KFC’s secret recipe has just been leaked by Colonel Sanders supposed great great great nephew

A man who says he is Colonel Sanders’ great-great-great nephew has stirred controversy online after claiming to reveal the real Kentucky Fried Chicken recipe.

The first KFC franchise opened in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1952, and today the fast-food empire boasts more than 30,000 locations across 150 countries. Despite its global reach, one thing has remained consistent: KFC’s closely guarded blend of 11 herbs and spices, long advertised as the key to its “finger lickin’ good” flavor.

But now, a social media user going by @realcolonelsanders says he’s blown the lid off that decades-old secret. In a TikTok video that quickly went viral, he laid out what he claims are the exact ingredients, measurements, and binders used in the chain’s signature fried chicken coating.

This isn’t the first time someone with ties to the Sanders family has claimed to possess the elusive recipe. In 2016, Colonel Sanders’ nephew Joe Ledington told the Chicago Tribune that he found a handwritten list of the 11 herbs and spices on the back of his aunt Claudia’s will. At the time, Ledington confidently called it “the original 11 herbs and spices that were supposed to be so secretive.”

However, he later softened his stance, saying: “It could be; I don’t know for sure.”

Ledington’s list included paprika, garlic salt, basil, oregano, thyme, dried mustard, ground ginger, and—most notably—three types of salt. He also pointed to white pepper as the “secret ingredient,” claiming it was virtually unknown in the 1950s and gave KFC its signature kick.

After replicating the handwritten recipe, reporters at the Chicago Tribune concluded it tasted indistinguishably close to the real thing. Still, KFC itself has never confirmed any recipe leaks as authentic.

Now, with the latest “leak” circulating online, fans are once again debating whether anyone outside the company truly knows the Colonel’s secret. One thing’s for sure: while home cooks can try to recreate the recipe, most people still prefer to get their fix from the bucket.

His recipe is as follows: