Gluten Free Fried Chicken

We’ve all seen the big debate: whose chicken sandwich is better, Popeye’s or Chick Fil A? But for those of us who can’t have gluten, we just wish we could eat anyone’s fried chicken sandwich, am I right?! Heck, we can’t even eat the grilled chicken at KFC because it contains gluten. So I set out on a mission to create the perfect gluten free fried chicken recipe that can be eaten on its own or put on a gluten free bun with some pickles and mayo and eaten as a sandwich.
This recipe uses simple ingredients, but it packs the most incredible flavors and texture. I credit some of the flavor to my sister who said she soaks her chicken in a buttermilk marinade with hot sauce for a few hours before breading it. I had to run with that idea, and it paid off! Whenever someone says they never would have guessed this recipe is gluten free and they go back for seconds, I know I’ve hit a home run, and my hubby said I knocked this one out of the park!
What ingredients you need to make southern fried chicken:
- Thinly sliced chicken breasts
- Buttermilk
- Hot sauce
- Kentucky Kernel Gluten Free Seasoned Flour or gluten-free flour (see below)
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
Ingredient Substitutions
If your grocery store doesn’t carry Kentucky Kernel flour, you can pick up any all purpose flour blend. When baking, you want to choose a flour blend with xanthan gum in it, but for the crispy coating on this fried chicken, any gluten free all purpose flour or rice flour will work. The key is seasoning it well! Kentucky Kernel is already seasoned, making it the best gluten-free flour for this recipe. I don’t recommend using almond flour or coconut flour for this recipe because they don’t give the crisp coating we’re shooting for.
Avocado oil is my favorite oil for frying. It has a mild, neutral flavor and high smoke point. You can use your favorite oil for this recipe, including vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. I don’t recommend olive oil for frying.
Traditional fried chicken is made with bone-in chicken breasts, thighs, and legs, but you can use any cut of chicken you’d like for this recipe. The breading and buttermilk make great chicken tenders as well. If you can’t find thinly sliced pieces of chicken, you can filet regular chicken breasts or use chicken strips.
This gluten free recipe for chicken is also egg free. You’ll notice there’s no egg mixture because the buttermilk helps the flour blend adhere to the chicken.
Dairy Free
It’s easy to make this recipe dairy free! Use dairy-free buttermilk or full fat coconut milk. Please keep in mind that using coconut milk will give the chicken a slight coconut flavor.
How to make the best fried chicken
- Add buttermilk and hot sauce to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the chicken, make sure it’s coated with the buttermilk mixture, cover with plastic wrap or a lid, and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours prior to cooking. Think of it as a spa treatment for your chicken!
- Add the oil to a large frying pan or deep fryer. Heat oil over medium or medium-high heat. It’s important to use lower heat for the oil when using a thicker cut of chicken. That way you get crispy chicken that is golden and cooked through. Thinly sliced chicken cooks more quickly and can handle a little bit higher oil temperature. You want to bring the oil to a simmer, not a boil. Adjust the temperature as needed.
- Mix flour and spices (paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper) in a separate bowl or shallow dish. If using gluten free all-purpose flour, you’ll want to increase the salt to 1 teaspoon and add another 1/2 teaspoon of each spice.
- Dip buttermilk-coated chicken in flour mixture, making sure to coat well. Shake off excess and place piece of chicken in skillet or deep fryer. If deep frying, follow instructions for your fryer. For best results, place chicken pieces in oil two at a time so you don’t overcrowd the pan. When the pan is overcrowded, the temperature of the oil will drop, leading to longer frying times, and that isn’t good because the chicken will soak up too much oil and it won’t be as crispy.
- Fry chicken for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. If you don’t want to cut into the chicken to make sure it has cooked through, you can use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. Internal temp should be 165°F.
- Remove cooked chicken from hot oil and place on a wire rack to let the chicken rest and allow the excess oil to draint. If you don’t have a wire cooling rack, a plate lined with paper towels works in a pinch.

Serve with your favorite southern side dishes or place on a gluten free bun for a delectable fried chicken sandwich that is hands down better than Chick Fil A and Popeye’s!
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Leftovers
Store leftover fried chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
This chicken tastes great the next day when you reheat it in an air fryer. Spray generously with avocado oil spray and heat in the air fryer at 375°F for about 5-7 minutes.

Gluten Free Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound thinly sliced chicken breasts
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 ¼ cups Kentucky Kernel Gluten Free Seasoned Flour if using all purpose flour, increase salt to 1 tsp and add 1/2 tsp more of each spice
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- avocado oil for frying
Instructions
- Add buttermilk and hot sauce to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the chicken, make sure it's coated with the buttermilk mixture, cover with plastic wrap or a lid, and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours prior to cooking. Think of it as a spa treatment for your chicken!
- Add the oil to a large frying pan or deep fryer. Heat oil over medium or medium-high heat. It's important to use lower heat for the oil when using a thicker cut of chicken. That way you get crispy chicken that is golden and cooked through. Thinly sliced chicken cooks more quickly and can handle a little bit higher oil temperature. You want to bring the oil to a simmer, not a boil. Adjust the temperature as needed.
- Mix flour and spices (paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper) in a separate bowl or shallow dish. If using gluten free all-purpose flour, you'll want to increase the salt to 1 teaspoon and add another 1/2 teaspoon of each spice.
- Dip buttermilk-coated chicken in flour mixture, making sure to coat well. Shake off excess and place piece of chicken in skillet or deep fryer. If deep frying, follow instructions for your fryer. For best results, place chicken pieces in oil two at a time so you don't overcrowd the pan. When the pan is overcrowded, the temperature of the oil will drop, leading to longer frying times, and that isn't good because the chicken will soak up too much oil and it won't be as crispy.
- Fry chicken for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. If you don't want to cut into the chicken to make sure it has cooked through, you can use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. Internal temp should be 165°F.
- Remove cooked chicken from hot oil and place on a wire rack to let the chicken rest and allow the excess oil to draint. If you don't have a wire cooling rack, a plate lined with paper towels works in a pinch.
Nutrition
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This fried chicken is so good and will make you forget you are eating gluten free!
I’m so happy you like it!!! My goal is to create gluten free meals that taste no different than the real thing!