Can You Fry Chicken Without Flour? With 2 Fried Chicken Recipes

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Last Updated on March 28, 2024 by Share My Kitchen

You are almost there to make the best-fried chicken but you forgot one simple ingredient: the flour. Now, what? How can you recreate your favorite crispy, juicy piece of meat without humanity’s oldest form of grain…

We got you.

In this post, we’ll explore common and practical ways to fry chicken. So, next time you won’t have to ask whether you can fry chicken without flour.

Common Ways To Fry Chicken

There are different frying methods available. Each requires a different cooking time, amount of fat, types of cooking vessels and handling of ingredients. The four main methods are: deep-frying, pan-frying, stir-frying, and shallow-frying.

How Should I Fry My Chicken Properly?

For frying chicken, deep frying is the most common method used. While there are other methods, such as Pressure Frying, deep frying is still usually preferred. Adding breading to the chicken gives it a crusty exterior and keeps the meat’s juices. Broiler chicken is the best choice for making fried Chicken out of all chicken species.

Can You ACTUALLY Fry Chicken Without Flour?

Yes, you CAN. It taste just as good and if not, healthier because you add less processed carbs into your meal.

Let’s dive more deep into the best flourless fried chicken…

What is Flourless Fried Chicken?

It is fried chicken that has been fried without using flour. Remember that using flour makes the chicken’s outer layer crispy and the inside stays soft and juicy.

However, a similar outcome could be achieved by coating the chicken in egg and breadcrumbs. Flour is an auxiliary ingredient. It definitely helps to give the chicken a better taste but is not essential.

How To Make Fried Chicken Without Flour

Here are the ingredients needed to make a fried chicken flourless.

  • Boneless, skinless chicken
  • Three eggs
  • One cup of parmesan
  • Garlic Powder
  • Pepper
  • 1/2 cup of Canola or olive oil
  • Salt

Cooking Flourless Chicken

  1. The chicken should be washed and dried gently with a paper towel. Then break the eggs and beat them in a shallow container.
  2. Place the Parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl.
  3. Salt the chicken and then sprinkle pepper and garlic powder.
  4. Next, dip the seasoned pieces in egg mixture, then roll them in cheese.
  5. Get your oil ready and prepare to fry.
  6. Then drop the seasoned chicken in hot oil and fry until golden brown.
  7. Use a paper towel to drain excess fat, then you can serve your delicious chicken.

What Can I Use To Fry Chicken Instead Of Flour?

Cornstarch is a key ingredient in a chicken recipe that makes it crispy. But cornstarch combined with flour gives you the crispiest chicken you’ll ever taste.

However, you can still get crispy fried chicken by just using Cornstarch. It is also a common ingredient in Asian restaurants that have chicken in their menu. Learn how to fry chicken without flour.

How Long Does It Take to Cook Fried Chicken?

In just 14 minutes, a piece of chicken should be fried and ready to eat. You can make perfectly cooked meat by keeping the temperature at 165° F.

This may still vary depending on what meat you are using. White meat should be perfectly juicy at 165° F, while dark meat should be cooked to 175° F to get the best texture.

Why Does The Breading On My Fried Chicken Fall Off? What Can I Do To Avoid This?

A lot of people deal with the problem of a crispy fried chicken’s crispy coating falling off after frying. Now this is what you need to do to stop them from falling off when you fry your chicken.

  • When you’re frying chicken, only flip it once. Flipping the chicken multiple times can mess with crunchy coating and increase the chance of it falling off.
  • Don’t overcrowd your pan for frying. The breading gets removed when the chickens are bumping into each other during frying.
  • To make sure the breading sticks to the buttermilk, gently pat the chicken after coating them.
  • Do not use too much buttermilk or breading. Remove the excess because this increases the chances of it falling off.

Which Oil Is Best For Frying? Can I Save The Used Oil For Later?

There are many choices to choose from when you’re deciding on the oil to use to fry your chicken in. However, the recommended kind of fat are vegetable oil, corn oil, canola oil, peanut oil or safflower oil. Deep frying is best done with vegetable oil.

It has a high smoke level and can be reused. Let it cool off after use and strain it. It can be stored in an airtight container for later use. And fried chicken can be stored at 350°F. When frying chicken, keep the oil temperature at 300 to 350°F. This will ensure that your chicken is well-cooked.

Low-Carb Southern Fried Chicken Without Flour

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 to 6 cups of vegetable oil for frying
  • 1/4 cup of heavy cream (you can also use water)
  • 2/3 cups of soy flour
  • 1 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 whole chicken cut into eight pieces, or 3 pounds of boneless chicken breasts
  • Black pepper and salt

Directions

  • Use the heat up to 350°F before you start cooking.
  • For making boneless chicken: heat a large, heavy pot on high medium heat. Then pour one or two inches of vegetable oil into the pot. Heat up to 250°F. Monitor the temperature to avoid burning the soy flour and oil.
  • In a medium bowl, mix the eggs and cream to make an egg wash. Then to make the breading, combine the soy flour with pepper, salt, garlic powder and poultry seasoning in a large bowl.
  • Then season the chicken with salt and pepper properly. Dip each piece in the breading first, then into the egg wash, and finally back into the breading. Make sure you coat all sides. Remove the excess breading.
  • Use a slotted spatula or spoon to carefully place the chicken slices into the hot oil. Fry them until they turn golden brown and crispy. Then drain the chicken pieces on paper towels after taking them out.
  • Place the pieces of chicken on a baking sheet. If the boneless chicken breasts are thinly cut, they can be cooked by just frying. However, if a cut up whole chicken will not. That is because the soy flour browns before the chicken is ready.
  • You can finish cooking the chicken by baking it in the oven. Leave it in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. To check the temperature, place a meat thermometer in the thickest portion of the chicken. It is done when it registers about 165°F. Serve it quickly

Oven Fried Chicken with No Flour – Step by step process

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 3 strips each
  • 5 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 cup of all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon taste salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
  • 2 teaspoons of paprika

Instructions

  • Spread butter on a large baking tray then set it in the oven. Remove it from the oven once butter has melted.
  • In a large Ziplock bag, combine the flour, seasoning salt, salt, pepper and paprika. Then add three pieces of chicken at the same time and shake the bag to coat properly.
  • Next, put the coated chicken strips on a baking sheet. But leave spaces between each piece. Bake them for 10-12 minutes. After that, flip the chicken with a pair of tongs then bake for another 10-12 minutes or until perfectly cooked.

How to Coat Chicken for Frying without Flour?

Although flour is the primary ingredient in a fried chicken coating of batter, it is not the only option.

If wheat bread is not part of your diet or you just had some before preparing the chicken, there are many options to consider. This list includes cornstarch to crushed cereal. These substitutes may even give your fried chicken that extra special pinch.

How Does Cornstarch Fried Chicken Taste Like?

The taste and texture will be different from wheat bread, but there might be another coating relatively the same as wheat bread that is even better for your taste.

Cornstarch-based coating, commonly used in Korean-style fried chicken, is made by mixing 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, one-part pepper, water and salt to taste in a bowl. Then dip the chicken into the batter before frying them in hot oil.

You can also try experimenting with wheat and corn cereals.

Use Corn Cereals For Fried Chicken

In a resealable bag, crush the pork rinds. Next, dip the chicken in an egg wash, then add them into the bag with pork rind bits. Make sure to shake well to coat all sides.

And then roll them on panko breadcrumbs, plain or seasoned. Get the breadcrumbs to stick to the chicken by pressing them down.

After that, dip the chicken in seasoned peanut flour. This variety of flour crisps well for the skillet and adds nutrients. Or, you can use almond milk to create a mild but crispy coating.

You can pan fry the chicken coated in flour in a little oil to help you manage the heat better. Keep in mind that other flours burn much faster than traditional four.

Tips

  • For more flavor, you can add some Parmesan cheese to the fried chicken coatings.
  • Prepare them to have relatively the same shape that is well-suited for skillets. Because they do not consume as much oil as ordinary breadcrumbs, they result in a much crunchier coating.
  • For people on a low carbohydrate diet, a pork rind coating is useful. It gives the a remarkable crunch and adds a lot of flavor, too. Plus, different-flavored pork rinds can be found in the snack and chip section of groceries, particularly those that the Latin community frequents.
  • How to Make No-Breaded Fried Chicken Thighs – Grandmother’s Recipe: Clean and dry the chicken pieces with paper towels.
  • Combine all ingredients, including, red onion, garlic, dark pepper, salt, seasoning mix and corn starch.*
  • The volume of each batch is dependent on the container’s dimensions.

*If you ran out of red onion, we’ve got great substitutes for red onions too!

FAQs: How to Fry Chicken without Flour?

How Do I Keep My Fried Chicken Crispy?

It’s easy to keep your fried chicken crispy. You may wrap it in foil, or place it in an airtight container. Then refrigerate the chicken within two hours of cooking.

Do I Need Breading to Deep-fry?

It is not recommended as the results may not be to your liking. You can use other types of coating if you don’t wish to bread your meat. Also, baking is another option to breading, and it will still taste great.

Is Baking Powder A Good Ingredient For Fried Chicken?

For extra crunch, some recipes suggest adding baking powder when frying chicken. When the batter is placed in hot oil, it creates tiny bubbles on the chicken’s surface. This gives the chicken a light texture.

What Oil Is Best For Deep-frying?

Because of their high smoke points, peanut oil and Canola oils are preferred for deep-frying. These oils are stable throughout the frying process. But you can also use vegetable oil if that is what you have in hand. It also has a high smoke point, plus it can be used again.

What Can I Substitute For Flour When Frying?

Cornstarch can be used for frying, and you will still get crispy fried chicken. Moreover, this absorbs less oil and can be used to make a better sauce.

Why Make Fried Chicken Without Flour?

A common reason is to get rid of the wheat flour used for pan-frying chicken. You can make a gluten-free deep-fried chicken by removing the flour and using flavors or marinade.  This no-flour chicken can still be flavorful. Also, you may use a spicy dry out wipe or sauce instead of flour to increase the amount of flavor.

You can actually reduce carbs by avoiding flour. However, you may use an arid brush or marinate to reduce carbs to get rid more carbs.

Reduce the oil volume by a large amount when deep frying meat not coated with flour. Remember that flour-based coating absorbs a large quantity of oi.

Yes, you can always customize the dish to suit your taste or that of your family’s!

Add some variety. This is especially true when it comes to cooking chicken. You can have a wider range of preference if you try frying chicken with something other than flour.

There are a lot of reasons why people choose not to fry their chickens with flour, and the ones listed in this article are just a few of them.

How To Make Flourless Fried Chicken

  • Heat avocado oil on medium heat.
  • Place a small piece of chicken skin in the oil.
  • The oil may be too hot to use if the skin begins to blister quickly. Remember to monitor the oil until it gets hot enough to use.
  • To start frying, place half of the chicken into the oil.
  • If necessary, change the level of heat. Blisters on the skin indicate that the oil is too hot.
  • Then flip the chicken after 10 minutes.
  • Continue frying until it is a beautiful golden brown.
  • Remove the chicken from the pan, then drain it on a paper towel. Add spices if you want to!
  • Enjoy and eat.

Conclusion

It is possible to make crispy, crunchy fried chicken with no flour. There are other ingredients available to get similar or even better results. Crispier chicken can be achieved by using egg, breadcrumbs, and Cornstarch.

Most Asian restaurants do not use flour for frying chicken, but they can still make crispy fried chicken. You can fry your chicken in any peanut oil or canola oil, but vegetable oil is also a good choice because it has a high smoke point, too. Lastly, to prevent your breading from falling off, place it in the fridge for at least two hours after cooking.

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