Easy Gluten-Free Fried Chicken
Move over KFC, this homemade gluten-free buttermilk fried chicken is now allergy friendly and even more delicious. Ultra crispy and filled with flavour, not to mention gluten-free and dairy-free!
Servings: 10 pieces
Calories: 710kcal
Ingredients
- 5 medium-sized chicken breasts (1.3kg)
- 2 cups (dairy-free) milk I use almond milk
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour I use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (blue bag)
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- 2 cups avocado oil
- 2 tablespoon flakey sea salt
Spice Mix
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1½ teaspoon oregano
- 1½ teaspoon paprika
- 1½ teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- One at a time, place a chicken breast on your cutting board. Slice off the tender and set aside. Cover the breast with plastic wrap and gently but firmly beat with a meat tenderizing mallet until it is an even thickness, about ½". Slice the flattened breast in half width-wise to create 2 sandwich-sized pieces. Place the chicken breast and the tender in a large container with a lid. Repeat with the remaining 4 chicken breasts.
- Prepare the dairy-free buttermilk marinade by whisking together the dairy-free milk and the white vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes. It will appear slightly thicker. Pour into the container with the chicken and ensure all pieces are mostly covered. Place the lid on the container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Bread the chicken
- Place the avocado oil in a large, wide skillet. Turn the heat to medium and allow the oil to heat up.
- In the meantime, prepare to bread the chicken. Remove the chicken container from the fridge. In a large bowl or deep plate, mix together the gluten-free flour, cornstarch, and spices. Ensure it is thoroughly combined. Take 6-8 tablespoons of the buttermilk from the chicken and add it to the flour mixture. Use a fork to mix it around. The liquid will form flour chunks that will get ultra crispy when fried on the chicken.
- Using tongs, a fork, or your hands, take 1 piece of chicken out of the buttermilk and place in the flour. Press to ensure the flour mixture sticks, then flip and repeat on the other side. Place the chicken back in the buttermilk, flipping to coat both sides, and place in the flour a second time. Press the flour into both sides of the chicken, then place on a plate to prepare for frying. Begin by preparing enough chicken to fit 1 batch in the frying skillet, then continue to bread all the chicken.
Fry the chicken
- Once you've breaded enough chicken for 1 batch in your skillet, check that the oil is hot enough by dropping a small amount of flour in the oil. If it sizzles gently and begins to brown, you're good to go.
- Use tongs to place as many chicken pieces as will fit in the skillet, ensuring they do not touch. Cook for 6-7 minutes until the bottom is golden, then flip and cook for an additional 6-7 minutes. The buttermilk marinade will keep the chicken juicy and lower the risk of overcooking. Tenders will take less time than the breast pieces.
- When the batch is finished, remove chicken to a wire rack set over a paper towel. I like to put a large baking sheet underneath. Immediately hit the top of the chicken with flakey sea salt. Repeat with as many batches as needed; I do about 3 batches with a 12" skillet. Allow the chicken to rest for at least 5-10 minutes before eating—it will be hot!
Serving
- Serve the fried chicken as is with some plum sauce or ketchup, or create a fried chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayonnaise on a gluten-free bun. Enjoy any way you like!
Notes
Storage Instructions
Allow uneaten fried chicken to cool completely on the wire rack. Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days. When ready to eat, reheat the fried chicken at 375ºF in an air fryer for about 5-7 minutes, or in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy as you like!
Nutrition
Calories: 710kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 22.3g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 8.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 34g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 66.7mg | Sodium: 1980mg | Potassium: 327mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2.5g | Vitamin A: 106IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 1.2mg