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Missing Kentucky Fried Chicken? If you’re a KFC™ lover, this low carb fried chicken recipe is perfect for you. We’ve tried a few keto fried chicken recipes before but this one is the best so far. It’s soft and moist on the inside, crunchy on the outside, a little spicy, and very tasty.
This recipe is like a copycat KFC™ chicken with many herbs and spices, but low carb. The problem with traditional KFC™ chicken is that it is coated in bread or cornmeal and then deep-fried. The chicken has too many carbs to be eaten on a low-carb diet.
Some people say that the most important thing is to use a pressure fryer, but we think it’s the unique combination of herbs and spices. The secret here is to marinate the meat and keep it cool in the fridge for an hour before you coat and fry it. This is to get all the beautiful flavors from the spices deep inside the chicken meat.
If you don’t have a pressure fryer, then you can cook these on the stove in a saucepan with oil.
This recipe is actually not that complicated. Once you marinate the chicken with all the spices and coat with the crumbs, just cook it in a deep fryer. All you have to do is sit back and relax and let the deep fryer do all the work.
For this keto version, we use unflavored protein powder for the flour coating and the result is extraordinary. If you are wondering which brands to use, feel free to read our protein powder reviews.
If you don’t want to use protein powder, you can try gluten-free breadcrumb substitutes, such as coconut or almond flour, or even pork rind breadcrumbs. You can combine different spices according to your taste.
Here’s the entire process in one photo:
For the dip, you can use sour cream, hot sauce, or homemade and no-added sugar mayonnaise or ketchup. It’s up to your liking.
For this particular recipe, we use boneless chicken thighs and cut them into small bite-size pieces. It’s almost like chicken nuggets. You can use wings, drumsticks or any cut of chicken for this recipe.
For deep frying oil, you can use high smoke point oils, such as beef tallow (rendered beef fat), lard (rendered pig fat) or coconut oil.
For best results, use a deep fryer because it usually includes a basket inside to drain the oil and let the foods dry. A normal deep saucepan is also okay. If you are looking for an electric deep fryer, try the Hamilton Beach’s Deep Fryer Cool Touch With Basket. You can easily set the temperature to suit your needs.
How to Make Low Carb Fried Chicken Nuggets
Wash and dry chicken thighs then cut into small pieces.
To make the marinade, use a mortar (or a blender) to mash garlic cloves and all the spices. Pour the mixture over the chicken then add egg and milk in and mix well.
Cover the chicken in a container and keep in the fridge for approximately one hour, turning occasionally. This is to get all the flavors inside the chicken meat.
In a plastic container with a lid, put the protein powder in and then carefully place chicken pieces on top.
Put the lid on and shake until all the chicken is covered with protein powder. Shake those thighs like you mean it!
Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees and fry coated chicken in hot oil for 5-7 minutes or until the chicken turns to a nice and crispy golden color.
Remove chicken from heat and serve with your favorite keto-approved sauce.
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Related:
- Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Pan Fried Spinach Stuffed Chicken
- Keto Chicken Tenders
- Keto chicken Parmesan
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4.59 from 181 votes
Crispy Keto Fried Chicken Nuggets
A super crispy keto deep-fried chicken recipe with lots of herbs and spices.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Ketogenic, Low Carb
Keyword keto fried chicken
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
Passive time 1 hour hour
Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
Servings 6
Calories 157kcal
Author Tanya K.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs boneless
- 1 egg large
- 30 ml almond milk unsweetened
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tbsp basil
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/3 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp celery salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp mustard seeds powdered
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp turmeric fresh, optional
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp chili red flakes optional
- salt to taste
Coating and Frying
- 50 g unflavored protein powder (you can also use almond flour for coating)
- coconut oil (or your choice of oil for deep frying)
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Before chopping the chicken thighs into small chunks, make sure to thoroughly wash and dry them.
Grind the garlic cloves and all the spices with a blender or a mortar. Flavor the chicken with this spice mix. Crack in the egg and pour the milk into the seasoned chicken pieces. Stir well to marinate well.
Transfer the chicken to a covered container and let it chill in the fridge for around an hour. Flip the chunks occasionally.
Pour the protein powder in a plastic container with a lid. Put the chicken in the container before replacing the lid. Shake well to coat the chicken entirely.
Set a deep fryer to 375 degrees and heat the oil in the fryer. Crispy fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes. Wait till the chunks become golden brown and crispy enough to your liking.
Transfer to a platter with any keto-approved dip of your choice.
Notes
This recipe is enough for 6 people to enjoy. The macros info below is for 6 servings and it doesn’t include the oil you use for deep frying.
Nutrition/Macros
Nutrition Facts
Crispy Keto Fried Chicken Nuggets
Amount Per Serving
Calories 157Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Cholesterol 135mg45%
Sodium 1287mg54%
Potassium 318mg9%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 23g46%
Vitamin A 366IU7%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 22mg2%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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