Southern Fried Chicken Recipe (Low Carb and Gluten Free) (2024)

As many of you know, I was contacted by the Dr. Oz Show last weekend about participating in a healthy recipes challenge. They assigned us a regional favorite from the area we live in and asked us to make over a “healthier” version. I was assigned fried chicken since I live in SC. It was a no brainer as I already have a recipe in the IBIH Summer Recipes Ezine.

I wasn’t thrilled about making Southern fried chicken for the show because it’s so hard to get creative with it (especially when the video submission is due in just over 24 hours.) I wanted to wrap it in bacon and fry it, which would according to Paleo and Keto be perfectly healthy (and also AWESOME.)

I figured that would go over like a lead balloon with the low fat crowd though, so I nixed it. I’m definitely doing it soon for the rest of us though, since we know FAT IS WHERE IT’S AT!

For the video segment though, I followed my usual recipe using seasoned coconut flour as the coating – but I caved (read: sold out) and baked it instead of frying it so it would have wider appeal for the masses who still think fat is evil (poor souls.)

Southern Fried Chicken Recipe (Low Carb and Gluten Free) (1)

Even so, I wasn’t surprised when I got the email a few days ago that they didn’t choose my “fried” chicken as one of the 3 finalists. They never did ask for my actual recipe – just the video of the finished product, so they may have had a different criteria altogether. I’ll never know! But it was a fun experience, and I got to meet some other great bloggers because of it.

We all got the same email saying we’d be featured on the show (which airs today, Monday January 27th), but hadn’t made the finals. Jeanette from Jeanette’s Healthy Living reached out to us all and suggested we link up today with our different recipes from the show, and introduce our readers to each other. I loved that idea!

If you’re new here just coming over from one of the other blogger’s: Welcome to the dark side – we eat bacon!!!

To find out more about losing weight on the Keto (low carb) diet, check out my 3 day Keto Kickstart and Menu Plan to get started!

You can also hang out with us on Facebook where we yuk it up all day long.

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Southern Fried Chicken Recipe (Low Carb and Gluten Free) (2)

★★★★★4.8 from 14 reviews
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Description

A low carb and gluten free recipe for Southern fried chicken.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 5lbs chicken leg quarters
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 cup coconut flour
  • oil for frying

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Using your hands, massage the spices into the chicken and be sure it’s well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  2. To prepare: Add the coconut flour to the seasoned chicken and toss well to coat. Heat oil about 2 inches deep in a large, heavy bottomed pan (cast iron is ideal or use a deep fryer if you have one) to 375 degrees (F). Add chicken in batches. Don’t overcrowd the pan or it won’t get crisp. Cook for about 8 minutes per side, or until a rich, golden brown.
  3. Test with a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees. If you don’t have one, cut into a piece and make sure the meat isn’t pink before serving.

Notes

Approx nutrition info per serving: 425 calories, 32g fat, 1g net carbs, 34g protein

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: Approximately 2 pieces

After watching the show it appears that only 3 words of my video (“the Palmetto State”) actually made it onto the intro to the Healthy Recipes Challenge segment – and none of the endless B-roll they made me shoot of the fried chicken being made, plated, eaten, etc. was shown at all. So I figured I might as well post at least some of the video I sent in here on the blog. After all, I went to the trouble to iron my shirt and put makeup on and everything…

In other news, since it’s been so popular I’m continuing to bundle my Amazon best-selling e-book The Gluten Free Low Carber with my first two issues of the IBIH ezine for only $9.99 – that’s a discount of over 50%!

Southern Fried Chicken Recipe (Low Carb and Gluten Free) (3)

You’ll get over 75 original recipes that can’t be found here on the blog for less than 15 cents each! And it’s some of my best work yet if I do say so! Bored with the same old low carb recipes? Looking for some new and delicious ways to keto on? I’VE GOT YOU COVERED!

Get more information on the books here, or simply click the Add to Cart button to download now!

All three for just $9.99!

Southern Fried Chicken Recipe (Low Carb and Gluten Free) (4) Southern Fried Chicken Recipe (Low Carb and Gluten Free) (5)

Southern Fried Chicken Recipe (Low Carb and Gluten Free) (2024)

FAQs

What is a gluten-free substitute for flour when frying? ›

And if you're willing to go with a three part breading instead of a batter, you can use rice flour, egg, and (rice or corn) cereal crumbs. A tremendous gluten-free replacement for all-purpose flour in the fried fish batter would be a combination of almond and rice flour.

Is fried chicken good for a low-carb diet? ›

Fried chicken can be part of a healthy keto diet as long as you prepare it right, substituting high-carb ingredients with healthy fat and low-carb alternatives. These primarily include breading and cooking oil. As much as possible, avoid consuming take-out fried chicken unless you remove the breading before eating it.

Does gluten free flour fry well? ›

Gluten free flour works REALLY well as a coating for deep fried items. Professional chefs often say gluten free flours produce better flour than wheat flour, and I have to say I fully agree. The final batter is crispy, golden and moreish.

What is the closest gluten free flour to all-purpose flour? ›

Brown rice flour is about as close to a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour as it gets since it provides structure and a “wheat-like” flavor.

What is the best gluten free flour for frying meat? ›

Gluten-free chefs swear by millet flour for breading pan fried meats and fish. It adds a light, almost sweet flavor and crumbly texture to foods, and is full of protein!

Is KFC fried chicken keto-friendly? ›

KFC. Although KFC is renowned for the Colonel's crispy fried chicken, its batter unfortunately adds 8-11 net carbs for just one medium-sized piece. That being said, KFC can still be a keto-friendly spot to hit up when ordering Kentucky grilled chicken.

Can you use protein powder as breading? ›

In a large large or shallow bowl, make breading mixture by combining protein powder, baking powder, salt and remaining spice mix. Work with only enough chicken that will fit in your fry pot at one time. Dip one piece of chicken in the buttermilk wash to completely coat. Then place in breading mixture.

Is fried chicken better with cornstarch or flour? ›

Cornstarch Is the Secret to the Crispiest Fried Chicken

So how exactly does it work? When paired with all-purpose flour, cornstarch helps prevent gluten development, which makes the flour coating crispier, and absorb moisture (from the frying and the chicken), which also means a crispier coating.

Can I use Bisquick instead of flour for frying? ›

Bisquick makes a great breading mix. Simply season it with salt and pepper and use it wherever you'd use flour or other breadings to coat foods before frying for a crispy, tasty crust. Try this recipe for Easy Tasty Fried Chicken or this oven-baked fried chicken.

What is the best oil for frying gluten-free? ›

Here are the ABC's of gluten free frying:

The best types of fat for frying are oils with a high smoke point (the temperature at which the oil starts to smoke when it is heated up) and a high proportion of simple, unsaturated fatty acids such as palm kernel oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil or clarified butter.

What is the healthiest flour for frying? ›

Cooks often prefer frying with rice flour because it has a finer grain than wheat flour, resulting in a delicate, crispy crust. It also absorbs less oil. However brown rice flour has the same properties and texture, but since it's a whole grain, it's a healthier option than ordinary rice flour.

Can you use plain flour instead of corn flour for crispy chicken? ›

Can I Use Plain Flour Instead of Cornflour to Coat Chicken? Absolutely! Plain flour creates a thicker coating and can yield a crunchier crust compared to cornflour when frying chicken.

What is a gluten-free substitute for plain flour? ›

Flours like quinoa, rice, almond, coconut, or sorghum can also be the base for delicious baked goods but generally cannot be substituted one-for-one in recipes written for all-purpose flour. Instead, look for recipes that have been tested and call for these or other gluten-free flours outright.

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