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Are you a KFC fan? If you love fried chicken but don’t want all the carbs then our Keto KFC Style Crispy Fried Chicken is just what you need in your life! It’s as good as the real deal without the floury batter!
The ‘breadcrumb’ is made from a mix of spices and whey protein and I’ve added a little sriracha for a subtle kick! Feel free to crank up the amount if you like the heat, just be mindful of the extra carbs. This meal is super low-carb though so it should still be ok.
Keep in mind that we are using protein isolate powder so keep that in mind if you are trying to limit your protein intake.
I made it with mini chicken breast fillets to be like the goujon style KFC but you can make with chicken breasts and cut into strips if you prefer, or skinless and boneless chicken thighs.
The cooking times will be different if you use drumsticks or wings as they contain bones so it’s best to stick to boneless and skinless for this recipe.
Although we haven't tried this, this keto recipe should work in an Air Fryer which will enable you to use and waste less oil.
Serve with keto ketchup, Spicy Chocolate BBQ Sauce, Sugar-free Texas BBQ Sauce or Low-Carb Coleslaw for a finger lickin’ good treat!
How to Make Crispy Keto KFC Chicken
These are my top tips for perfecting the best KFC style fried keto chicken.
- Line a baking tray with greaseproof and lay each of the breaded fillets on it as you coat each goujon then you can batch fry together. It’s easier to remember how long you’ve been frying the fillets this way.
- Make sure the fillets are fully coated in egg and shake off any excess before dipping into the whey. Split the whey into two batches to avoid clumping as the egg can mess up the whey in the bowl.
- It’s best not to fry all tenders at once. Ideally 3 - 4 at a time. This way they don’t overcrowd and cook evenly as the oil remains nice and hot.
- Depending on how thick your chicken tenders are it may alter the cooking time. Mine took about 5 minutes but you can always check if the chicken is cooked through by using a meat thermometer.
- Insert into the thickets part of the chicken and it should be at least 75 °C/ 165 °F. If not continue cooking for a little longer. You can always cut one in half to test too and use that cooking time as a base, and then for the rest.
Hands-on Overall
Serving size 2 goujons
Nutritional values (per serving, 2 goujons)
Net carbs1.8 grams
Protein39.3 grams
Fat32.7 grams
Calories463 kcal
Calories from carbs 2%, protein 34%, fat 64%
Total carbs2.5 gramsFiber0.6 gramsSugars0.6 gramsSaturated fat5 gramsSodium602 mg(26% RDA)Magnesium34 mg(8% RDA)Potassium616 mg(31% EMR)
Ingredients (makes 8 Goujons)
Dry ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
- 3/4 cup unflavoured whey protein powder or egg white protein powder (75 g/ 2.7 oz)
Wet ingredients:
Chicken:
- 400 g chicken fillets, equivalent to 4 breasts or 6 skinless and boneless chicken thighs (14.1 oz)
- enough oil for deep frying (avocado oil, ghee or coconut oil)
Instructions
- Place the spices and seasoning to a bowl and mix to combine (paprika, thyme, garlic, cayenne, oregano, salt and pepper). Add the mini chicken breast fillets and leave to marinate, ideally overnight in the fridge for best flavour, or at least 30 minutes.
- Once the chicken is marinated, prepare the coating. To another bowl, add the egg, cream, Sriracha and Dijon mustard. Mix to combine.
- Add protein powder (whey or egg white protein isolate) to a third bowl. Dip the seasoned chicken in the egg wash (shaking off any excess) and then in the whey protein to fully coat.
Note: The amount of protein powder in this recipe will be enough for one coating. If you want to do double coating, you will need to use more protein powder and possibly more egg. Also keep in mind that some of the whey will clump up and be wasted so you may need to use a few tablespoons more to fully coat the chicken.
- For deep frying, add your chosen oil to a deep pan, enough for the chicken pieces to be fully submerged when fried. The pan should ideally be about 20-23 cm/ 8-9" in diameter so you can get about 3 or 4 pieces in at once. (Note: you will need 1 1/2 to 2 cups (360 to 480 ml) of oil although only about 1/2 cup oil will contribute to the nutrition facts, the remaining oil is discarded.)
- Once the oil is hot, fry the chicken tenders on a medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
- The chicken should be cooked once the internal temperature reaches at least 75 °C/ 165 °F but cut one open to test.
- If you want to keep the skin crispy skin, serve fresh. They can be reheated in the oven, after storing in the fridge for 1 day, but the crumb may be a little softer.
Ingredient nutritional breakdown (per serving, 2 goujons)
| Net carbs | Protein | Fat | Calories |
|---|
| Paprika, spices |
| 0.2 g | 0.1 g | 0.1 g | 2 kcal |
| Thyme, dried |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Garlic powder, spices |
| 0.5 g | 0.1 g | 0 g | 3 kcal |
| Pepper, cayenne, spices |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Oregano, dried |
| 0.1 g | 0 g | 0 g | 1 kcal |
| Salt, sea salt |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Pepper, black, spices |
| 0.1 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Whey protein powder (protein isolate, Jay Robb) |
| 0.6 g | 14.8 g | 0 g | 62 kcal |
| Egg, whole, fresh, raw (free-range or organic eggs) |
| 0.1 g | 1.6 g | 1.2 g | 18 kcal |
| Cream, heavy whipping, pouring, full-fat (30-40% fat) |
| 0.1 g | 0.1 g | 1.4 g | 14 kcal |
| Sriracha chili sauce, hot sauce |
| 0.2 g | 0 g | 0 g | 1 kcal |
| Dijon mustard |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Chicken, breast (without skin, raw) |
| 0 g | 22.5 g | 2.6 g | 120 kcal |
| Avocado oil, extra virgin |
| 0 g | 0 g | 27.3 g | 241 kcal |
| Total per serving, 2 goujons |
| 1.8 g | 39.3 g | 32.7 g | 463 kcal |
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