Easy and extra crunchy air fryer keto popcorn chicken that’s perfect for a snack or a meal! It also happens to be Whole30-friendly and you can make it in the oven if you don’t have an air fryer!
I’ve been in love with my air fryer recently. I use it almost everyday to reheat leftovers, cook veggies, and crisp up meat pieces. I’m just so obsessed with how delicious and crispy the results are at a fraction of the time of the oven or the stovetop!
Air Fryer Keto Popcorn Chicken Recipe
My latest delicious creation in the air fryer is this ultra crispy and flavorful keto popcorn chicken. This is so crunchy and delicious, covered in spices like paprika, garlic, and onion powder. It’s a great snack or meal for both kids and adults!
Best of all, this recipe is Whole30 friendly and paleo as well, and it’s a healthy alternative to a childhood favorite dish!
No Air Fryer?
If you don’t have an air fryer, no worries! You can make these in the oven. They won’t turn out as crispy as an air fryer would make them, but they’ll still be flavorful and yummy. I included both directions under the instructions for the recipe.
Pork Panko for Keto Popcorn Chicken
What makes this recipe keto and low carb is the use of pork panko instead of breadcrumbs or other types of flour. I only recently discovered pork panko, and it’s my new favorite thing. It’s just so perfect to use as breading for fried crispy recipes like this air fryer keto popcorn.
Pork panko is just ground up pork rinds and that’s the only ingredient. No salt or extra oil added! So it’s a delicious high protein, low carb way to add a crunchy texture to a recipe.
Best Sauce for Dipping
You can of course enjoy this air fryer keto popcorn chicken with any sauce you prefer, like ranch, ketchup, tartar sauce, or teriyaki sauce. However, my absolute favorite is with my Whole30 “Honey” Mustard! There’s something so delicious about that tart and slightly sweet flavor with the popcorn chicken.
How to Reheat Leftovers
The best way to eat these keto popcorn chicken is to eat it as soon as it’s cooked for that crispy outer layer with the juicy chicken meat inside. You definitely can reheat them, but the texture won’t be the same because the chicken breast meat will dry out a bit the 2nd time around.
However, I have eaten the leftovers and here’s my favorite way to reheat them so they taste ALMOST as good as the first time around:
- Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- When ready to reheat, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for about 5 minutes.
- Place keto popcorn chicken in the air fryer basket in a SINGLE LAYER (work in batches if you need to) for 4-5 minutes until they are crispy again.
- Enjoy!
I wouldn’t reheat them more than once, because the chicken will dry out too much.
This keto popcorn chicken is my new favorite air fryer recipe, so let me know how they turn out for you in the comments!
Air Fryer Keto Popcorn Chicken (Paleo, Whole30) – Oven Method Included!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 4 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups pork panko
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine coconut flour, sea salt, and ground black pepper.
- In another bowl, crack the eggs and whisk them together.
- In the 3rd bowl, mix together pork panko, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle the coconut flour mixture over the chicken and toss together gently until all of the chicken is covered evenly.
- Working in batches, dredge the chicken pieces in the egg wash.
- Shake off the excess and press into the pork panko mixture. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the rest of the chicken.
Air Fryer Method
- Lightly grease the air fryer basket, then preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken into the air fryer basket in an even layer. If you have a small air fryer, you may need to split it up into 2 batches.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes in the air fryer, shaking halfway through.
- If you’d like, enjoy dipped in Whole30 “honey” mustard!
Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a wire rack.
- Place the chicken pieces on the wire rack without touching each other.
- Bake for 15 minutes until crispy and golden.
- If you’d like, enjoy dipped in Whole30 “honey” mustard!
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Can you post a link to your favorite air fryer? Thanks!
This is the one I have: https://amzn.to/2BTbLRF
These look so good! I LOVE the idea of using pork rinds as panko “breadcrumbs”. This is definitely on my list to try!
This looks FANTASTIC! Great snack option!
Those look tasty and very kid-friendly. 😉
I’m dying to try this!! I need to get my hands on an air fryer!
You’re inspiring me to want to get an air fryer. This looks super delicious!
This looks so crispy! This might just be the recipe that puts me over the edge to make the decision to buy an air fryer!
Make sure you don’t have an oven with a convection setting first, it’s the same thing as an air fryer! I just checked this morning and saved myself the expense!
This is perfect! I have an air fryer that I have not used yet. Was looking for something to try in it.
Creative use of ingredients to make a classic favorite better for you! Yum!
These look addictive! An air fryer is probably worth it just to make these.
O my,
I just so wish to have Air Fryer
Wow Jean!!! These look amazing!! I so want to eat one now. This recipe may finally make me get an air fryer!! (YUMMY!!!)
That looks so delicious! Totally love it!
I so need to get an air fryer! These looks so crispy and tasty!
Yum! this looks so good I love my air fryer too – and I’m going to have check out that pork panko, I’ve never heard of it.
I can only imagine how crunchy this popcorn chicken is – it looks amazing! And definitely something I would enjoy in the evening and to please my guests… and myself!
These look absolutely amazing, like my best chicken nugget dream! I’ve been trying to order some pork panko, but it’s always sold out, and it’s easy to see why with that crunch!
Do we have to use coconut flour or can we leave out that bit?
That’s what makes the eggs and panko stick. You can try it with another type of flour that you like.
In the nutrition facts, it doesn’t mention how much a serving is.
Can you tell me how much is a serving?
I’m eager to try this recipe!
I just got my air fryer and I know my family would appreciate some popcorn chicken, and with it being 1 net carb per serving, I can enjoy it too!
The entire recipe makes 6 servings so I would divide it into 6 to find out how much 1 serving is. Enjoy!
My guess is, it’s a bit like saying, “How long is a ‘piece’ of string?” It depends on how big your chicken breasts are. Smaller chicken breasts will yeild a smaller individual portion. On the other hand, if you’ve got Godzilla-sized chicken breasts, your portions will be bigger. I think the question that the OP should have asked was, “What was the portion size used to obtain the displayed Nutrition Facts?” I’d like to know, too!
I just ordered the coconut flour & pork panko, and I look forward to trying this! Thanks for the recipe!