Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, this delicious keto fried chicken is coated with crushed pork rinds and baked in the oven to crispy perfection. Made with seven simple ingredients and ready in about an hour, it's an easy weeknight recipe that everyone will love.
Baked in the oven and coated with crushed pork rinds, this chicken is amazingly close to the real Southern fried chicken I used to make in the past. it's so good, so crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, that I don't miss the fried version! I'm sure you'll agree - deep frying is no fun. Baking is much easier.
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Crushed pork rinds: You can make your own or buy prepackaged "pork panko." However, making your own will give you crispier results.
- Spices: Black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and dried thyme. There's no need for salt because pork rinds are very salty.
- Eggs: I dip the chicken pieces into them prior to coating them in the crushed pork rinds.
- Skin-on chicken parts: I like to use thighs, drumsticks, or a mix of both.
Variations
- Instead of dipping the chicken pieces in eggs, you can dip them in thick buttermilk. Another option is to coat them in mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, or a mixture of both.
- Another great way to change up the basic recipe is to experiment with different spices. Tasty options that I tried and liked include smoked paprika (instead of regular), ground cumin, and dried oregano. You can add ½ teaspoon of each additional spice.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
Crush pork rinds into panko-style crumbs, then season them with spices. Dip the chicken pieces in eggs and dredge them in the seasoned crushed pork rinds.
Place the coated chicken pieces on a greased rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake the chicken until browned and cooked through, 40-45 minutes in a 400°F oven. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- Coat the chicken pieces lightly - they don't need a thick layer of panko on them - and focus on the tops. The bottoms won't be crispy anyway.
- Divide the crushed pork rinds into at least two portions. The more chicken pieces you dip in the coating, the soggier it becomes. Dividing it into two portions ensures you can dip the chicken into dry, crispy pork panko.
- I like to use paprika in this recipe, not just for its flavor but also because it adds gorgeous color to the chicken.
- Pork rinds are very salty, so I don't add any salt. If you wish, you could add ½ teaspoon of kosher salt to the pork rind mixture.
Recipe FAQs
Use plain pork rinds. The ingredients list should only include pork skins (fried in their own fat) and salt.
You simply pulse the pork rinds in the food processor into fine crumbs. You can also place them in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin, although they won't be as finely crushed if you do it by hand.
Another option is to buy "pork panko." It's certainly the easiest option, but in my experience, it doesn't come out as crispy as crushing your own pork rinds.
Yes. However, in my experience, almond flour does not crisp as well as crushed pork rinds and is also less flavorful.
I don't recommend it. Low-carb coatings, such as pork rinds or almond flour, don't adhere to chicken as well as flour-based batter. They tend to disintegrate and fall apart when submerged in oil.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve keto fried chicken with a side dish that can be baked in the same 400°F oven as the chicken. So I often serve it with one of the following sides:
It also pairs well with salads, including homemade coleslaw, cucumber vinegar salad, and cherry tomato salad.
Storing Leftovers
As you can probably guess, this dish is best enjoyed fresh, both in terms of flavor and texture. But if you do end up with leftovers, you can place them in an airtight container on paper towels and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power or uncovered in a 350°F oven. Or enjoy them cold! Cold leftover chicken is yummy, and not just on a picnic.
More Chicken Recipes
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Recipe Card
Keto Fried Chicken Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 ounces pork rinds - finely crushed; 1 cup
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 eggs
- 10 chicken drumsticks - 4 ounces each, 2.5 pounds total weight
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (for easy cleanup) and fit it with a roasting rack. Grease the rack.
- Process the pork rinds in your food processor into fine crumbs. You can also do as I do in the video below – place them in a resealable bag, close the bag well (removing as much air as possible), and crush the pork rinds with a rolling pin. But this method will result in bigger crumbs. They should still adhere to the chicken pieces, but not as well.
- In a small bowl, mix together the crushed pork rinds, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and thyme. Divide the mixture between two shallow bowls.
- Whisk the eggs in another shallow bowl. About half the egg mixture will remain in the bowl (and this is reflected in the nutrition info), but I find that you need two eggs to coat the chicken pieces properly.
- Dip each chicken piece in the eggs, then dredge it in the crushed pork rinds. When you finish one bowl of pork rinds, move on to the next. Focus on coating mostly the tops of the chicken pieces – the bottoms will become slightly soggy anyway.
- Place the coated chicken pieces on the prepared rack.
- Bake the chicken in the preheated oven until the tops are golden brown and crispy and the insides are fully cooked to 165°F. In my oven, it takes about 40 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure to use plain pork rinds. The ingredient list should only include pork skins (fried in their own fat) and salt.
- Pork rinds are very salty, so I don't add any salt. If you wish, you could add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to the pork rind mixture.
- Instead of dipping the chicken pieces in eggs, you can dip them in thick buttermilk. Another option is to coat them in mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, or a mixture of both.
- This dish is best enjoyed fresh, both in terms of flavor and texture. But if you do end up with leftovers, you can place them in an airtight container on paper towels and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power or (uncovered) in a 350°F oven. Or enjoy them cold! Cold leftover chicken is yummy, and not just on a picnic.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Christina says
Awesome turn out. I baked mine in the over directly on the oven rack. I placed foil on the rack below it. Easy clean up and crispy all the way around. I baked mine 50 minutes as my chicken legs where large. Perfection! Thank you for this recipe.
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Christina! I'm so glad this was a success. Thank you for sharing your method.
Kelly says
Made this for dinner tonight. My husband and I LOVED it!! We will definitely be making this again!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! I'm so glad this was a success, Kelly.