Gluten Free Fried Chicken | Copycat KFC Chicken Recipe (Easy 60-Minute)

Cooking and Serving: 45 minutes | 10 pieces fried chicken

Ingredients

4 pounds bone-in raw chicken parts (no skin, if possible) | 1 cup (140 g) basic gum-free gluten free flour blend | 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) buttermilk, at room temperature

Description

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Servings: 10 pieces fried chicken

Ingredients

4 pounds bone-in raw chicken parts (no skin, if possible)

1 cup (140 g) basic gum-free gluten free flour blend

1 cup (8 fluid ounces) buttermilk, at room temperature

1 egg (50 g, weighed out of shell) at room temperature, beaten

1 1/4 cups (200 g) Panko-style gluten free bread crumbs

Cooking oil spray

Electric deep fryer or deep fry thermometer and large stock pot

4 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken parts, (I used 2 split chicken breasts and

1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) buttermilk

1 cup (224 g) plain yogurt, (or you can use 1 additional cup buttermilk in

2 cups (280 g) basic gum-free gluten free flour blend

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

1 ½ teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon dried parsley

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon chili powder

3 tablespoons (36 g) granulated sugar

Neutral oil, for frying (peanut oil is ideal, but a mixture of half canola

Instructions

EQUIPMENT

Electric deep fryer or deep fry thermometer and large stock pot.

INGREDIENTS

4 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken parts, (I used 2 split chicken breasts and.

INGREDIENTS

4 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken parts, (I used 2 split chicken breasts and.

Notes

* How to make gluten free fried chicken that tastes like KFC

* Storage suggestions

* Ingredient substitutions & selection

* How to make gluten free fried chicken without deep-frying it

* Gluten Free Fried Chicken | Copycat KFC Chicken Recipe

* Serving suggestions

THE BEST GLUTEN FREE FRIED CHICKEN (BETTER THAN KFC)

Is KFC chicken delicious? Absolutely.

Is KFC chicken gluten free? Absolutely not.

And for that one reason, I insist that my gluten free fried chicken is better.

Of course, that’s not the only reason. I’ve also got an irresistibly crunchy

coating and super moist meat to offer.

You might associate making fried chicken with lots of work, but again, mine is a

winner because it doesn’t require a ton of hands-on preparation. It does take a

little bit of time, but that’s because there’s marinating and frying to account

Once you bite into this incredible gluten free fried chicken, you’ll be blown

Can you eat gluten free at KFC? Sadly, no, but when you pair my awesome fried

chicken with popular KFC sides, and you’ll feel like you’re having takeout,

without ever having to leave your house.

* Chicken – I use split breasts and drumsticks when I make this KFC chicken

recipe at home, but you’re free to use any bone-in or boneless pieces you’d

* Buttermilk – The buttermilk tenderizes the chicken as it marinates, keeps it

moist, and imparts a lovely flavor.

* Yogurt – The thicker yogurt will stick to the chicken pieces as you remove

them from marinating and add to the seasoning. As the chicken rests before

frying, the coating will turn into a paste that won’t fall off during

* Gum-free gluten free flour blend

– It’s important that you use a blend that does not contain xanthan gum or

another substitute. I recommend you use the blend I describe in the recipe

below because it’s just perfect.

* Spices – We use a lot of spices to recreate the Colonel’s iconic blend. Of

course, you’re free to adjust slightly to match your tastes and preferences,

but even if there’s one element that isn’t a regular favorite of yours,

considering trying the blend as is just once.

* Oil – You need to have enough frying on hand as you may need to periodically

add more to the fryer depending on how much chicken you’re making. And be

sure to use a neutral oil (no flavor of its own) that has a high “smoke

point” so it doesn’t burn.

A close up gluten free fried chicken on white paper

close up gluten free fried chicken on white paper

HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE FRIED CHICKEN THAT TASTES LIKE KFC

How to fry chicken is the sort of thing that anyone who has ever done it has a

bunch of opinions about. This recipe for gluten free fried chicken KFC-style is

all about the blend of 11 herbs and spices (plus a touch of sugar—it really goes

a long way to making a truly delicious fried chicken!).

And yes—you do have to use a basic gum-free gluten free flour blend

you use an all purpose gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum

you’ll be very, very sorry with the gummy mess that you have on your hands (and

There isn’t much to making this chicken, beyond soaking it in buttermilk, and

then blending up the flours, herbs, and spices. But promise me you’ll read

through the whole recipe at least once before getting started?

It’s not very long and doesn’t have too many steps at all. But each ingredient

and each step is there for good reason.

Allowing the flour blend and spices coating to soak into the chicken for about

half an hour before frying really helps the coating stick to the skin, rather

than slide right off in the frying oil.

Maybe you’re spending the weekend at the beach (lucky you!) and want a picnic

(don’t forget the best gluten free pasta salad

Maybe you’re just looking for an extra special weekend meal.

Try serving up some of this gluten free fried chicken. It’s amazing right out of

the fryer, but some may say it’s even better piled into containers and eaten at

room temperature (or cold!) the next day. Let the celebrations begin!

MAKE YOUR SEASONING IN ADVANCE

There are a lot of great spices that make up my KFC seasoning recipe. Of course,

it doesn’t take a lot of effort to mix spices, but because there are so many of

them, it is a bit of a process.

To cut down on preparing gf fried chicken the next time the mood strikes,

consider making a big batch of seasoning and storing it for later. That way,

when the family is begging for chicken, you just have to pull the seasoning from

the pantry and move right on to the next step.

START THE PROCESS THE NIGHT BEFORE

For best results, my KFC chicken recipe calls for at least 4 hours of

marination. However, you can marinate overnight for even better flavor and to

Combine this tip with my make-in-advance seasoning one, and fried chicken can

easily become a fast, weekday dinner idea.

MONITOR THE FRYING OIL’S TEMPERATURE CAREFULLY

I understand being in a rush to get dinner on the table, but rushing and making

fried chicken don’t go together very well.

If you drop your chicken pieces into the oil before it’s hot enough, you risk

the coating falling off or the chicken absorbing too much oil.

But if you fry chicken in oil that’s too hot, the batter will brown and even

start to burn before the inside has enough time to cook.

Take it from me: Follow my temperature suggestions, monitor them regularly, and

CLEAN YOUR HOT OIL AS YOU FRY

As you fry your copycat gluten free Kentucky fried chicken, bits and pieces of

the coating will separate from the chicken. It won’t be a lot if you followed my

preparation tips to a tee, but those small fragments will continue to cook as

you remove cooked chicken and add new pieces.

To keep your oil from getting to sludgy, be sure to periodically remove these

bits (preferably before they burn!) using a spider ladle. You won’t get every

bit as some will be tiny, but do aim to pick out as much as you can.

Chicken before being fried on white surface

before being fried on white surface

It’s best to prepare and eat this gluten free fried chicken recipe on the same

day. The chicken will be its crispiest straight out of the fryer and then

progressively loose that delicious crunch.

If you do have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. When

it’s time to reheat, I recommend popping your chicken into the oven for 10-15

minutes or until heated through. This is the best way to restore some of the

If you’re in a rush, you can also reheat fried chicken in the microwave, but

beware that it won’t be nearly as crispy.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS & SELECTION

To turn this into a dairy free recipe, you need to substitute the buttermilk and

To swap out the buttermilk, you can make a blend of unsweetened non dairy milk

and non dairy plain yogurt. Use equal parts of each and mix well.

For the yogurt, just use the same non dairy plain yogurt you used in the

buttermilk substitute.

CHOOSING A GLUTEN FREE FLOUR MIXTURE

Personally, I’ve not tried making this KFC recipe with anything other than my

basic gum-free gluten free flour blend, which contains white rice flour, potato

starch, and tapioca starch. That’s primarily because this blend has been

However, if you do want to try something else, I’ll caution you that you want to

avoid any gums. This means that an all purpose flour won’t work; believe me,

you’ll have a gummy, mushy mess on your hands!

Overhead view of gluten free fried chicken on wire rack with tongs

view of gluten free fried chicken on wire rack with tongs

Is Kentucky Fried Chicken gluten free?

There are some gluten free options at KFC, such as its green beans, corn on the

cob, and uh… a few dipping sauces. So is KFC gluten free? Absolutely not if

you’re craving fried chicken, biscuits, mac and cheese, or even some fries.

Nearly everything at this restaurant contains wheat (including its grilled

chicken, which has a wheat flour-based seasoning sprinkled on it during the

cooking process), and cross-contamination is a major concern — so if you are

highly sensitive to gluten, it’s best that you just stay away.

What’s the best gluten free flour for fried chicken?

I recommend that you use a gum-free gluten free flour blend. This is flour

mixture that doesn’t contain xanthan gum or any substitute for it.

As we aren’t baking with the flour, we don’t need a binder. As it is, a binder

just makes a mess out of things. For perfect results, you just need white rice

flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch.

What’s the best chicken for making gluten free fried chicken?

For my gluten free KFC crispy chicken recipe, I use bone-in breasts and

drumsticks. However, you can make substitutions as needed. If you prefer

boneless chicken, use thighs. Be sure to monitor them carefully while frying as

boneless chicken cooks much faster.

If you want a crispier coating, consider removing the skin from the chicken,

blotting the meat dry as much as possible, and applying the coating right to the

What’s the best oil for frying gluten free fried chicken?

Any neutral oil with a high smoke point will work for frying gluten free fried

Personally, I like to use peanut oil, but you can also use a blend of canola oil

and vegetable shortening.

Only have vegetable oil on hand? That will work just fine too.

Can I prepare this recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken in an air fryer?

No, not with the gluten free fried chicken recipe as written, because this

chicken’s coating is specifically designed for frying. The chicken has to be

completely surrounded baked “fried” chicken recipe option below in an air fryer. Be sure to spray the

raw coated chicken very liberally with cooking oil spray when you get to that

step of the baked recipe below.

Can I use breadcrumbs rather than flour for this KFC extra crispy recipe?

I designed and thoroughly tested this KFC recipe using a gum-free gluten free

flour. You won’t get the same results if you try to substitute breadcrumbs — the

texture will be completely different, and the breadcrumbs will probably burn

before the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Breadcrumbs are used in a different

manner if you want to bake the chicken instead of deep-frying it. See those

How do I keep the gluten free coating from falling off the chicken?

Here a few tips for keeping your flour mixture on the chicken and not the bottom

After coating the chicken in the faux KFC fried chicken batter, be sure to let

it sit for 30 minutes. This will allow the buttermilk mixture and seasoning to

form a thick paste that will stick to your chicken.

Don’t ovecrowd your fryer as the coating will fall off as the chicken pieces

move against one another.

Flip your gluten free fried chicken pieces using tongs and gentle pressure. Turn

each chicken piece one at a time.

Leave your fried chicken on a cooling rack to cool. This will further help

strengthen the coating.

How do you know when gluten free KFC chicken is done cooking?

The only way to be certain that your gluten free fried chicken is done is to use

a thermometer. Your chicken is ready when each piece reads at least 165°F.

You can’t rely on visual appearance when frying chicken as the coating will

darken faster if your heat is too high, even if the inside still needs more

time. For this reason, don’t try to rush the process: Set your temperatures as I

describe, and keep that thermometer handy.

Chicken parts in white flour mixture, then in yellow buttermilk and egg mixture,

then light brown unbaked on wire rack and darker brown baked on wire rack

parts in white flour mixture, then in yellow buttermilk and egg mixture, then

light brown unbaked on wire rack and darker brown baked on wire rack

HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE FRIED CHICKEN WITHOUT DEEP-FRYING IT

If you really want the taste of KFC but you don’t want to go through the time

and trouble of deep-frying it, you can bake your “fried” chicken in the oven

with similar results. The herbs and spices are the same as in the fried chicken

recipe below, but the coating ingredients are slightly different.

THE SUBSTITUTE INGREDIENTS YOU’LL FOR BAKED GLUTEN FREE “FRIED” CHICKEN

You need the same same spices (freshly ground black pepper, kosher salt, smoked

Spanish paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, dried parsley, ground cumin, ground

cinnamon, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and granulated sugar) in

In place of the chicken, buttermilk, yogurt, and flour blend that you see below

for fried chicken, you’ll need the following ingredients:

* 4 pounds bone-in raw chicken parts (no skin, if possible)

* 1 cup (140 g) basic gum-free gluten free flour blend

(92 g superfine white rice flour + 31 g potato starch + 17 g tapioca

* 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) buttermilk, at room temperature

* 1 egg (50 g, weighed out of shell) at room temperature, beaten

* 1 1/4 cups (200 g) Panko-style gluten free bread crumbs

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR BAKED GLUTEN FREE “FRIED” CHICKEN

The chicken is prepared differently when you bake it, rather than frying it,

since you want it skinless, but bone-in. And rather than letting the chicken

soak in a buttermilk and yogurt mixture, and then sit in a flour mixture, you

will set up a dipping station and dip the chicken parts first in flour, then in

a buttermilk and egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs mixed with the spices. Here’s

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with

unbleached parchment paper, place a wire rack on top and spray the rack

light with cooking oil to grease. Set the pan aside.

2. If you only have skin-on chicken, just carefully pull off the skin and

3. If you have any large pieces of chicken like bone-in breasts, use poultry

shears or a very sharp knife to slice them in half horizontally, through

4. Set up a dipping station for coating the chicken three times before placing

it on a lined prepared baking sheet/wire rack.

5. In a medium-size shallow bowl or pan, place the basic gum-free flour blend.

6. Next to it, place the buttermilk and eggs, and beat to combine well.

7. Finally, in a separate, medium-size bowl or pan, place the bread crumbs,

and all the spices from the recipe below, and mix to combine well.

8. Dip the prepared chicken pieces first in the flour blend, coating evenly on

9. Next, dip the floured chicken in the egg and buttermilk mixture, allowing

any excess to drip off

10. Finally, place the chicken in the bread crumb and spice mixture, pressing

the chicken down firmly on both sides to ensure that the bread crumbs

adhere to the chicken on all sides.

11. Place the chicken pieces about 1 inch apart from one another on the wire

rack in the prepared baking sheet.

12. Spray the prepared chicken pieces lightly with cooking oil spray.

13. Place the chicken in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 50

minutes, or until golden brown all over and breasts have reached 165°F on

an instant read thermometer and thighs/drumsticks have reached 175°F.

14. Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to sit for a few minutes before

Browned and breaded baked chicken parts on a metal tray lined in parchment with

and breaded baked chicken parts on a metal tray lined in parchment with a wire

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GLUTEN FREE FRIED CHICKEN | COPYCAT KFC CHICKEN RECIPE

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Marinating and resting time: 5 hours hrs

Yield: 10 pieces fried chicken

gluten free fried chicken square image

free fried chicken square image

Enjoy gluten free fried chicken that tastes just like KFC when you follow this

recipe. I’m sure you’ll agree that this gluten free KFC chicken recipe is a

* Electric deep fryer or deep fry thermometer and large stock pot

* 4 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken parts, (I used 2 split chicken breasts and

* 1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) buttermilk

* 1 cup (224 g) plain yogurt, (or you can use 1 additional cup buttermilk in

* 2 cups (280 g) basic gum-free gluten free flour blend

(184 g superfine white rice flour + 62 g potato starch + 34 g tapioca

starch/flour) (yes, you do have to use this blend!)

* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

* 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

* 1 ½ teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika

* ½ teaspoon dried oregano

* ½ teaspoon dried thyme

* ½ teaspoon dried parsley

* ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

* ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

* ½ teaspoon onion powder

* ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

* ¼ teaspoon chili powder

* 3 tablespoons (36 g) granulated sugar

* Neutral oil, for frying (peanut oil is ideal, but a mixture of half canola

oil and half nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening works very well, too)

* In a large, zip-top bag or large bowl, place the chicken parts, buttermilk

and yogurt, and stir to coat the chicken parts fully. Squeeze out all the air

if using a zip-top bag before sealing the bag. If using a bowl, cover the

bowl tightly with plastic wrap.

* Place the chicken in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 and up to 16

* Once the chicken has finished marinating, in a medium-size bowl, place the

flour blend, pepper, salt, paprika, oregano, thyme, parsley, cumin, cinnamon,

onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and sugar, and whisk to combine

* Pour all the dry ingredients into a large, zip-top bag.

* Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

* Remove the chicken parts from the marinade, about 2 at a time, and place in

the bag of dry ingredients, seal the bag and shake to coat the chicken parts

* Remove the chicken from the dry ingredients and place on the prepared baking

* Allow the coated chicken to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to

allow the dry ingredients to form a thick paste on the chicken. This will

help the coating stick to the chicken during frying.

* While the chicken is sitting, prepare the frying oil 3-inches of frying oil in a large, heavy-bottom pot, Dutch oven, or deep

* Clip a deep-fry/candy thermometer to the side of the pot or fryer, and place

the oil over medium-high heat. Bring the oil temperature to 350°F.

* Place the coated chicken parts in the hot oil, taking care not to crowd the

oil. To prevent the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the pot, hold each

piece with tongs or a spider in the hot oil just above the bottom for about a

minute to allow the bottom skin of the chicken to seal.

* Fry until golden brown all over, about 7 minutes on each side.

* Turn the heat down to bring the oil temperature to 325°F and allow the

chicken to continue to cook until the internal temperature of each piece

reaches nearly 165°F (about 10 minutes more).

* Place the chicken on a wire rack placed over paper towels to drain and cool

On preparing the raw chicken parts.

For easier frying, and easier eating, try slicing each split chicken breast in

half while it’s still on the bone. A large sharp knife and a swift motion will

To make baked “fried” chicken instead of traditional deep-fried gluten free