How to make Gluten Free Fried Chicken (Perfectly Crispy)

This gluten-free fried chicken recipe calls for only a few ingredients to produce deliciously juicy chicken with a crispy, seasoned breading.

It tastes just like classic fried chicken but is free of gluten. It’s also simple to make dairy-free!

Why Is This Recipe So Delicious?

• The gluten-free breading gets extremely crispy while the chicken stays incredibly moist. This is everything you could desire in a traditional fried chicken recipe, but gluten-free!
• Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper are used to season the breading on this fried chicken. The buttermilk marinade contains a small amount of hot sauce, but don’t be alarmed. This recipe isn’t hot unless you want it to be.
• No need for a deep fryer! The chicken is wonderfully fried in a dutch oven or a big cast-iron pan in this recipe.
• Combine this gluten-free fried chicken with honey-glazed gluten-free cornbread, air-fried okra (made with gluten-free flour), mashed potatoes, and green beans for a delicious gluten-free comfort supper.

Important Ingredients

Chicken — We’re using drumsticks and bone-in thighs this time, but the breading in this recipe can also be used on chicken breasts or tenders.

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour — The breading’s foundation. It gives the chicken a lovely golden-brown coating that doesn’t break off while frying.

Cornstarch is a simple but useful ingredient. Cornstarch will provide extra crispiness and flavor to your gluten-free fried chicken. Don’t forget about it!

Chef’s Advice

• Before you add the battered chicken to the pan, it must be completely hot. If it isn’t, the breading will soak in the oil rather than crisp up. Use a candy/deep frying thermometer to determine when the temperature hits 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If the oil sizzles when you throw a little flour on it, it’s ready!
• The temperature of the oil will decrease somewhat after adding the chicken, so keep an eye on it and adjust the heat on the stove as needed to keep it at 350° Fahrenheit. If you raise the temperature above 375°F, the chicken (or the oil) will burn before it is fully cooked.
• Because the gluten free fried chicken will not be sitting in excess oil, draining it on a wire rack will result in crispier breading than laying it straight on paper towels. However, because the rack will spill oil, make sure to cover it with a thick layer of paper towels.
• Before immersing the chicken in buttermilk, season it with salt and pepper. You can also marinate the chicken for a few hours in the buttermilk mixture before dredging and frying it.
• Double dipping is a great way to get extremely crispy chicken. The chicken is dipped in buttermilk, dredged in flour, dredged again, and then fried in hot oil. Before removing the chicken from the oil, ensure sure it is fully cooked.

Gluten Free Fried Chicken

This gluten-free fried chicken recipe calls for only a few ingredients to produce deliciously juicy chicken with a crispy, seasoned breading. It tastes just like classic fried chicken but is free of gluten. It’s also simple to make dairy-free!

Ingredients

• 4 chicken drumsticks
• 4 chicken thighs
• oil of choice for frying

For the Buttermilk Marinade

• 2 cups buttermilk see Notes
• 1 egg
• 1-2 tablespoons hot sauce to taste

For the Breading

• 1 ½ leveled cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon onion powder
• ¼ tablespoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Equipment

• Large bowls (2)
• Whisk
• Dutch oven (or deep cast-iron skillet)
• Wire cooling rack
• Paper towels
• Internal thermometer
• Tongs

Instructions For Gluten-Free Fried Chicken

1. Combine buttermilk, egg, and spicy sauce in a mixing bowl.
2. Combine flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt in a separate bowl.
3. Preheat 1″ of oil in a dutch oven or cast-iron skillet to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Over a thick layer of paper towels, place a wire cooling rack.
4. Dip each piece of chicken in the buttermilk mixture completely, then dredge in the flour mixture, fully coating all sides of the chicken pieces.
5. Place 3-4 pieces of chicken in a heated skillet or dutch oven, but don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook for 15 minutes, flipping chicken every 2 minutes, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 160-162 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Transfer the fried chicken to a wire cooling rack with tongs. As the chicken sits, it will reach room temperature. Continue until all of the chicken pieces are cooked. Serve hot.

Notes

• Remove the dairy: Instead of buttermilk, use non-dairy milk and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar.

This recipe serves around 4 people. Your desired portion sizes will determine the number of servings.

The nutritional values given are for one serving out of four using the ingredients mentioned and are approximate. The exact macros will vary depending on the brands and types of ingredients utilized.

Prepare the recipe as directed to get the weight of one serving. Weigh the final recipe, then divide the weight (not including the weight of the container in which the food is stored) by four. The weight of one serving will be the result.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 874kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 47g, Fat: 52g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g, Monounsaturated Fat: 25g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 265mg, Sodium: 1584mg, Potassium: 695mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 730IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 201mg, Iron: 4mg, Net Carbs: 51g