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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 Rogers
0Great recipe, I only changed one thing. I used almond flour instead of coconut, mt husband is not a fan. Will be making this again. Thank you.
Julie
0I mixed in some almond flour and upped the coconut flour, no pork for me. Thanks for the recipe.
Lori M.
0Thanks for adapting the dredging technique! I agree with an earlier post that some seasoning of the chicken doesn’t hurt when you might lose a bit of the coating.There is actually a great fiber to use instead of coconut flour that behaves even more gluey – oat. Oats are indeed a grain that our caveman predecessors ground with rocks before farming existed, but I am referring to the hull. It is ordinarily considered gluten-free. It is practically a dust that adheres wonderfully to clammy raw meat/poultry. It causes the egg wash to stick very well. It brings just about zero net carbs and zero calories to a dish as it is merely fiber (and no coconut flavor). I have used it, in conjunction with the final coat of pork rinds and/or lupin meal and/or carbalose flour for many “breaded”/fried things. It helps the “breading” stay on for skillet frying in 1/2 (or less) inch of oil but I never tried deep frying. I learned about it on a keto YouTube channel who thanked yet another resource for the hint. So this option is keto, Paleo-ish (not strict), gluten-free (depending on brand) but not precisely grain free. Has anyone else started trying lupin flour and lupin meal? – at least that’s not a grain and low in isoflavones!
Lynda
0Oh, my!!! There are no other words! This was the BEST chicken I’ve had since starting keto!!
Simply divine! THANK YOU for the recipe and hard work in developing it! Bless you!!
Scott Mottern
0This recipe was delightful. The chicken was super crispy and the only thing I think I will do differently next time is monitor my cook time a little closer. Mine turned out a little dry; but the texture of the crust was excellent.
Simi
0Honestly the best keto fried chicken recipe I’ve ever tried. It was so easy to make. The Chicken came out so crispy. Will definitely be making this again.
Rita
0I’ve never had an air fryer, never made wings at home! On first try, these came out as the best wings I’ve ever had! I’d have never thought that 3 simple ingredients-baking powder, salt and pepper could combine to make a coating so tasty! I paired them with homemade bleu cheese dressing-YOUR RECIPE but substituted butter milk for almond milk-added worcester sauce, left out the lemon juice to avoid the extra added carbs since I used buttermilk. DELICIOUS!!! You’re a genius and I appreciate your recipes so much!
Wholesome Yum A
0I love this recipe, and all of your recipes, but I swear. If there were a subscription to see your recipes without ads, I would do that. It’s so freaking hard to navigate! But again, thanks for this and keep on making keto really easy 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Amanda, Thank you so much, glad to hear you like this recipe and my others! I completely understand that some people would prefer an ad-free site. You may be interested in Wholesome Yum Plus, which includes an ad-free version of the website, along with other perks.
Kelleigh D Williams
0Can this recipe be deep fried as is? I don’t have an air fryer.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kelleigh, I don’t recommend deep frying this recipe, the coating would fall off. If you don’t have an air fryer I suggest baking in the oven. You can use the same temp as listed for the air fryer, just be sure to check the temp and pull when your chicken hits 165 degrees F.
Tori
0This was delicious! The breading had a really nice flavor and was so nice and crispy. I had a side of loaded cauliflower with it. One drumstick filled me right up! My only critique would be that you should lightly season the chicken directly too as all the flavor was in the breading leaving a bland inside. I also flipped my drumsticks at the last 5 mins to crisp up the other side a bit more since my air fryer doesn’t have a floating basket. Came out perfectly cooked.
Marianna
0Hi,
Have you tried baking in the oven? I dont have an air fryer and was hoping to put in the oven instead.
Thanks
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Marianna, Yes, this recipe should work fine in an oven. Bake time will probably be longer. Check the internal temperature after 20 minutes, at 165 degrees F you can pull them from the oven.
Michele
0Ii just received my new GoWiseUSA airfryer oven and this was my 1st time using it. My chicken was cooked perfectly. Instead I used 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts. Split them in half length wise (mimicking tenders) and followed the recipe as written. They were delicious, tender and juicy. It was a hit with my family. Yum, I will definitely make again and again.
Laura Hopson
0Hi, this looks amazing!…Question..could I substitute almond flour for the coconut flour? I don’t have coconut flour on hand. Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Laura, Yes that should work fine. Enjoy!
Deborah Johnson
0Can the coconut flour be substituted for almond flour
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Deborah, Almond flour will give a different texture for the coating, but the recipe will still work if you sub with almond flour.
Amy
0I tried this recipe as is in my ninja foodie last night – it was so good that I made it for lunch today also. Best Gluten Free ‘fried’ Chicken I’ve ever had. I will be using the recipe for chicken parm this weekend. Thanks!
Jen Dickens
0These were amazing! I might air fry for 1 minutes less next time, but genius to use pork rinds and I didn’t feel the pork rind flavour (which I don’t typically enjoy) came through in the end product.
Kelli
0What would the timing, or changes, be on thighs instead? Or just the same, making sure it comes to temp to know its done?
Thank you in advance
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kelli, The cook time should be fairly similar. I would start checking the internal temp for doneness around 15 minutes.
Jeremy
0Just started my Keto journey 4 days ago and love being able to find ways to make the foods I love without all the carbs. Last night, I tried this recipe but altered it a bit. Instead of the seasonings, I used a Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning I found at the grocery store and the chicken came out amazing! Spicy Fried Chicken without all the carbs?
This recipe is definitely going into a heavy rotation!!!
Terry Black
0I made this last night and it turned out very good. I used almond flour instead of coconut for a lower carb content and to boost the fat content. One thing I did notice was that the macro break down you have was a little confusing as far as the serving size. How many drumsticks is a serving according to your calculations?
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Terry, the serving size is 1 drumstick.
DaBu
0Used Carbquick biscuit mix instead of pork rinds. Best fried chicken I’ve made since I’ve been on KETO.
WAYYYY to salty, though, and I used about half what is called for.
This one goes in my personal 5 star recipe book.