KFC's core product offering is pressure fried, on-the-bone chicken pieces seasoned with Colonel Harland Sanders' "Original Recipe" of 11 herbs and spices. The product is typically available in either two or three piece individual servings, or in a family size cardboard bucket, typically holding between 6 and 16 chicken pieces. In territories that follow the system handed down by Colonel Sanders, such as Canada and the UK, each chicken is divided into nine different cuts (2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breast pieces and one keel), however the United States now uses an eight piece cut. The product is hand-breaded at individual KFC outlets with wheat flour mixed with seasoning in a two- to four-minute process
It is then pressure fried for between seven and ten minutes (the timing differs between countries) in oil at 185 degrees Celsius. Following this, the chicken is left to stand for 5 minutes in order for it to sufficiently cool before it is placed in the warming oven. It is KFC policy to discard chicken if it has not been sold within 90 minutes, in order to ensure freshness. The frying oil varies regionally, and versions used include sunflower, soybean, rapeseed and palm oil. A KFC executive stated that the taste of the chicken will vary between regions depending on the oil variety used, and whether the chicken has been corn-fed or wheat-fed. As well as its core chicken on the bone offering, KFC's major products include chicken burgers (including the Zinger and the Tower burgers); wraps ("Twisters" and "Boxmasters"); and a variety of finger foods, including crispy chicken strips and hot wings. Popcorn Chicken is one of the most widely available KFC products, and consists of small pieces of fried chicken. In some locations, chicken nuggets are also sold.
KFC adapts its menu internationally to suit regional tastes, and there are over three hundred KFC menu items worldwide. Some locations, such as the UK and the US, sell grilled chicken. In predominantly Islamic countries, the chicken served is halal. In Asia there is a preference for spicy foods, such as the Zinger chicken burger.Some locations in the US sell fried chicken livers and gizzards. A small number of US outlets offer an all-you-can-eat buffet option with a limited menu.
In multiracial Malaysian markets, KFC also has different limited-time products to cater to different festive seasons such as Ayam Kicap Meletup for Eid al-Fitr seasons and Golden Treasures for Chinese New Year in 2015. A number of territories, such as Japan, Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados, Ecuador and Singapore sell fried seafood products under the "Colonel's Catch" banner. In Jamaica, what was originally a seasonal offering for the Lent period was expanded to a year-round offering from 2010. Value menu items are sold under the "Streetwise" name in locations such as Canada. Side dishes often include French,fries, coleslaw, barbecue baked beans, corn on the cob, mashed potato, bread rolls and American biscuits. Salads include the bean salad, the Caesar salad and the garden salad. In a number of territories, KFC sell onion rings. In Asia, rice based side dishes such as congee are often sold. In Malaysia, chicken meatball soup is sold. In the US and Greece, potato wedges are sold instead of French fries. McCormick & Company is KFC's largest supplier of sauces, seasonings and marinades, and is a long-term partner in new product development.
Due to the company's previous relationship with PepsiCo, most territories supply PepsiCo products, but exceptional territories include Barbados, Greece, New Zealand, the Philippines, Romania, South Africa, and Turkey, which stock drinks supplied by The Coca-Cola Company, and Aruba, which stocks RC Cola from the Cott Corporation. In Peru, the locally popular Inca Kolais sold. In a number of Eastern European locations and Portugal, beer is offered, in addition to soft drinks.
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