Growing up in the South, fried chicken has always been a fixture in my life. This Keto Fried Chicken has all of the flavor and texture that I grew up loving while remaining gluten-free and low carb. Juicy, tender, and crispy, this is comfort food perfection.
I grew up with a Southern Grandmother who was a phenomenal cook, so naturally, Fried Chicken has always been part of my cooking repertoire.
This Keto Fried Chicken recipe is so satisfying - it is hard to believe that it is low carb.
When you crave a meal that feels like a hug on a plate, it doesn't get any better than this!
Ingredients for Making Low Carb Fried Chicken
- Smoked Paprika: You can use mild or hot; you may also use regular paprika.
- Salt: Adding salt to the marinade will help the salt permeate the chicken's muscle fibers, and the result will be juicer chicken.
- Garlic Powder: Adjust the about to your liking. I do not recommend using fresh garlic. It can burn too quickly when frying.
- Black Pepper: Fresh ground is best.
- Cayenne Pepper: I like the kick of heat that cayenne pepper gives, but feel free to omit this if you are serving small children or dislike heat. The amount I have used isn't enough to make it hot, so if you want this to be hot, consider adding more.
- Heavy Cream: If you are low carb and not keto, half and half will work too.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: This helps to "sour" the cream to mimic buttermilk.
- Yellow Mustard: Dijon would work as well.
- Bone-in Skin On Chicken: We love keto fried chicken thighs, but feel free to use any piece you like. If you fry chicken breasts, I recommend preheating the oven to 350° F. Fry the chicken until it is golden brown. Use your Instant Read thermometer to determine the internal temperature. Bake the chicken until it reaches the recommended temperature of 160 ° F.
- Almond Flour: I do not recommend substituting almond meal.
- Parmesan: Finely grated parmesan is best when it is grated fresh.
- Baking powder: Check the date to make sure it is fresh!
Tips & Tricks
- Breading chicken can get messy if you aren't careful! I recommend using one hand for wet ingredients and the other hand for dry ingredients. This keeps you from breading your own hand!
- When frying, I recommend working in batches to avoid the oil temperature from getting too low and prevent the chicken from sticking together.
- Feel free to adjust the salt and pepper to your personal preference.
- You can use almond milk in place of the heavy cream. If you do so, I recommend adding a beaten egg to the marinade for thickness. This will help the low-carb breading to adhere to the chicken.
Serving Suggestions
Keto Crispy Chicken is amazing with mashed cauliflower, keto collard greens, or coleslaw. You can also serve it with a simple side salad with Ranch dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most chicken is not low carb because it has either flour, breadcrumbs, or both. This keto-friendly version uses almond flour and parmesan cheese and is perfect for your low-carb diet.
Yes, if you would like to you can use pork rinds in place of the almond flour.
Tools Needed to Make Almond Flour Fried Chicken
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- Shallow bowls or breading trays.
- Deep fryer or heavy-duty deep skillet or Air Fryer
- Instant Read Thermometer and Heat Safe Thermometer for Oil
Storage
This recipe is best served immediately after cooking, but leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days. You may freeze it for up to three months.
Reusing Oil for Frying
As long as you choose the right oil - such as avocado oil - and are careful to keep the oil below its smoke point, it is safe to reuse oil that has been used for frying.
The first step is to filter it so that you can remove any bits of cooked food. You can use an extremely fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter to do this.
Make sure that the oil is not hot when you do this!
Place the oil in a container and keep it in the refrigerator.
How many times the oil can be reused isn't a hard and fast rule, but generally, you can use it between four and six times.
It is time to throw it out when it turns dark and begins to have an "off" odor. Don't plan on keeping oil for more than two months.
How to Make Keto Fried Chicken
First, start by making the seasoning mixture and marinade.
To do this, whisk together the paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the cream and vinegar. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes. Next, add in the yellow mustard and 2 tablespoons of the seasoning mixture.
Place the chicken in a shallow dish, and marinate for at least four hours or overnight.
After the chicken has marinated, make the breading by combining the almond flour, parmesan cheese, and baking powder.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, and transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Fried Chicken
Heat the oil in a large deep skillet until it is 350 ° F. (Deep Frying is another option.)
Cook, skin side down, for 6 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip and cook another 4 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160° F.
Rest for 10 minutes prior to serving.
Air Fried Chicken with Almond Flour
Preheat your air fryer to 400° F.
Spray the chicken with oil and cook for 13 minutes.
Flip and respray. Reduce the temperature to 350° F.
Cook until an Instant Read Thermometer registers 160 ° F.
More Keto Chicken Recipes
- Keto Chicken Parmesan is a delicious meal that the family will beg you to make again and again.
- Instant Pot Frozen Whole Chicken is an easy way to get dinner on the table when you forget to plan ahead. You won't believe how flavorful this chicken is!
- Keto Recipes like this Everything Bagel Chicken are perfect for busy families!
Keto Fried Chicken
Ingredients
Spice Mixture
- 1 ½ tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Marinade
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 4 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken pieces
- 1 ½ cups finely ground almond flour
- 1 ½ cups finely ground parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, salt, garlic powder, fresh ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and vinegar and allow to sit for about 15 minutes. Add in the yellow mustard and 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture. Whisk to combine.
- Marinate the chicken in a shallow dish or zip-top bag for 4 hours.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the almond flour, parmesan cheese, baking powder, and remaining spice mixture.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, and coat with the almond flour mixture, gently pressing the coating into the chicken with your fingers. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
For Frying:
- Fill a large skillet with at least 2 inches of oil. Heat over medium until the oil reaches 350° F. Add about 4 pieces of the chicken, skin side down. The oil temperature should drop to about 325 degrees.
- Fry, without turning, for 6 minutes. Flip and fry for another 4 minutes, or until golden brown, and the internal temperature is 160 ° F.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
For Air Frying:
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 ° F. Place the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Be careful not to overcrowd - work in batches if necessary.
- Spray the chicken with oil and cook for 13 minutes. Flip the chicken and spray with more oil. Reduce the air fryer temperature to 350 ° F. Cook for another 11 to 15 minutes until an instant-read thermometer reads 160° F.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
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