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flourless fried chicken on a plate with biscuits in the background, all on a wooden table
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5 from 7 votes

Paleo and Gluten-Free Fried Chicken

An easy marinade and simple breading makes for juicy chicken in a crunchy, crispy coating. Plus it's Paleo, gluten free, dairy free, nut free and Whole30-friendly!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Marinating time1 day
Total Time1 day 1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 643kcal
Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

  • 1 (15 oz.) can full-fat coconut milk
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  • 4 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
  • 3 teaspoons black pepper, divided
  • 2½-4 lbs. bone-in or boneless chicken pieces (see notes)
  • 1.5 cups palm shortening
  • 1.5 cups refined coconut oil
  • 2 cups cassava flour

Instructions

To marinate the chicken:

  • Combine the coconut milk, vinegar/lemon juice, 2 tsp. fine sea salt and 1 tsp. black pepper in a large, resealable plastic bag or bowl. Add the chicken pieces (make sure to unfold boneless thighs, if using) and seal tightly. Flip the bag or bowl a few times so the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade. Let sit for 1 hour (at room temperature) or up to 24 hours (in the fridge; do not marinate longer than 24 hours).

To fry the chicken:

  • Bring the chicken to room temperature.
  • Heat the oven to 200-250°.
  • Line a baking sheet with a rack. Cover half the rack with paper towels.
  • Combine the palm shortening and coconut oil in a large, wide pot. Heat over medium-high heat until both fats are melted. Attach a thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure the tip is not touching the bottom of the pan (this will throw off the reading). Heat the fats until they reach 350°.
  • Meanwhile, combine the cassava flour, 2 tsp. salt and 2 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Use tongs to lift the chicken out of the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Toss half the chicken pieces with the flour, making sure they get evenly covered.
  • Once the fats have reached 350° (should take about 15-20 minutes), you can add 3-4 pieces of chicken or however much fits in your pot without touching each other or the thermometer. Whether using bone-in or boneless, add the breasts in the first batch. They're the biggest and will therefore need the most oil (the oil level will decrease as it cooks due to absorption and evaporation). Cook the pieces as follows, flipping each piece once halfway through with metal tongs. Cook white meat to 160° and dark meat to 170° on an instant read thermometer (make sure the thermometer is not touching the bone):
    - bone-in breasts: 20-25 minutes total
    - bone-in thighs, drumsticks and wings: 10-12 minutes total
    - boneless breasts: 15-20 minutes total
    - boneless thighs: 8-10 minutes total
  • While the first batch cooks, you can toss the other half of the chicken pieces in the flour. Discard the remaining marinade.
  • Once the pieces are cooked through, remove to the paper towels. Drain for a few minutes, then move the pieces to the part of the drying rack without paper towels and place the pan in the oven to keep warm while you cook the other pieces (if you leave them on the paper towels they'll get soggy). Bring the oil back to 350° before starting the next batch
  • Let the final pieces drain on the paper towels for a few minutes minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

You can use 1 whole chicken cut up into 8 parts, which is usually between 3-4 pounds. I usually buy one package of one whole chicken already cut up into 8 parts and then cut the breasts away from the bone so they cook faster.
If using boneless chicken breasts and/or thighs, aim for between 2.5-3.5 lbs. (about 8-10 pieces total, depending on their size).
The chicken will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze, place the fried chicken pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the sheet uncovered in the freezer.
Once the pieces are totally frozen (at least 1 hour), place them in a freezer-safe baggie or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
To reheat, place on a rack on a baking sheet in a 350 oven for 15-20 minutes. Note that it won't be quite as crispy as when first cooked.
Once the oil has cooled to room temperature, place a canning funnel on a mason jar, a sieve on the funnel and line the sieve with cheesecloth. Strain the oil into the mason jar. Store at room temperature, not in direct light. You can reuse and filter the oil to fry 2 more times and then discard.

Nutrition

Calories: 643kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 1686mg | Potassium: 377mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 3mg