Fried Chicken
It took a long time for me to crack a low carb version of this one. Whey Protein turned out to be the secret.
Pan frying works best for this, to ensure the whey protein is properly browned and you get that satisfying fried chicken crunch.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4–6 skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks
- 2 tsp kosher salt
Mayonnaise Coating
Mayonnaise tends to work better than an egg coating.
- 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
- 1 tbs yellow mustard
- Generous pinches of garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper
- Pinch of black pepper
Coating
- whey protein isolate
Method
Prep
- Salt the chicken and refrigerate uncovered overnight.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Blend the mayonnaise with the other coating ingredients. If making your own mayonnaise, you can incorporate the ingredients directly while blending the mayonnaise.
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Coat the chicken lightly with the mayonnaise mixture and set aside for 10-60 minutes to let set.
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Sprinkle a generous amount of whey protein on the chicken, pressing it into the mayonnaise mixture. You need enough so that the whey protein will be able to develop a crust. Refrigerate until the whey protein is disappearing into the coating, up to overnight.
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In a skillet, bring ¼–½ inch oil to around 350°F.
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Fry each side of the chicken until nicely browned and the chicken releases from the pan (be careful not to burn it, as whey protein can burn quickly).
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Once chicken is browned, check the temperature — if it's below 160°F, place the chicken in the oven and bake until the interior reaches 160°F.
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Rest 5 minutes before serving.