In a lawsuit filed Nov. 8 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, KFC has accused fellow fast-food fried chicken purveyor Church's Texas Chicken of violating its trademark rights by using the phrase "Original Recipe" in its advertisements and promotions.

KFC’s “Original Recipe” trademark, which it says is a secret blend of 11 herbs and spices, has long been part of the company’s branding. The blend is closely guarded, and the company calls it one of the most “iconic trade secrets in the food industry.” It first trademarked the phrase in 1984.

In the lawsuit, the company stated it continues to be a cornerstone of KFC’s advertising to promote its fried chicken made with "a secret blend of 11 herbs and spices resulting in a unique, signature flavor." "That combination of 11 herbs and spices is ...

KFC accused Church’s Texas Chicken of violating its trademark rights when it began using the words “Original Recipe” in its advertising and promotions.

KFC claims that Church's use of the phrase "original recipe" in its own advertisements "is likely to create confusion in the marketplace.

KFC is taking one of its smaller rivals to court, suing Church's Texas Chicken for allegedly violating its trademark rights by using the phrase "original recipe" in pitching its fried poultry products.

KFC and Church’s are in a beef over fried chicken. The chain formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken has sued its competitor for the recent use of the term “Original Recipe” in promotions. KFC has used “Original Recipe” for more than 50 years to describe its blend of 11 herbs and spices.

KFC has sued Church's Texas Chicken, accusing the rival fast-food chain of violating its trademark rights in the phrase "Original Recipe."

Why is KFC Suing Church's Chicken? Church's Chicken has recently begun advertising some new chicken, bragging about the fact that they've gone back to the "original recipe." This