✔ Updated · homemade popcorn chicken and gravy, real amounts, 165°F safety and a lighter version
A KFC Famous Bowl is pure comfort: creamy mashed potatoes, sweet corn and crispy popcorn chicken under brown gravy and melty cheese. This copycat version builds the same layers at home, from scratch or with shortcuts.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Keep every layer hot. Warm bowls and hot gravy are what melt the cheese on top.
Why You'll Love This Copycat
- All five layers, mashed potatoes, corn, crispy chicken, gravy and cheese, in the right order.
- From scratch or shortcut, fry your own popcorn chicken or use frozen and be eating in 25 minutes.
- Feeds the family for less than four restaurant bowls, with bigger portions.
What Is a KFC Famous Bowl?
It's a whole fried chicken dinner stacked in one bowl. Creamy mashed potatoes go on the bottom, then sweet corn and bite-size crispy chicken, then a ladle of peppery gravy and a handful of shredded three-cheese blend that melts on contact.
Popcorn chicken is our family's movie-night dinner, so a Famous Bowl is where any leftovers end up. Each layer is simple; the magic is in eating them all together in one spoonful.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Season the potato water. Salt the water like pasta water. It seasons the potatoes all the way through, so you need less salt at the end.
- Use thighs for juicier chicken. I use thighs for popcorn chicken because they stay juicy even if they fry a little long. Breasts work too; just pull them as soon as they hit 165°F.
- Watch the oil temperature. Keep it at 325°F to 350°F. Too cool and the coating goes greasy, too hot and the outside browns before the middle is cooked. A clip-on thermometer takes the guesswork out.
- Shortcut night. Use 1 pound of frozen popcorn chicken baked until crispy and 165°F, instant or leftover mashed potatoes and a jar or packet of brown gravy. Dinner is on the table in about 25 minutes.
- Grate your own cheese. Bagged shredded cheese is coated in starch and melts slower. Freshly shredded mozzarella, cheddar and Monterey Jack melt straight into the gravy.
KFC Famous Bowl (Copycat)
4
bowls20
minutes40
minutes720
kcal1
hourA copycat-style KFC Famous Bowl: buttery mashed potatoes layered with sweet corn and crispy popcorn chicken, smothered in a peppery brown gravy and finished with a three-cheese blend. Makes 4 big bowls in about an hour, with store-bought shortcuts if you are short on time.
Ingredients
- For the Mashed Potatoes
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup whole milk, warmed
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the water
- For the Popcorn Chicken
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon fine black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
- For the Brown Gravy
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- To Assemble
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn, cooked and buttered
1 cup three-cheese blend (mozzarella, cheddar, Monterey Jack), shredded
Directions
- Make the Mashed Potatoes
- Cover the potatoes with cold, well-salted water, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Drain, return to the pot and mash with the butter, warm milk and salt until smooth. Cover to keep warm.
- Make the Gravy
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, for 2 to 3 minutes until light brown and nutty. Slowly whisk in both broths and the pepper and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until thick enough to coat a spoon. Season to taste.
- Fry the Popcorn Chicken
- Toss the chicken pieces with the buttermilk. In a bowl, mix the flour, paprika, garlic powder, pepper and salt. Lift the chicken from the buttermilk a few pieces at a time and toss in the flour until well coated.
- Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 350°F. Fry the chicken in batches for 4 to 5 minutes, until deep golden and the thickest piece reads 165°F inside. Drain on a wire rack and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Build the Bowls
- Divide the hot mashed potatoes among 4 bowls. Top each with a scoop of buttered corn and a handful of popcorn chicken, pour over the hot gravy and finish with 1/4 cup of the three-cheese blend. Serve right away while the cheese melts.
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Make It Your Way
- Spicy bowl: drizzle with hot honey or a Nashville-style hot oil, or toss the fried chicken in hot sauce before layering.
- Mac and cheese bowl: swap the potatoes for KFC-style mac and cheese and top with popcorn chicken and cheese.
- Lighter bowl: use air-fried chicken (400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, to 165°F), mashed cauliflower or half-and-half cauliflower and potato, and 2 tablespoons of reduced-fat cheese.
- Make-ahead: the mashed potatoes and gravy can be made a day ahead; reheat them until steaming before building the bowls.
Make Each Layer Like the Restaurant
Want to go all in? These copycats make each layer even closer to the original: KFC mashed potatoes, KFC gravy and KFC popcorn chicken. Round out the meal with KFC coleslaw and KFC biscuits, or browse all our KFC copycat recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in a KFC Famous Bowl?
A KFC Famous Bowl is layered with mashed potatoes, sweet corn and bite-size crispy chicken, topped with home-style gravy and a three-cheese blend. This copycat recipe uses the same five layers, with homemade popcorn chicken and a quick brown gravy.
How many calories are in a KFC Famous Bowl?
Calorie listings for the restaurant bowl vary by source and recipe changes, roughly 600 to 740 calories, so check KFC's own nutrition information for the current figure. This homemade version is about 720 calories per large bowl. Baking the chicken and using less cheese brings it down.
Can I use frozen popcorn chicken?
Yes. Bake or air fry 1 pound of frozen popcorn chicken according to the package until it is crispy and reaches 165°F inside, then build the bowls as written. It's the fastest way to make this on a weeknight.
Are KFC Famous Bowls microwavable?
Leftover homemade bowls reheat well in the microwave. Store the chicken separately if you can so it stays crisp, reheat the potatoes, corn and gravy covered until steaming and 165°F, then add the chicken (re-crisped in the oven or air fryer) and fresh cheese.
How do I store leftovers?
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in airtight containers for up to 3 to 4 days, keeping the chicken separate from the potatoes and gravy. Reheat everything until it reaches 165°F. The mashed potatoes and gravy also freeze well for up to 2 months.
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