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When I first made this crispy keto fried chicken, my husband kept asking if I was sure it’s low carb. With a crunchy breading on the drumsticks that sizzles to perfection in the air fryer (or the oven), it’s hard to tell the difference. If you’ve been missing fried chicken, make this recipe with me, so you don’t have to anymore!
Why You Need My Keto Fried Chicken Recipe
- Tender and juicy, with arispy zero carb coating – This breading has serious crunch! It’s what sets this keto fried chicken apart from my regular my oven baked chicken legs and air fryer drumsticks. But while the outside gets crunchy, the inside of your chicken will be super juicy. And I think you’ll love the blend of seasonings that give it a smoky, garlicky taste.
- Quick and easy – The prep only takes me about 10 minutes. And since there’s no deep frying, the cooking part is hands-off.
- Choose how to cook it – I love making this keto fried chicken in the air fryer (it’s faster and crispier), but I’ve also got an option for the oven if you don’t have one.
- Keto friendly and gluten-free – Even with the breading, these crunchy drumsticks have only 2g net carbs each. It’s easy to fit them into your macros!
Is Fried Chicken Keto?
Regular fried chicken in not keto friendly, because it is breaded with high-carb wheat flour, but you can make it keto by using my low carb breading instead. And I think it’s delicious!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto air fried chicken, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken – I used bone-in skin-on chicken drumsticks, but you can also use chicken leg quarters, chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or a variety of chicken cuts. Select ones that are uniform in size, so that they cook evenly at the same rate.
- Pork Rinds – You can make homemade pork rinds or buy them. Either way, once you crush them up, this is the keto equivalent to breadcrumbs. You can even get them pre-crushed to save time. If you like a cheesy flavor, replace half of the crushed pork rinds with grated parmesan cheese.
- Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour – Used for dredging, which helps the egg stick, and in turn helps the breading stick.
- Eggs – Dipping the chicken in egg will allow the breading to stick. You should be able to use an egg substitute (such as a flax egg) here if you need to.
- Smoked Paprika – Smoked paprika adds a wonderful smoky flavor and color. If you don’t have this spice, you can use regular paprika as a substitute.
- Garlic Powder – Instead of using fresh garlic, which can burn easily, we’ve opted for garlic powder. To incorporate the flavor of fresh garlic, you can mix minced garlic with some butter and place the mixture under the skin like I do for air fryer chicken drumsticks.
- Dried Thyme – Dried parsley, basil, or chives would also work here. Or, use fresh herbs instead (triple the amount).
- Cooking Spray – I used olive oil cooking spray for extra crispy chicken, but you could use avocado oil cooking spray as well.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
VARIATION: Use different seasonings.
Replace the seasonings with add Italian seasoning or lemon pepper seasoning. Or, complement the seasonings above with oregano, onion powder, or cayenne pepper. Reduce or omit the salt if the spice blends you use contain it.
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How To Make Keto Fried Chicken
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Combine the dredging ingredients. In a medium shallow bowl, stir together coconut flour, sea salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- Whisk the eggs. In a second medium bowl, whisk eggs. Set aside.
- Mix the breading. In a third bowl, mix crushed pork rinds, smoked paprika, garlic powder and thyme.
- Dredge the chicken. Place a chicken drumstick into the coconut flour mixture and coat on all sides. Dip into the egg mixture and shake off the excess. Press the chicken into the pork rind mixture. Repeat dredging, dipping, and coating the remaining drumsticks.
TIP: Use one hand to handle the dry ingredients (coconut flour and pork rind mixtures) and the other to handle the wet egg wash.
This will help keep the dry bowls dry, so that you don’t end up with clumpy breading that doesn’t stick.
I also recommend keeping most of the third mixture in a separate bowl and add a little at a time to the bowl where you’ll be coating the chicken. That way, it won’t get clumpy too fast.
- Air fry. Preheat the air fryer. Lightly grease the air fryer basket and arrange the breaded chicken in it in a single layer, without touching. Spray with cooking spray on all sides. Cook the keto fried chicken in the air fryer until it reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F.
VARIATION: Keto oven fried chicken!
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line baking sheet with foil and place an oven safe rack on top. (I have and love this rack and baking sheet set!)
Bake the chicken legs in the oven for 25 minutes. Flip and bake for another 10-20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reaches the internal temperature of 170 degrees F.
Serving Ideas
Need some ideas for what to serve with these deliciously crispy drumsticks? Here are some of my favorites:
- Sauces – For more flavor, add sauces to your chicken legs. Use the hot sauce from my baked buffalo wings to coat the chicken after cooking, or dunk the legs in my sugar-free teriyaki sauce or BBQ sauce.
- Air Fryer Vegetables – Make it a full meal with air fryer okra, air fryer green beans, air fryer cauliflower (my personal fave), or air fryer asparagus.
- Classic Sides – I love to pair this keto fried chicken with cauliflower mashed potatoes and keto coleslaw. It would also work well with my almond flour biscuits, keto cornbread, or a side of cauliflower mac and cheese.
- Salad – My broccoli cauliflower salad or cauliflower potato salad make quick and easy cookout-style options. My sweet kale salad is a favorite in my family though.
- Keto Fries – I saved the best for last! 😉 Pair this low carb fried chicken with zucchini fries, or if you want something more potato-like, my rutabaga fries or jicama fries.
For more ideas, check out all my low carb side dishes or low carb salad recipes.
More Easy Keto Chicken Recipes
Chicken is naturally low carb, but many chicken dishes aren’t. Don’t worry, I’ve got lots of options to fill that comfort food void:
Keto Fried Chicken (Air Fryer Or Oven)
By
Make the BEST keto fried chicken, with air fryer or oven options! It's super crispy, easy, and only 1.6g net carbs per serving.
Instructions
[ See step photos ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
Prep The Chicken:
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In a medium shallow bowl, stir together the coconut flour, sea salt and black pepper. Set aside.
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In a second medium bowl, whisk together the eggs. Set aside.
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In a third bowl, mix the crushed pork rinds, smoked paprika, garlic powder and thyme.
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Dredge the chicken pieces in the coconut flour mixture, dip in the eggs, shake off the excess, then press into the pork rind mixture. For best results, keep most of the third mixture in a separate bowl and add a little at a time to the bowl where you'll be coating the chicken. That way, it won't get clumpy too fast.
Air Fryer Option:
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Preheat the air fryer at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) for 5 minutes. Lightly grease the basket, spray the chicken with cooking spray on all sides, and arrange the breaded chicken on it in a single layer, without touching.
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Cook keto fried chicken in the air fryer for 20 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F (77 degrees C). (The safe internal temperature is 165 degrees F, but for dark meat, 170 is optimal for the most tender, juicy results.)
Oven Option:
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line baking sheet with foil and place an oven safe rack on top. (I recommend this set that has a nonstick rack that perfectly fits the pan.) Arrange the chicken legs on the rack.
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Bake the keto fried chicken in the oven for 25 minutes.
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Flip and bake for another 10-20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reaches the internal temperature of 170 degrees F (77 degrees C).
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 drumstick
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: You can reheat keto fried chicken in the air fryer at 350 degrees F or in the oven at 375 degrees F, until warm.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Keto Fried Chicken
148 Comments
Elizabeth
1DELICIOUS RECIPE! Keto recipes like this are so amazing! All the pleasure without the guilt! Keto has really changed my life! Thank you so much for the amazing recipe!
Noor
0Hi Maya, Is there a substitute to pork rinds since I can’t eat anything related to pork? And thank you for all of your amazing recipes.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Noor, You can use a mix of almond flour and parmesan cheese instead, but it’s less crispy than the pork rinds.
TK
0Delicious!! Thank you!!
FashioNinja
0This is a favorite in our house. I use tapioca flour instead of coconut tho. Since I’m allergic to coconut. Turns out nice n crispy on the outside and moist on the inside regardless if I air fry or oven bake it. Thank for sharing it.
Mary Edwards
0I would like to make your baked keto fried chicken in the oven. Do you bake it the way for air fryer or is it different? Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Mary, I have oven instructions in the post above.
Erica
0Hi! The oven instructions aren’t up there (separated or noted inside the airfryer recipes), so we are questioning if they are the same as the airfryer instructions. Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry about the confusion! I had the oven instructions in the post, but not on the recipe card. I’ve added them to the recipe card as well.
Karen Kuntz
0Hello. My husband despises the flavor of coconut so I try to substitute coconut flour in the recipes I use. I’ve never tried it for a dredge and am wondering if I can use almond or another flour in its place. And if so, would the amounts of anything change? Thank you very much!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Karen, You can’t taste the coconut at all so I recommend sticking to that. Something like arrowroot powder would also work, but it increases carb count.
Barry s. Welborn
0Any suggestions on how to modify this if using boneless chicken breast?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Barry, The difference would just be the timing. I recommend using a meat thermometer and stop cooking when it reaches 162-163 degrees F, then let it rest and ensure it reaches 165 before slicing. Let me know how it turns out if you try!
John Moore
0Great Recipe.
Fefe
0Up to this point in life I was happy with my little 2 qt air fryer. Now I want at least a 6 qt so I can cook dinner using this recipe in it. Omg the best fried chicken ever. My daughter tried it and she’s not on keto and loved it and I’m making again tonight because she wants it. This was suppose to be guilty pleasure turned good. Been craving a certain chicken sandwich and of course can’t have all the carbs with the bun so bought special buns and made this chicken and of course added my own seasoning (old bay) and omg still followed all directions and all but wow. Just wow. Great recipe. Wish all went this well.
Lauren Smitty
0If I don’t eat pork, but want a low carb bread crumb like texture, what would be a suitable substitute for pork rinds?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Lauren, You can use almond flour in place of the pork rinds.
Shawna
0I LOVE THIS RECIPE!! I made chicken thighs… the crunch as I ate it.. amazing.. the only thing i added was some Franks Hot Sauce to the egg wash.. Wish I could show you my pic sooo YUMMY! ty so much for a nut free coating!
Suzanne
0This fried chicken recipe is delicious and even my non keto husband loved the fried chicken!
Sandra Holland
0This is very good and easy too! My husband liked it and was surprised when I told him it was breaded with pork rinds. I baked mine in a countertop oven at 400 for 30 minutes, turned it and baked it another 15 minutes.
Janet
0Since I don’t own an air fryer, can you recommend how to make this recipe another way. Thank you.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Janet, You’ll find instructions on using the oven in the post.
Judy Palrud
0You didn’t give instructions for baking in the oven and I don’t have an air fryer. How long and at what temperature should I bake it? Thanks!!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Judy, You can find instructions for using the oven in the post.
Margaret Rogers
0What is the substitute for “pork rinds” for those of us that don’t eat pork?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Margaret, You can use almond flour in place of the pork rinds.
Nicole
0This was incredible! My husband does keto but I don’t, but I try to cook meals we will both enjoy and this one hit the mark. Making it again next week!
Claire
0I am trying to lower my carb intake but I LOVE fried chicken. So I thought I would give this a go. It wasn’t the same as my normal go to chicken fried chicken but it was delicious!! The whole family loved it!
Gina
0Can’t believe how crispy and delicious this chicken was! Can’t wait to make it again.
Devy
0I love this crispy chicken though I used chopped chicken skin instead of pork rind. My sons love it so much that they already asked me to make it again this weekend.
Michelle
0The chicken turned out crispy and flavourful, and I couldn’t believe it was keto-friendly. Much healthier then traditional fried chicken, I’m so glad I found this recipe!