place 10 more nuggets in the basket and cook as above.
- While the nuggets are cooking, place the gravy in a small saucepan and heat it over medium low heat until bubbling, about 5-7 minutes. Be sure to stir it often.
- Once the gravy is bubbling reduce the heat to low and cover.
- Steam the corn in the microwave as instructed on the package and allow it to sit in the microwave when finished.
- Prepare the mashed potatoes in a large mixing bowl according to the package directions and then cover them and allow them to sit until you are ready to prepare the bowls.
- To assemble your bowls, place 1 cup of mashed potatoes in the bottoms of each large bowl, sprinkle with ½ cup of cooked corn, ⅓ cup hot gravy, ¼ cup shredded cheese and top with 5 crispy nuggets.
- Serve hot.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: If you have leftovers that you want to keep for later you can cover them or place them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat: You can reheat the bowls in the microwave until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit inside. The texture, especially of the nuggets, will change when reheated.
- I highly recommend preparing these bowls just before serving as they do not store well.
- Sprinkle on your favorite seasoning mixture for a bit of extra flavor. This can be especially helpful if you are using unseasoned mashed potatoes and chicken.
Very good
Love the copycat KFC bowl!
YUM!
My 16 year old says I need to make this ASAP 😂😂