Elevate Your KFC Fried Chicken With These 5 Ordering Requests

KFC is perhaps one of the most recognized American fast-food chicken chains in the world, with over 30,000 restaurants in over 100 countries. Although the menu features several options, including sandwiches and bowls, the chain is best known for its fried chicken made with 11 herbs and spices, and the exact recipe is kept a secret, although some sources claim that it includes celery salt, ginger, and a blend of herbs. It's a classic for a reason and has enabled the company to expand internationally with great success. Nevertheless, it can get a little repetitive, and KFC's menu doesn't offer too much variation when it comes to its signature menu item aside from ordering it extra crispy and dunking it into a dipping sauce.

With a little creativity, though, you can elevate your KFC fried chicken into something more, and below are five tips that can help you do that. Try some internationally-inspired dishes that can transport you to Montreal or Seoul, or you can stick closer to home with a few hacks that will transform your fried bird into a few regional American specialties. There's even a tip for making the most of any leftover chicken you may have. Just keep in mind that some of these recommendations may incur additional costs, especially when you're ordering extra side items. As well, some stores may not allow certain requests. Make sure to be kind to the staff, ask politely, and leave a generous tip if they assist you in crafting these culinary creations.

Poutine is a French Canadian specialty consisting of fries covered in squeaky cheese curds and smothered with gravy. While KFC doesn't have all the elements to make this delicacy in the traditional manner, you can create a chicken-forward version with just a few simple ordering requests. Start with an order of Secret Recipe Fries, which will serve as your base, along with a side of gravy and popcorn chicken.

You're going to want to order an extra bowl or plate for this one so that you can layer your fries and chicken and smother your Québécois-inspired creation with KFC's signature gravy. You can also make this extra luscious by requesting a sprinkling of three-cheese blend from the KFC Famous Bowl (which you can also elevate) on top of the gravy, whose residual heat will help melt the cheese. Or you can ask for a lot of extra cheese on the side to sprinkle over your fried chicken poutine.

Buffalo chicken wings are a popular snack at sports bars, and many people also make homemade wings for football viewing parties at home. However, there tends not to be much meat on those little wings, and if you want to make a full meal out of this zesty poultry specialty, you're going to need to order a ton of them. But you can give this New York State invention some more meatiness by applying the same flavors to pieces of regular fried chicken.

Simply request two orders of hot sauce for every four pieces of chicken, or however much you want depending on how saucy you like your Buffalo wings. You should order your bird in a bucket or box because you're going to add your sauce to the container, close it, and give it a good shake to coat the chicken pieces. Make sure to order a side of Classic Ranch for dipping. This can work with a single piece of chicken, too, or you can create boneless wings using this technique on popcorn chicken or chicken tenders, which aren't quite the same as chicken fingers.

KFC isn't the only type of fried bird that gets that specific acronym. Head to South Korea, and locals have their own version that's often also referred to as KFC, short for Korean fried chicken. It's typically spicy, extra crunchy, and coated with a sticky, sweet, and savory sauce called yangnyeom.

While the American KFC doesn't include this sauce on its menu, you can create a similar flavor profile and appearance by combining equal parts of Honey BBQ sauce and Honey Sauce; make sure to ask for a separate bowl for mixing. Now, add your concoction to your bucket or box of fried chicken and give it a good shake so all the pieces are coated. This will work on almost any type of fried bird at KFC, but it's particularly good on the double crispy hot wings to recreate the traditional flavor of Korean fried poultry. A side of cold slaw helps balance the heat and the bold flavors of the sauce.

In Rochester, New York, you'll find a local specialty with a somewhat unappealing name: the garbage plate. It was invented at Nick Tahou Hots, a popular local restaurant, and consists of a variety of meats and sides piled onto a single plate; there are loads of varieties found throughout the area. You can take inspiration from this regional American food by adding as many things to your plate as possible on your next visit to KFC.

One example to get you started involves layering fries, macaroni and cheese, corn, and coleslaw on a plate, topping it with fried chicken, and smothering the whole thing in gravy. Any type of chicken from the menu can work on this, but keep in mind that this is something you may want to eat with a knife and fork, and as such you may want to opt for boneless pieces, like tenders or popcorn chicken. If you're with a group or plan to feed a crowd, you can also order every side on the menu and put on a garbage-plate buffet where each person can create their own combination.

KFC has a few sandwiches on its menu, but they're the types you would expect from a fried chicken restaurant — a crunchy fried piece of chicken between two pieces of bread. There are other types of chicken sandwiches, though, that KFC doesn't have on its menu, including a chicken salad sandwich. This works with any type of chicken, including little bits that may end up at the bottom of the bucket. Just ask for a bun from the sandwiches section of the menu — a regular bun to create an entree or a Snacker bun if you want a little bite or side dish.

Depending on the type of KFC fried poultry you're working with, you may need to tear or cut it into smaller pieces; if you don't want to do that extra work, opt for popcorn chicken. You can use any type of sauce to mix into your chicken pieces, but for that chicken salad vibe, stick to a creamier type like ranch. Load the mixture onto your bun, and you'll have a completely different way of enjoying fried chicken. Add a little coleslaw, some corn, or whatever side sounds freshest to you. This tip also works exceptionally well with cold leftovers, so make sure to order a few extra pieces to try it out the next day.