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Author:
Tracy Nawara
Every so often, the craving for fried foods creeps in. When you want deep-fried fare, nothing else will satiate you. Have you ever tried eating a salad when you actually wanted mozzarella sticks instead? It’s awful.
And when you’re on keto, it’s even harder to try and make foods that fit your dietary needs. Keto is a great way of life for those who want to lose weight or be healthy, but fried foods usually don’t fit into either of those things. Luckily, keto means low carbs but high fat, so you just have to figure out a way to make low-carb fried chicken.
So when you are craving keto fried chicken, that means you have to have it that day. Some may still believe that healthy fried chicken is unattainable, but they would be wrong! All it takes is some innovation and an air fryer.
The air fryer is such an amazing appliance to have in your kitchen, whether you are an avid cook or not. It is the perfect thing to make fried foods healthier. Not much oil is used in an air fryer, yet the machine keeps the heat circulating constantly which causes crispiness that the oven cannot replicate. They also do not take up much space, so kitchens of any size can store them easily.
While air fryers make crispy fried chicken, they can also make tons of other dishes. Novice cooks can take frozen prepared foods such as tater tots, french fries, or wings and make them taste freshly fried. More homemade dishes such as fried shrimp or pizza can be done in an air fryer, too!
To get this chicken super crispy in the air fryer, you’ll need a dredging process to coat the chicken before it is placed in the appliance. The chicken tenders are dipped in an egg mixture, then are coated in an almond flour/Parmesan cheese coating. The flour and cheese crisps up in the air fryer and the added spices send the chicken over the top with flavor.
When you’re ready to air fry, always be sure to keep olive oil spray on-hand. The olive oil spray is the only oil that enters the air fryer, so it is essential for creating the perfect texture on the outside of air-fried foods. Also essential for even cooking is to flip the chicken tenders halfway through cooking, just so that both sides are equally crisp.
Feel free to serve these alongside some keto ketchup or ranch dressing. You could also make buffalo chicken tenders by tossing in some homemade buffalo sauce after air frying. These keto air fryer chicken tenders are the perfect main course for any meal.
Pat dry your chicken with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.
In a shallow bowl, beat your eggs until they are homogenous.
In another shallow bowl, add the almond flour, cheese, Creole seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine.
Dip one tender at a time into the egg mixture, then the flour mixture, pressing to coat the chicken fully. Remove to a wire rack while you coat the rest of the chicken pieces. Allow the chicken to sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes so that the coating really adheres to the chicken.
Heat your air fryer to 375 degrees F. Be sure that your chicken tenders have room between them and are not touching. You may need to cook in batches if the air fryer is too crowded. Cook for 7 minutes, then flip the chicken. Cook for another 7-10 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked through.
Remove from the air fryer and serve with keto ketchup or ranch for dipping.
