Crunchy Plantain Chicken (Paleo, Gluten-Free)

Crunchy Plantain Chicken features juicy chicken coated in a crunchy plantain chip crust!

It takes just minutes to prepare, is completely gluten-free and can even be frozen ahead of time.

Note: This recipe was published on July 19, 2019, but photos were updated July 16, 2022.

pounded chicken fillets coated in crushed chips on white plates on a white wooden table next to blue and white napkins, silverware and a brown bowl of plantain chips

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Why this recipe works

Once you remove flour from your life, you start to get creative about all the ways to replace it.

So instead of regular breaded chicken, let’s use plantain chips! They’re crunchy AND crispy, so they make the perfect crunchy, crispy coating on this Crunchy Plantain Chicken.

Plantains are related to the banana but starchier. And while they’re not AS sweet as a banana, they can be a little sweet.

So this is really Crunchy Plantain CHIP Chicken?

OK, you got me. Yes. But it turns out no one searches for “crunchy plantain chip chicken” and everyone just types “crunchy plantain chicken” or maybe “plantain crusted chicken” and I want this gloriously crunchy chicken to reach as many people as possible. So if you came here expecting chicken somehow coated with whole plantains (like in a paste, I guess? How would that even work?), I’m so sorry to disappoint you.

BUT! Stick around. Because this couldn’t be easier.

Most “breading” techniques have you set up 3 pans: flour, egg, then flour again or some other final coating. We’re streamlining this to 2 pans: egg and the chips.

Plus we’re throwing some spices into the chips to bump up the flavor even more. So your chicken can go from pan to pan to stove in mere moments with less mess.

Feel free to cut the chicken into strips to turn this into crunchy plantain chicken fingers. Those would be great!

gluten-free chicken coated in chips on white plates next to silverware and a bowl of chips

What you need

Ingredients:

4-5 oz. plantain chips (I use these plantain chips)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
2-4 tablespoons avocado oil or ghee
1-1½ pounds (about 3) boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets (or chicken breasts pounded thin between two sheets of plastic wrap)

Equipment:

a food processor, rolling pin or small skillet (for crushing the chips)
2 wide, shallow pans, such as pie plates or cake pans
measuring spoons
a large nonstick skillet (12″)
2 plates for before and after cooking the chicken
cooking tongs

How to make Crunchy Plantain Chicken

Step 1: Pulse the plantain chips in a food processor until you have rubbly crumbs. You don’t want large chunks or too fine of a powder.

Alternately, cut off a corner of the chips’ bag to let the air out, place the bag on a cutting board and use a rolling pin or small skillet to crush the chips.

Step 2: Break the egg into a wide, shallow pan with ½ teaspoon salt and whisk until it becomes liquid.

Step 3: In another wide, shallow pan, mix the chips, 1½ teaspoons salt, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika.

Step 4: Heat two tablespoons avocado oil or ghee in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.

Step 5: Use one hand to coat one chicken fillet with the egg and then gently drop it into the chip pan. Use your other hand to gentle press the chicken into the chips, flip it and press on the other side. Be sure to press the chips up the sides of the chicken, too. (By switching hands like this, it helps prevent your fingers from becoming coated in everything.)

Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Occasionally shake the chip pan to redistribute everything into an even layer.

Step 6: Once the oil is hot (it should shimmer and run quickly around the pan when you swirl it), add the chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side and remove to a new plate. Depending on the size of your skillet you might have to do this in batches.

Make sure the oil isn’t getting too hot by the time you add the second batch. Turn the heat down a bit if necessary.

Paleo chicken covered in crushed plantain chips on a white plate with silverware next to a brown bowl of plantain chips

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I make substitutions?

This recipe can be doubled. If you want to make sure the chicken is warm when serving, place the cooked chicken in one layer on a baking sheet in a low oven while you cook more batches. Keep an eye on the temperature of the oil as you cook all the batches.

Feel free to add your own spices, like cumin, coriander, black pepper, ginger, etc.

You can add cayenne powder if you want to make it spicy.

The chip coating would also be great on thin pork chops.

You could also use coconut oil as your cooking fat but might impart a subtle coconut flavor.

Can I make Crunchy Plantain Chicken ahead of time?

The chicken can be coated ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. If cooking it straight from the fridge, add 1-2 minutes per side. Slice into the middle of one to make sure it’s cooked through. Or use an instant read thermometer to make sure it reaches 165°.

Once cooked, Crunchy Plantain Chicken is best eaten immediately. Leftovers get soggy and there’s no great way to make them crunchy again.

You can make the chip and spice mixture ahead of time and store it at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Can I freeze Crunchy Plantain Chicken?

To freeze it ahead of time, place the coated chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen, wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer-safe container. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight or cook straight from frozen, adding 3-4 minutes per side. Slice into the middle of one to make sure it’s cooked through (or use an instant read thermometer to make sure it reaches 165°).

Is Crunchy Plantain Chicken low carb?

Good question! It’s hard to say due to the fact that we’re crushing the chips down to a crunchy rubble. There’s no way to tell exactly how much gets on your chicken but let’s do some math anyway.

I use these plantain chips most of the time. There’s 85 grams of carbs in the whole bag. Divide that by 3 chicken breasts and it’s about 28 grams per serving. BUT I’ve never been able to get ALL the chip crumbs on the chicken; there’s usually some left in the dredging pan. So it’s really less than 28 grams but how much less I don’t know.

And that’s where our math lesson ends. Phew! My brain hurts. My point is, do what’s right for you. Although I personally think what’s right for you is juicy chicken coated in a crunchy, crispy, salty, savory shell.

And I happen to be right.

What to serve with Crunchy Plantain Chicken

I would definitely top these with my Bacon Pineapple Guacamole because: duh.

My usual answer: I love me some mashed root veggies and they work very well here. I particularly like this chicken with mashed sweet potatoes or mashed carrots. The slight sweetness of the veggies plays well with the chicken.

But roast sweet potatoes, carrots sautéed in ghee or grass-fed butter, bell peppers or garlicky greens would also be delicious.

Sliced atop a salad, kinda like in these pictures here, would also be a tasty delight.

I’d also be VERY tempted to dip it into, oh, say, a Tequila Pineapple Barbecue Sauce. You can thank me later.

Other recipes you might like

Crunchy Plantain Chicken

Don Baiocchi

Juicy chicken is coated in a crunchy, crispy, salty shell. This Crunchy Plantain Chicken is so easy you'll be adding it to your weeknight dinner menu in no time.

5 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 16

Total Time 26

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings people

Calories 582 kcal

Ingredients

4-5 oz. plantain chips
1 large egg
2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon regular or smoked paprika
2-4 tablespoons avocado oil or ghee
1-1½ pounds (about 3) boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets or chicken breasts pounded thin between two sheets of plastic wrap

Instructions

Pulse the chips in a food processor until you have rubbly crumbs. You don't want a fine powder or large chunks. To do this by hand, snip off a corner of the bag to let air out, place the bag on a cutting board use the bottom of a skillet or rolling pin to crush the chips. You can also crush them by hand in the bag. Either way, keep checking the chips to make sure you're crushing down any large chunks.
Break the egg into a wide, shallow pan, like a big pie plate or even a cake pan. Whisk with ½ teaspoon salt until liquid.
In another wide, shallow pan, mix the chips, 1½ teaspoon salt, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika.
Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil or ghee in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
Use one hand to coat one chicken breast with egg on both sides and gently drop it into the chip pan. Use the other hand to press the chicken into the chips, flip it and press on the other side. (This technique will help your fingers not become completely coated in everything.) Be sure to press chips onto the sides of the chicken. Remove to a plate and repeat the process with the rest of the chicken. Occasionally shake the chip pan to redistribute everything into an even layer.
Once the oil is hot (it should be shimmering and quickly run around the pan when you swirl it), add the chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side and remove to a new plate. Depending on the size of the skillet you might have to do this in batches, adding more oil as necessary. Make sure the oil isn't getting too hot by the time the second batch goes in. Turn the heat down a bit if necessary.
If the pan is relatively dry between batches, you can also carefully wipe the crumbs out of the pan with a paper towel before adding more oil.

Notes

This recipe can be doubled. If you want to make sure the chicken is warm when serving, place the cooked chicken in a low oven while you cook more batches. Keep an eye on the temperature of the oil.

Make ahead

To freeze it ahead of time, place the coated chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen, wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer-safe container.

You can freeze it for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight or cook straight from frozen, adding 3-4 minutes per side. Slice into the middle of one to make sure it’s cooked through (or make sure it reaches 165° on an instant read thermometer).

Once cooked, Crunchy Plantain Chicken is best eaten immediately. Leftovers get soggy and there’s no great way to make them crunchy again.

You can make the chip and spice mixture ahead of time and store it at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Substitutions and variations

Feel free to add your own spices, like cumin, coriander, black pepper, ginger, etc.
You can add cayenne powder if you want to make it spicy.
The chip coating would also be great on thin pork chops.
You could also use coconut oil as your cooking fat but might impart a subtle coconut flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 582kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 50gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 207mgSodium: 1905mgPotassium: 1130mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 158IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg

Keyword chicken, plantains

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