This keto fried chicken is extremely crispy, succulent, full of flavor, and a crowd-pleaser. The almond flour low carb breading is super easy to make. Enjoy fried chicken for lunch with a side of cauliflower mash.
I’ve been a KFC regular fried and spicy chicken fan for a long time. The best part is that sometimes I still enjoy homemade low carb fried chicken, a recipe that in my opinion resembles and tastes even better than the one you buy.
When cooking at home, even fried dishes (that are higher in calories) can be healthier. You can choose the frying oil, the coating, adjust the seasonings, omit the sugars and other nasty ingredients.
Today I am showing you my favorite keto fried chicken recipe dipped in ranch dressing. You can also serve them with sugar-free ketchup or a simple salad.
But, be careful these golden little fried chicken pops are addictive. I haven’t yet met someone who doesn’t like crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside fried chicken.
Watch this quick video to see how to make keto fried chicken!
Ingredients for Keto Fried Chicken
The ingredients you’ll need in this keto recipe are not crazy and you can easily find them.
- skinless boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast – cut them into bite-size pieces!
- eggs
- seasonings: dried basil, pink salt, black pepper, dried thyme, oregano, paprika powder, ginger powder, garlic powder. chili pepper flakes
- minced garlic
Keto Breading and Frying
Usually, regular fried chicken is not keto-friendly because the breading is made with wheat flour.
No worries we found a solution that makes super crispy chicken as well. In fact, I have 3 low carb bread suggestions for you:
- Almond Flour
- Coconut Flour
- Unflavored Whey Protein
- Pork Rinds – Crush pork rinds in a food processor and add your favorite spices, then coat the chicken bites.
I choose to deep fry the chicken in refined coconut oil because it’s tasteless and heat resistant due to the saturated fatty acids.
To coat the chicken bites, I used almond flour but an unflavoured protein powder works well too.
Some people use coconut flour or coconut flakes but I am not a huge fan of those. One thing I tried and really loved are the pork rinds processed into little pieces.
The Secrets of Crispy Keto Fried Chicken
The secret to extremely flavourful fried chicken is to marinate the meat in many herbs and spices before frying it.
I recommend keeping it overnight in the fridge so the meat can absorb all the flavors. There’s no problem if you don’t have that much time to wait. An hour in the fridge is enough to get the chicken ready.
You’ll see that this is a super simple recipe that requires less than 20 minutes of work. After the meat is ready to coat and fry all you have to do is to wait for it to be done or to prepare a delicious dip and serve along with a simple cabbage salad.
What is the Best Oil for Deep Frying?
You may already know that not all the oils are good for frying. You should choose oils that have a high smoke point and are stable when heated.
- Coconut oil is one of the best choices when it comes to deep-frying. Try a refined coconut oil that has no taste.
- Animal fats like lard, tallow or ghee are great a good choice. They taste amazing and add extra flavor to the recipe.
- Avocado Oil has a high smoke point and can be used for deep frying.
- Peanut oil has a neutral taste and a high smoke point (446°F / 230°C).
- Palm oil is excellent for deep frying but not recommended.
Other Recipes You Might Like
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce
- Keto Butter Chicken? Quick & Super Tasty
- Hasselback Chicken Stuffed with Mozzarella and Spinach
The best Crispy Keto Fried Chicken – Low-Carb Gluten-Free Recipe
Description
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs skinless, boneless
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp basil dried
- 1 tsp pink salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp thyme dried
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili red flakes
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Coating and Frying
- 1/2 cup almond flour or unflavored whey protein
- coconut oil or your choice of oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized (1-inch) pieces.
- Place the chicken into a zip-lock bag or into a bowl, add one egg and all the spices. Toss to coat well on all the sides. Let it marinate in the fridge for at least one hour.
- Add the almond flour or protein powder in a container. Put the chicken pieces in the container and toss to coat well.
- Heat enough oil in a deep pot. Fry chicken bites, several pieces at a time, for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown.
- In a deep fryer, heat oil to 375°F. Fry chicken bites, several pieces at a time, for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown.
- Serve with your favorite side salad or a delicious keto sauce.
Video
How do we calculate the nutrition info?
These nutrition facts listed are determined using nutrition information from the USDA Food Database. Our nutrition facts are accurate, but if you are using different products, please make your calculations. Net carb count is calculated by subtracting both fiber and sugar alcohols because they don’t raise blood sugar.
READER FAVORITES
The full recipe is in the recipe card below. Readers that love this aslo made these recipes:
Can I do this in an air fryer?
Excellent! My hubby & I both approve. Marinated the chicken for 4 hrs. Took it out of the fridge while the oil was heating. Tossed with the almond flour & fried at about 320-335 degrees Didn’t time the chicken, just waited for it to float. So good! And so easy! Thank you!