Ooo, this Whole30 Chicken Fried Chicken is at the top of my comfort food list! Serve it on a creamy bed of mashed potatoes with some country gravy (pictured), and I am in heaven!
I grew up in Houston, Texas, where comfort food is at its finest. This chicken fried chicken is going to win you over at first crispy bite. I have quite a few breaded chicken recipes, but this breading is my all-time crispy fave!
Why We Love This Whole30 Chicken Fried Chicken
First, because it’s a Whole30, Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free (with egg-free option) remake of a cozy classic, perfect for those with dietary needs but still want a fantastic meal.
Second, I love that you can choose how to cook this. It can be made on the stove or in the air fryer. You pick what feels more accessible to you – either way, I’ve got your back!
Third, I’ve got an awesome all-at-once breading hack for you. It’s a game-changer, giving this chicken a delicious breading without the painstaking work of breading them one at a time. This busy mama doesn’t have time for that, especially when I’m feeding a large family of seven. So, trust me, you can do this too!
Finally, I love that this Whole30 Chicken Fried Chicken freezes well. You can bread it and freeze it uncooked to cook it fresh the night of. OR, you can cook it ahead of time and just reheat it in the freezer. This is a great way to prepare meals for the week.
Can I Have “Fried” Chicken on Whole30?
Whole30 is a 30-day elimination protocol that takes out many common inflammatory foods. But, even if the ingredients are Whole30-compatible (which this recipe is), some foods are still not allowed on Whole30. You can find this explained in The Pancake Rule.
This chicken is not deep-fried, which would absolutely not be in the spirit of the Whole30. It is either shallow pan-fried in a small amount of oil or air fried. YES, these are allowed on Whole30. It can be a delicious part of a Whole30 comfort meal that shows you how tasty whole foods can be!
But, if fried chicken was your thing before your Whole30 and they feel like a food with no brakes for you, I invite you to take some personal responsibility for your Whole30 and decide if it is right for your Whole30.
Ingredients to Make Whole30 Chicken Fried Chicken
Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken breast – Boneless, skinless, using the best quality you can afford.
- Instant mashed potato flakes – Yup, you heard that right. You might not have used these since the 90s, but they make a fantastic nut-free grain-free breading! If you are not on a Whole30 and just need an affordable easy solution, any boxed instant mashed potatoes like these from Walmart will work. If you are on a Whole30, Bob’s Red Mill has a version that is just dehydrated potatoes and compatible – you can get a single bag HERE or get it more affordably in bulk HERE.
- Tapioca, arrowroot, or potato starch or flour – In this recipe, all of these work equally well! To learn more about the differences between paleo flours, when to use them, and my recommend brands, read my Paleo Flour Guide here.
- Salt + Pepper – Regular table salt and ground black pepper.
- Garlic powder and onion powder – Granulated garlic or granulated onion work the same. I find these in the spice aisle of most grocery stores. Though, I usually buy them in bulk at Sam’s Club or Winco.
- Paprika
- Eggs – Large eggs, the best quality you can afford. Need an egg-free option? You can use 1 cup coconut milk to dip in instead of the whisked egg.
- Oil – High heat cooking oil such as coconut or avocado, if you are cooking on the stove. I usually use coconut oil, as it’s more affordable and no, it doesn’t have a strong coconut flavor.
White Gravy Ingredients
A country gravy is the cherry on top of this delicious chicken. As a Texan, I must say – this one is spot on in flavor!
- Full-fat canned unsweetened coconut milk – No, the gravy doesn’t have a strong coconut flavor! The higher fat content of the coconut milk makes it ideal for this gravy to be nice and rich. If you use a thinner dairy-free milk instead (like almond or oat milk), increase the flour to 1/4 cup.
- Arrowroot or potato starch/flour – Either works well to thicken the gravy. I don’t recommend tapioca flour to thicken this gravy, as it will make the gravy tacky.
- Salt + Pepper – Regular table salt and ground black pepper.
- Onion powder
Instructions
- Trim chicken breasts and cut into half horizontally and then again vertically to create smaller cutlets. These will cook faster due to their thin, smaller size.
- Blot chicken dry with a paper towel. Removing that extra moisture will help the breading stick.
- Combine potato flakes, flour, and seasonings in a large reusable zip top bag. Crush the potato flakes up a bit with my hand or a rolling pin inside the reusable bag to get smaller flakes. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs.
- To bread the chicken, add all the chicken pieces to the zip top bag and shake until all are well coated. Add the chicken, shaking off the excess back into the bag, to a large bowl or another reusable zip top bag.
- Add whisked egg and shake or stir gently until all are coated with the egg. Drain the chicken in a large colander to get off excess egg.
- Return the egg-coated chicken to the bag with the flour combination and toss again until all pieces are well coated.
- STOVE: Heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Add chicken pieces in a single layer, not touching. Cook 5 minutes on each side, until each side is crispy and the chicken is cooked through (no pink in the middle). Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat with all the chicken.
- AIR FRYER: Lay the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer. Spray generously with cooking oil. Air fry at 350 degrees for 6 minutes, flip, spray with oil again, and then air fry for another 6 minutes or until cooked through on the inside and crispy on the outside.
- WHILE CHICKEN IS COOKING, make the gravy. In a cold small pot, whisk all the gravy ingredients together. Then, put the pot over medium heat on the stove. Stirring regularly, cook for 4-5 minutes, until gravy thickens. Remove from heat as soon as it thickens and is the desired thickness. Watch this closely so it doesn’t get too thick! If it does get too thick, whisk in additional milk until it thins out to your desired thickness.
- We love this chicken served on top of my Whole30 Mashed Potatoes, with steamed peas.
- TO FREEZE: Chicken can be breaded and frozen before or after cooking. Either way, lay out on parchment in a single layer and freeze until frozen. Then, store all together in a sealed container for up to 3 months. To cook the uncooked breaded chicken from frozen, cook on medium-low heat on the stove for 10 minutes each side, until crispy and chicken is cooked through. Or, air fry at 325 for 8-9 minutes each side, or until crispy and cooked through.
Whole30 Chicken Fried Chicken
The ultimate crispy comfort food with an amazing white country gravy.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people
Calories 465 kcal
1/2x1x2x3x
Chicken Fried Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 cup mashed potato flakes see notes
- 1/2 cup tapioca, arrowroot, or potato starch/flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut or avocado oil if cooking on the stove
White Country Gravy
- 1 cup full-fat unsweetened canned coconut milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot or potato starch/flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
-
Trim chicken breasts and cut into half horizontally and then again vertically to create smaller cutlets. These will cook faster due to their thin, smaller size.
-
Blot chicken dry with a paper towel. Removing that extra moisture will help the breading stick.
-
Combine potato flakes, flour, and seasonings in a large reusable zip top bag. Crush the potato flakes up a bit with my hand or a rolling pin inside the reusable bag to get smaller flakes. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs.
-
To bread the chicken, add all the chicken pieces to the zip top bag and shake until all are well coated. Add the chicken, shaking off the excess back into the bag, to a large bowl or another reusable zip top bag.
-
Add whisked egg and shake or stir gently until all are coated with the egg. Drain the chicken in a large colander to get off excess egg.
-
Return the egg-coated chicken to the bag with the flour combination and toss again until all pieces are well coated.
-
STOVE: Heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Add chicken pieces in a single layer, not touching. Cook 5 minutes on each side, until each side is crispy and the chicken is cooked through (no pink in the middle). Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat with all the chicken.
-
AIR FRYER: Lay the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer. Spray generously with cooking oil. Air fry at 350 degrees for 6 minutes, flip, spray with oil again, and then air fry for another 6 minutes or until cooked through on the inside and crispy on the outside.
-
WHILE CHICKEN IS COOKING, make the gravy. In a cold small pot, whisk all the gravy ingredients together. Then, put the pot over medium heat on the stove. Stirring regularly, cook for 4-5 minutes, until gravy thickens. Remove from heat as soon as it thickens and is the desired thickness. Watch this closely so it doesn’t get too thick! If it does get too thick, whisk in additional milk until it thins out to your desired thickness.
-
We love this chicken served on top of my Whole30 Mashed Potatoes, with steamed peas.
-
TO FREEZE: Chicken can be breaded and frozen before or after cooking. Either way, lay out on parchment in a single layer and freeze until frozen. Then, store all together in a sealed container for up to 3 months. To cook the uncooked breaded chicken from frozen, cook on medium-low heat on the stove for 10 minutes each side, until crispy and chicken is cooked through. Or, air fry at 325 for 8-9 minutes each side, or until crispy and cooked through.
For substitutions or any further details on the ingredients, see the “Ingredients” section of the blog post above!
Calories: 465kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 28gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 752mgPotassium: 651mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 209IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 2mg
Keyword budget-friendly, dairy-free, easy, egg-free, gluten-free, kid-friendly, main dish, nut-free, paleo, whole30