Who doesn’t love a crispy, juicy piece of fried chicken? But let’s be honest, a trip to KFC can play havoc with your healthy eating goals! Don’t worry, I’ve got you sorted with this Slimming World-friendly KFC Fakeaway Chicken recipe. It’s got all the flavour of the fast-food classic but without the Syn overload. The secret? A clever couscous coating that gives you that crispy crunch we all love, without the deep-frying guilt.
This unofficial recipe is perfect if you’re on Slimming World, Weight Watchers, or just keeping an eye on the calories. It’s so good the whole family will be licking their fingers and asking for seconds (even the fussy eaters!). Who needs a takeaway when you can rustle up something this tasty at home? Trust me, once you’ve tried it, your air fryer will be your new best mate. Give it a go and let me know what you think!
Looking back to 2015 when I first joined Slimming World I remember my words to MrFatgirlskinny exactly. “If we weren’t eating healthily what would you have right now?” he replied “KFC”! Well the challenge was on… I set about finding a way to create a healthy version of the popular takeaway brand.
I consulted many other recipes and discovered there are a lot of different ways to create a KFC Fakeaway. But after much trial and error it turns out couscous is our favourite and we would love to share it with you.
What is a Fakeaway?
A “fakeaway” is a term that combines “fake” and “takeaway.” It refers to a homemade version of a popular takeaway or fast-food dish, created to replicate the flavours and style of the original but with a healthier or more controlled set of ingredients. The goal of a fakeaway is often to enjoy the taste and experience of a favourite restaurant or takeaway dish while having more control over factors like calorie content, nutritional value, and ingredient quality.
Fakeaways have gained popularity, especially among individuals following specific dietary plans or looking to make healthier food choices at home.
Is this recipe classed as a TWEAK when following the Slimming World plan?
Firstly, what is a tweak? A tweak is when you use a particular Syn free food in a way it is not meant to be consumed. For Example: here we are using couscous as a coating rather than cooking it to eat fully expanded.
25g Couscous used as coating or flour should be classed as 4.5 Syns.
Here is my own personal opinion as a Slimming World veteran…
I would not tweak this recipe, back in 2015 tweaks did not exist in the SW community either.
Here is why I do not believe this particular recipe deserves to be Synned… The couscous is still being used in it’s usual manner. We are using boiling water to expand and then coat the chicken. I do not believe I would consume any less couscous than if I was making the couscous and serving it next to chicken. However if I was coating the chicken with couscous in a dry manner I would definitely tweak this recipe.
Eating this recipe once or a twice a month as never affected my weight loss but this is your journey so I will leave the decision to you.
Why you’ll love this recipe….
- It’s absolutely delicious and full of flavour. In fact I would even go as far as saying it’s better than the original KFC!
- A very healthy alternative to the KFC takeaway. Cook with Slimming World Chips, coleslaw, beans etc and you can recreate your own KFC Takeaway.
- Very filling, perfect to keep that tummy fuller for longer.
- The whole family will want you to cook it again and again.
- Even tastes good the next day in your lunchbox.
- It’s so easy to make.
Related Article: Slimming World Coleslaw Recipe
Batch Cook – Storage Information
- Fridge: Allow to cool, place into an airtight container and store for upto 3 days.
- Reheat: Eat cold or reheat in the oven for 10-15 minutes on 180c.
- Freezer: Allow to cool, place into a freezer bag and store for up to one month. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
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KFC Style Chicken Fakeaway
Ingredients
- 400g Skinless Chicken Breast (or 2 Large Breasts)
- 2 Medium Eggs (Beaten)
- 100g Plain Cous cous
- ½ tsp Mustard Powder
- 2 tsp Paprika
- ½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
- ¼ tsp Cumin
- ½ tsp Basil
- ½ tsp Garlic Granules
- ¼ tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 Chicken Stock Cube (Crumbled)
- Season of Salt & Pepper
- Low fat cooking spray such as Frylight
- Boiling Water
Instructions
- In a small bowl add Cous cous, mustard powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, basil, garlic, smoked paprika, crumbled stock cube, salt and pepper.
- Pour boiling water into the bowl until it literally just covers the couscous (no more). Stir everything together. Allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Pre heat the oven to 220c/200c/gas mark 7.
- You are looking for a dry fluffy couscous.. if you feel the couscous can expand some more feel free to add a little bit more water.
- Add half of the beaten egg and stir in, you are looking for a gooey sticky mixture, not too runny. If it already feels too runny do not add the remainder of the egg.
- Spray a baking tray with frylight to prevent sticking. (or use brown grease proof paper)
- Coating the chicken is not always the easiest.. it will not stick perfectly.. try to cover the chicken as much as possible.. then feel free to put the chicken onto the baking tray and add more couscous on the top. There is no real perfection to this recipe its trial and error to get it right for you.
- After all of the chicken is coated, spritz with Frylight and place into the oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden and the chicken is cooked through. Alternatively: Cook in the air fryer for approx. 6 – 10 minutes turning halfway.
Notes
