Crispy Keto Fried Chicken

Last updated on April 23rd, 2018 at 06:10 am

Aaah yes, you heard that right.  Crispy Keto Fried Chicken. YUM. When is the last time you ate some fried chicken that didn’t involve either pork rinds, almond meal, baking powder/soda or parmesan cheese? Look no further, because I just made the best fried chicken ever!!

The secret to these succulent crispy chicken thighs? Whey Protein Isolate!  I use the NOW brand and love it because it’s much lower carb than normal protein powder.

These days I’ve been trying to make so many recipes keto-friendly by using protein powder and let me tell you something.  I am in LOVE! Man, this stuff is amazing. Last week I uploaded some Keto Tempura using whey protein powder, so if you feel like some Japanese food, make sure to make some!

The trick to these bad boys are the eggs.  If you don’t coat the chicken with eggs first, the protein powder won’t really stick to the chicken and will fall to the bottom of the pot when deep-fried.  So please make sure to add the eggs.

I was thinking about the tempura recipe and how it worked with protein powder, so I tried coating the chicken with it without the egg and it failed miserably, so I added an egg and problem solved! So really don’t forget the egg!!!

If you’d like to try this recipe, but you eat dairy-free, you must try my DAIRY-FREE KETO PALEO FRIED CHICKEN!  It uses egg white powder instead of whey protein and it’s just as amazing!!

5 from 22 votes

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Crispy Keto Fried Chicken

The BEST fried chicken you'll ever eat.  You won't need nuts, pork rinds, or parmesan for this recipe!

Course Appetizer, Dinner

Cuisine American, Canadian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

SERVINGS 4 people

Calories 382 kcal

Author Mira

Ingredients

• as needed lard or coconut oil, beef tallow
• 1/2 cup whey protein isolate
• 2 eggs

Fried Chicken

• 450 g boneless chicken thighs
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tbsp paprika powder
• 1/2 tbsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp sage
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Himalayan salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp celery seeds
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 45 ml unsweetened almond milk

Spicy Ranch Dressing

• 3 tbsp homemade mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika powder
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp chili oil

Instructions

1. Mince the garlic cloves. Cut the chicken thighs into bite size pieces.  I prefer to eat the skin, but if you don't like the skin feel free to take it off 🙂

2. In a bowl combine the chicken with all the spices and the almond milk.  Mix until well combined.  Add the two eggs to the mixture and mix thoroughly.

3. Heat the lard (or any frying oil you'll be using) between 140-150C/285-300F.

4. When the oil is hot, dip each chicken piece, one by one, into the protein powder making sure all the sides are perfectly coated. Once coated, add the chicken pieces to your hot oil and fry 2-3 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.  The inner temperature of each chicken bites should register at 65C/150F+ when the chicken is cooked through.

5. Add the fried chicken on a wire rack or some paper towel to absorb the excess oil. 

   Eat as is or with some spicy ranch dressing! 

Spicy Ranch Dressing

1. Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl together and serve with the fried chicken 🙂

Recipe Notes

• The chicken can be reheated the next day, but taste better and is crispier the same day 🙂 
• The ranch dressing can also be made as a salad dressing.

This recipe does not work in an air fryer.  The whey protein isolate needs to activate inside the hot oil in order to crisp up and get flaky.

Nutrition Facts

Crispy Keto Fried Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 serving (without ranch))

Calories 382 Calories from Fat 183

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 20.37g 31%

Saturated Fat 5.65g 28%

Polyunsaturated Fat 4.28g

Monounsaturated Fat 7.84g

Cholesterol 212mg 71%

Sodium 1109mg 46%

Potassium 413mg 12%

Total Carbohydrates 2.98g 1%

Dietary Fiber 0.8g 3%

Sugars 0.63g

Protein 44.2g 88%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.