Ingredients
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4 Breasts Chicken Breast
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5oz (150g) Almond Flour
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1 Large Eggs
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1/2 Tbsp Cayenne Pepper
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1/2 Tbsp Onion Salt
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1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
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1/2 Tbsp Dried Mixed Herbs
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1 tsp Salt
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1 tsp Black Pepper
Directions
The Best Keto Southern Fried Chicken Tenders Recipe
The Dark Side
Want to discover the best keto southern fried chicken tenders recipe? Well, let me give you a bit of background first.
Southern fried chicken, keto or not, is the ultimate weeknight meal. Crunchy and flavorful, the best and most delicious tenders are usually created from a homemade recipe. This is because you can cover them in the types of seasoning your heart desires most. Furthermore, children just love dunking these dippers into a range of condiments (mayo, Franks Hot Sauce or Blue Cheese Dip are our favorites). Whilst more experienced palates experiment with sauces such as spicy peanut or chili.
There is, though, one teeny tiny little problem with regular fried chicken. This is due to the little strips being horrifically bad for anyone on the ketogenic diet. The coating is essentially a carb blanket and will have you out of ketosis super fast. That’s where these keto fried chicken tenders come in.
Regular southern fried chicken is dredged in flour, before it is deep-fried, resulting in a meal that is packed with carbs. While they can be delicious, they are definitely not the friend of someone who is on the ketogenic diet.
So, what is a person to do? Well, lucky for you, I have successfully found a way to enjoy this popular Southern-style cuisine, but without carbs!
The Lighter Side
Here, right on this page, is the best keto southern fried chicken tenders recipe around. Let me tell you why. Firstly, I make them with almond flour, which means they are gluten-free. Secondly, I bake rather than fry, which means you never even go near any unhealthy fats. And finally, these little beauties are so much easier and safer to make. As there’s no hot oil, there’s less of a chance of burning your skin. Plus, there’s no chance of you ever ending up with soggy chicken that has absorbed more oil than it should have done.
Let’s move onto the stats. These tenders only come in at a total of 365 calories, whereas regular fried chicken can cost you more than double that amount. And even though they contain 21 grams of fat, these fats are actually the healthy kind, as they come from the almond flour and protein-filled eggs. Speaking of protein, they have a MASSIVE 38.5 grams. That’s enough to keep you going for several hours!
As mentioned previously, there are practically no carbs and the net amount is 3.5 grams. Finally, there is only 1 gram of sugar in the whole recipe! One measly gram! Which means you won’t experience those rollercoaster ups and downs of tiredness.
Sounds too good to be true? Well, how about you try the best keto southern fried chicken tenders recipe this weekend, along with our tasty keto blue cheese dip? Go on, we dare you!
Not a fan of almond flour? No problem! Check out our alternative recipe for Keto Southern Fried Chicken.
(Updated 21 January 2019)
Steps
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1
Done
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Slice up your chicken into strips, about 5-6 pieces per breast. Lay your chicken strips out on a plate. |
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2
Done
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Mix together all your dry ingredients, except for the almond flour. Make sure they are mixed well. |
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3
Done
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Using half of the spice mix you want to coat the chicken evenly. You can do this by sprinkling it from a height of about two feet above the plate. Turn over the chicken and coat the other side. Hold back half of your spice mix for the next step. |
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4
Done
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Combine your remaining spices with your almond flour in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk your egg well. |
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5
Done
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Now it's time to make your tenders! Take the chicken one piece at a time, and dunk it into the egg, and then dunk it straight into the almond flour mixture. You will want to roll it around in the flour to make sure it is evenly coated. I'd recommend using tongs or another utensil for this, as the mixture can get pretty sticky and messy on your fingers. Place the coated chicken on a greased baking rack as you go. |
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6
Done
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When you have all your chicken coated, you will pop the baking tray into the oven at about 350 degrees F (180C) for 22 mins, turning halfway through (Be careful that the coating doesn't stick to the rack and come away from the keto fried chicken). There you have it! A delicious alternative to southern fried chicken, and it is amazing with our Keto Blue Cheese Dip. Let us know what you think in the comments. |
29 Comments Hide Comments
What is in the “dried mix herbs”
Sorry I should have specified!
The one I used is a mix of Marjoram, Basil, Oregano, Thyme.
Hi, I’m new to this cooking . But I did exactly as it read and my chicken never browned, even under a broiler. The taste was good but it was very pale looking. Any suggestions would be great. Thank You.
I think it can be down to the almond flour you use, and the herbs and spices you add in. Sometimes mine are brown, and sometimes they stay a paler color.
This might be worth trying. Recently saw this in a magazine. The reviewer was having the same problem, but half way through cooking, when the flour was set, she brushed butter on the chicken pieces and they browned right up.
How many tenders are there in one serving?
4-5, Depending on the size of your chicken breasts!
The only thing I added is a splash of hot sauce (Louisiana brand) to the egg. Mmmmm!
Your recipe is amazing, the only difference I did was I substituted pork rinds for the almond flour because I am allergic to almonds.
Glad to hear you like it! I have yet to try pork rinds, but I’m going to soon!
I’ve searched the website but am unable to find the recipe for the blue cheese dip that you reference in the recipe. Could you please post a link for that? Thank you!
The recipe suggests trying these with Keto Blue Cheese Dip. Do you have a recipe for the dip? I can’t seem to find it on the site.
I’ve been making blue cheese dipping sauce with 1 cup mayo, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/3 cup blue cheese, scallions, lemon juice and garlic. It’s pretty good, but I was curious about what’s in your blue cheese dip.
Anyway, thanks for the recipe, can’t wait to try these out!
I followed this recipe exactly and it was seriously horrible. The baking time and temperature is completely wrong.
Has anyone tried frying these?
I made this with chicken thighs and they turned out perfectly! But wondering if I could substitute coconut flour which is cheaper than almond flour?
I made this but used 3-4 oz salmon slices instead with a tsp of butter per slice baked same time and temp. It was so delish. Thanks for the recipe.
So spicy. I ate 5 strips immediately followed by 4 tums. Might try cutting down the cayenne pepper next time. Other than that they were awesome!
This might be worth trying. Recently saw this in a magazine. The reviewer was having the same problem, but half way through cooking, when the flour was set, she brushed butter on the chicken pieces and they browned right up.
Skip the Onion salt because what with that and the regular salt, it is too salty. Also, cut the cayenne at least in half. This had way too much heat for me.
Use onion powder
Thanks a million!!!
I’ve made these with great success in my Air Fryer and they were wonderful. I did cook a bit longer as we live at 8200 feet. Again thanks!!!
I also couldn’t find the the blue cheese dip recipe and would love to try it. Would you please post a link or the recipe for it??
Is the 365 calories per tender or per breast?
Why won’t you link the blue cheese recipe?!?
Did you cook them on a sheet pan or a rack?
I make them on a rack
I omitted cayenne because I was out of it.
My batch didn’t brown up either and breading was a little mushy albeit the taste was good, although very salty, and I’m heavy handed with the salt shaker.
Will make again but will omit either the onion salt or regular salt. Thanks for the recipe!
Could the almond flour be substituted with flaxseed meal, and still turn out well?
Not sure, have never tried it, but they are different consistencies. Would love to hear how it turned out!
I made mine int he air fryer and they crisped up amazingly. Never got crispy in the oven, even on broil. Taste was good!