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Crispy crackly Easy Keto Fried Chicken Thighs are the most delicious, juicy chicken thighs you’ll ever make! These keto fried chicken thighs taste rich and breaded – with almost no carbs and no flour, gluten, or grains!
This chicken is so delicious even my kids who normally don’t love chicken thighs gobbled it up in seconds! Since we’re using chicken thighs, there’s less risk of drying the chicken out… but this method results in perfect, juicy chicken every time.
Don’t want all the extras in a recipe post? We provide a skip to recipe button in the top left corner, as well as a clickable table of contents, just below, to help make this page easier to navigate.
At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
Table of Contents
How to Make Buttery Keto Fried Chicken Thighs
There is nothing better than crispy, crunchy, crackly fried chicken – it is just heaven on a plate. The only problem with frying chicken at home is it can be such a pain – and I am a fan of simple, un-fussy recipes that don’t require a ton of prep. This chicken is delicious, crunchy, and so easy – with only a few ingredients!
Fried Chicken Thighs Ingredients
First assemble the following ingredients:
- Chicken (1.5 lbs) – Juicy chicken thighs become incredibly tender and flavorful while staying perfectly moist inside with a crispy keto-friendly crust outside.
- Butter, ghee/clarified (2 tbsp) – Butter or clarified ghee adds rich flavor and helps the chicken develop a deeply golden, crispy exterior while frying.
- Salt and pepper (to taste) – Simple salt and pepper enhance the natural savory flavor of the chicken and balance the richness of the buttery keto coating.
Steps to Make Gluten Free Fried Chicken Thighs
Once you have assembled the ingredients, use this method:
Prep Chicken. Lay chicken thighs out on a cutting board, and using sharp kitchen scissors, cut out bone from thigh. Remove bones (save them for chicken stock if you make your own!) Pound chicken flat and make sure they are very dry, pat with paper towel if needed.
Season. Generously salt and pepper meat side of chicken (don’t salt fat side, as it can easily burn).
Heat Pan. Heat a cast iron (or heavy) pan on high heat, so it is scorching hot (but not smoking). Reduce heat to medium-high. Add ghee/butter to pan, and let melt.
Fry Chicken. Add chicken to pan, starting with the fat side down. Let fat crisp and chicken brown, about 7 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until 165 degrees internal temp – about 6 minutes. Let rest 2-5 minutes and pat off any excess butter softly with a paper towel. If desired, cut chicken into strips, Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks to Perfect Keto Chicken THighs
Turn. Turn the chicken halfway through cooking to ensure even browning and crispiness on all sides.
Rest. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes after cooking to keep the juices inside the meat instead of running out when cut.
Heat. Add cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, or hot sauce to the seasoning mix for a spicy Nashville-style keto fried chicken flavor.
Add Cheese. Freshly grated parmesan works better than shelf-stable canned parmesan for the crispiest coating and best flavor.
Use Egg. If the coating isn’t sticking well, lightly dab the chicken with beaten egg before pressing it into the keto breading mixture.
Rest on Rack. Use a wire rack instead of paper towels after frying so the crust stays crispy instead of steaming underneath.
Reheat. Reheat leftovers in the oven or air fryer instead of the microwave to bring back the crispy texture.
More Keto Favorites
This recipe is an awesome base for other delicious keto foods – try some of my favorite ideas below! Also try my favorite keto naan breads and keto ham and cheese rolls.
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Easy Keto Fried Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs, medium-large bone-in skin on
- 2 tbsp butter, ghee/clarified
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Lay chicken thighs out on a cutting board, and using sharp kitchen scissors, cut out bone from thigh.
- Remove bones (save them for chicken stock if you make your own!)
- Pound chicken flat and make sure they are very dry, pat with paper towel if needed.
- Generously salt and pepper meat side of chicken (don’t salt fat side, as it can easily burn).
- Heat a cast iron (or heavy) pan on high heat, so it is scorching hot (but not smoking).
- Reduce heat to medium-high.
- Add ghee/butter to pan, and let melt.
- Add chicken to pan, starting with the fat side down.
- Let fat crisp and chicken brown, about 7 minutes.
- Flip chicken and cook until 165 degrees internal temp – about 6 minutes.
- Let rest 2-5 minutes and pat off any excess butter softly with a paper towel.
- If desired, cut chicken into strips.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Simple Fried Chicken Thigh FAQs
Yes! Air frying is one of the easiest ways to make keto fried chicken crispy with less oil. Cook until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Absolutely. Baking works great for a lighter option, use a wire rack on a baking sheet to help the hot air circulate around the chicken.
Chicken thighs stay juicy and flavorful thanks to their higher fat content, making them perfect for keto cooking.
Yes! The same keto breading works with drumsticks, wings, tenders, or chicken breasts just adjust cooking times as needed.
Use a meat thermometer and cook until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F.
Yes! Keto coatings can become incredibly crunchy, especially when air fried or pan fried properly.
Yes. Let the chicken cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
I’ve tried using baking powder to make wings, and it works well! I have also tried this with thighs; those who haven’t heard of baking powder’s ability to provide a satisfying crunch without loading up on carbs are in for a treat.
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Oh ya baking powder is the way to go!
Well baking powders #1 ingredient is corn starch, so rightfully so! I’d use it sparingly for keto.
Made this tonight for dinner & was huge hit! Tastes like fried chicken! I love the crispy skin & it’s so juicy!!
So easy! One of my husband and I’s favorite recipes! Defiantly a keeper
Can this be made with skinless chicken?
It can – but for this recipe we’re using the skin to get a crispy crackle-y crunch since it isn’t breaded. It will still be crazy delicious, but without the skin, there won’t be any crunch. 😉
Made this with bone in chicken thighs and did not remove the bone. It was still amazing and my family loved it. Will definately make again and maybe next time, remove the bone.
Question- I’m currently clarifying my butter right now, but I just realized that I only have drumsticks, will this work the same with drumsticks?
Hey Maria!
It will, you’ll just need to watch the temperature of the drumsticks to cook them all the way through. If they crisp up and havent reached 165 degrees internally with a meat thermometer, bake them the rest of the way at 350 degrees (I prefer to do it on a cooling rack so they don’t sit in grease and get soggy) and it will be delicious!
This was excellent! I made it exactly as written and it came out perfectly. I love boneless skin on chicken thighs. They are a perfect keto dish.