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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.
Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
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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
Gail Sarkisian
0I don’t have an air fryer and don’t have the space for one. What are the directions for usings an oven?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Gail, I don’t have that recipe on my site, but you can find it in my Easy Keto for Carboholics’ Cookbook.
Ofelia
0Hello Maya,
Can we bake, instead of air fryer? That I don’t have air fryer.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Ofelia, An oven would work, you may have to add more cooking time. Just make sure the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F (the ideal temp for dark meat).
Diane
0Loved it! Will make again!
Fannie Wright
0We made this recipe using boneless, skinless chicken breast. We loved it and put it on our rotation dinner lists. Everyone loved it.
Jeannie
0Did you use the same time on the air fryer?
Elizabeth
0This was our first attempt at air frying in the oven and it turned out wonderfully. We used chicken breast tenders.
Cindi Wahlund
0How long did you cook the tenders in your air fryer
Kimberly
0This was very good! Came out crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Will definitely make again. Might like to try with flavored pork rinds next time. Any tips for when the egg mixture doesn’t quite stick? Should I thin it down? Thanks.
Teresa Cipparone
0Is there a substitute for the coconut flour? You by chance don’t know the sodium content in the recipe do you?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Teresa, 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. Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy if you have questions please see our nutrition policy.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kimberly, If the egg mixture isn’t sticking make sure your drumsticks are free from moisture.
Rhonda
0First time making it but will not be the last. Absolutely delicious.
Alicia Sorenson
0Hello, I am allergic to eggs. Any thoughts on what I could use as a substitute?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Alicia, I believe heavy cream would work in place of eggs in the egg wash step of the recipe.
Judy Wallace
0How long and what degree in the oven?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Judy, Right above where you just left this comment you will find the complete instructions.
Cara
0I’m unable to read your recipe or the comments because you have SO MANY ADS that it keeps skipping around. Super annoying. Not sure you can do anything about it but thought I’d let you know….
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Cara, Thanks for your feedback. Ads keep the Wholesome Yum website running and allow me to develop recipes that readers like you can access absolutely free. However, you may be interested in Wholesome Yum Plus, which includes an ad-free version of the website, along with other perks.
Catherine
0I don’t have an air fryer. Can this be done in a regular oven?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Catherine, An oven would work, you may have to add more cooking time. Just make sure the internal temperature reached 165 degrees.
Martha
0Is there another dry coating other than pork rinds? I am allergic to them.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Martha, I have a few suggestions as a substitute for pork rinds. The first would be grinding up low carb tortilla chips in a food processor. The second would be to use an almond meal with seasonings from the recipe.
Maranda Marriott
0Can I use almond flour in place of coconut flour? My husband doesn’t care for coconut. Even the slightest taste or smell of coconut sets off his gag reflex.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Maranda, 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.
Mark Phillips
0Was wondering if you could mix the flour and pork rinds together? To save a step in the process.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Mark, I don’t recommend doing this. If you mixed them together, it is likely that the breading will simply fall off your chicken. Layering your chicken with a dry coating first (in this case coconut flour) will help the pork rinds to adhere to the chicken better. I hope this helps!
Beth Ellen
0SO, so good! I added cayenne pepper to the flour mixture, and I also used hot & spicy pork rinds for extra kick. I made 2 batches. 400° was a little too hot (for MY air fryer), so I turned it down to 360° for the second batch. They came out perfectly! Will definitely make this again! Thank you for the recipe.
Jeanette Tanega
0Making now in my Ninja 5 in 1 air fry setting at 400 degrees as instructed, and 1/2 way through cooking the coating looks like it is starting to burn
The air fry tip for the Ninja says 360 degrees for 20-25 minutes for chicken, so I will have to try that next time. I turned it down now, but I am worried that the outside will be burnt by the time the inside is done
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jeanette, All air fryer machines are not exactly alike, so you may need to adjust the temperature for this recipe to work with your machine. You may need to increase the overall cook time if you are turning the temperature down, so be sure to check the internal temperature before pulling from your fryer.
Brenda
0I always have trouble with dredging anything. Even though it looks great on the chicken before cooking it hardly ever stays on. This is the first time I have been successful in coating chicken and the breading adhering pretty well. There were a couple spots that it came off the chicken but for the most part it worked! Great recipe
Rex Redmon
0Tried this recipe for dinner tonight, it was great and easy to make. The texture and flavor of the outside was amazing
Becky Gregory
0Made this chicken for dinner tonight and the hubs and grandson loved it!!!! Win win
Vicky
0I’d love to try this but I have a question, I only eat white meat (breast) do you use Skin on or Skinless
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Vicky, Either will work. Many other readers have commented making this with skinless chicken breasts with great results!