A relative of Colonel Harland Sanders, the man behind Kentucky Fried Chicken, claims he has unearthed the original recipe for the fast food’s secret blend of 11 herbs and spices.

The Chicago Tribune claims it came across the recipe, handwritten on a piece of paper and a closely guarded formula, courtesy of Sanders’ nephew, Joe Ledington of Kentucky.

Ledington claims he discovered the recipe in a scrapbook belonging to his late Aunt Claudia, Sanders’ second wife.

The note was in an envelope in the scrapbook, alongside Claudia’s will.

Ledington, 67, told the Tribune he used to blend the spices that went into his uncle’s world-famous fried chicken, and the recipe in question is the real deal.

Ledington said: “I don’t want to get in an argument with [KFC’s parent company] Yum! Brands about it but … I’m pretty sure that it’s pretty close to the original.”

Yum! Brands say it’s not the real recipe.

Ledington’s recipe for finger lickin’ chicken:

Prep: 30 minutes

Soak: 20-30 minutes

Cook: 15-18 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 tablespoon salt

1/2 tablespoon dried thyme leaves

1/2 tablespoon dried basil leaves

1/3 tablespoon dried oregano leaves

1 tablespoon celery salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried mustard

4 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons garlic salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

3 tablespoons ground white pepper

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

1 chicken, cut up, the breast pieces cut in half for more even frying

Expeller-pressed canola oil

1 Mix the flour in a bowl with all the herbs and spices; set aside.

2 Mix the buttermilk and egg together in a separate bowl until combined. Soak the chicken in the buttermilk mixture at room temperature, 20-30 minutes.

3 Remove chicken from the buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off. Dip the chicken pieces in the herb-spice-flour mixture to coat all sides, shaking off excess. Allow to sit on a rack over a baking sheet, 20 minutes.

4 Meanwhile, heat about 3 inches of the oil in a large Dutch oven (or similar heavy pot with high sides) over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. (Use a deep-frying thermometer to check the temperature.) When temperature is reached, lower the heat to medium to maintain it at 350. Fry 3 or 4 pieces at a time, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry until medium golden brown, turning once, 15-18 minutes. Transfer chicken pieces to a baking sheet covered with paper towels. Allow the oil to return to temperature before adding more chicken. Repeat with remaining chicken.