Every now and then I get a yearning for Mom Kelly’s fried chicken, which was a lot like my grandmother’s fried chicken. Frankly, I have never been good at doing it, but add in trying to keep the carbs down and it’s even more of a challenge. So, I’ve adapted the recipe to cook the chicken that still gives it that fried flavor and a nice crispy crust. A great side dish for this is the Texas-Style Turnip-Cauliflower Salad that is like potato salad.
Stove Top Fried Chicken
This is mostly the traditional way to fry chicken. I finish it off in the oven to make sure the chicken is cooked all the way though. If you have big plump breasts cut them into smaller pieces so they aren’t so thick. They will cook through easier without burning the crust.
I use CarbQuick to coat the chicken, but you can also use coconut flour, which has a very fine texture, although it’s a little higher in carbs.
1/2 cup Carbquick or Coconut Flour
1/4 cup Buttermilk, lowfat
4 to 6 chicken Chicken Thighs or 2 chicken breasts cut into 4 four pieces
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, about 1 inch deep in a heavy medium-sized skillet
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Seasoning Salt of your choice
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
Preheat oven to 385 degrees.
Begin heating the oil in the skillet. Heat to very hot, then reduce the heat to medium high.
Mix the flour and seasonings in a large plastic bag or a shallow pan, like a cake pan or pie pan.
Put the buttermilk in a shallow pan and put the chicken in, turning it over to completely coat. Put the chicken pieces, one by one, in the plastic bag and shake to coat or roll them in the flour pan to coat.
Fry about four pieces of chicken at a time until golden brown on the bottom, then turn over to brown the other side. Remove to a paper towel covered plate and brown any other chicken pieces.
Spray a baking pan with cooking spray and put the browned chicken in it and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Check the chicken by poking with a fork. Any juices that run out should be clear.
Oven Fried Chicken
This version is basically the same ingredients, but you skip the skillet frying and let the oven do the work by cooking the chicken in a very hot oven.
1/2 cup Carbquick or Coconut Flour
1/4 cup Buttermilk, lowfat
4 to 6 chicken Chicken Thighs or 2 chicken breasts cut into 4 four pieces
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Seasoning Salt of your choice
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F).
Mix the flour and seasonings in a large plastic bag or a shallow pan, like a cake pan or pie pan.
Put the buttermilk in a shallow pan and put the chicken in, turning it over to completely coat. Put the chicken pieces, one by one, in the plastic bag and shake to coat or roll them in the flour pan to coat.
Spread the oil over a small baking dish and arrange the chicken, skin side down (or top side down if you are using skinless chicken). Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, then turn the chicken over and cook another 12 to 15 minutes. Low carb flours brown a little faster than regular ones, so keep an eye on the chicken to ensure it doesn’t get too dark.
Makes 2-4 servings depending on your appetite.
Nutrition Info per serving (4 servings)
Calories: 236.5 Fat: 13.2 g Net Carbs: 2.7 g