Crispy Fried Chicken

Tanya Eisenwasser

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Bone-in fried chicken with a crisp gluten-free crust. A coconut milk soak replaces the cultured buttermilk used in classic versions, and the pieces fry in fresh oil.

Prep 20 min

Cook 25 min

Serves 4

Gluten-freeDairy-free

This is the bone-in, whole-piece "fried chicken" version. For hand-held strips and bite-sized pieces, see the crispy chicken tenders and chicken nuggets recipes instead.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 3 pounds fresh chicken pieces (bone-in thighs and drumsticks), or 2 pounds boneless skinless thighs
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, divided

Soak

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, additive-free (check the label for no guar gum or carrageenan)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Breading

• 3/4 cup cassava flour (for dredging)
• 1 1/4 cups rice flour (for the outer coat)
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For frying

• 2 to 3 cups light olive oil (enough for about 1/2 inch in the pan)

Instructions

Soak

1. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and sprinkle with half the salt.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes while you set up the breading. This keeps the chicken moist and helps the coating cling, without the cultured dairy of a buttermilk soak. Keep the chicken cold and only take it out when you are ready to bread it.

Dredge

1. Set up two shallow bowls. In the first, add the cassava flour. In the second, combine the rice flour, arrowroot powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, and remaining salt.
2. Lift each piece out of the soak and let the excess drip off. Dredge in the cassava flour and shake off the loose flour, dip back into the soak for a second, then press firmly into the rice flour mixture until fully coated.
3. Set the breaded pieces on a plate or wire rack and let them rest for 10 minutes so the coating can set.

Fry

1. Pour the oil into a deep heavy skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat over medium until it reaches about 350°F (175°C). If you do not have a thermometer, drop in a pinch of flour: it should sizzle steadily without burning.
2. Add the chicken pieces skin side down in a single layer, leaving space between each one. Do not crowd the pan. Fry in batches so the oil temperature stays steady.
3. For bone-in pieces, fry 6 to 8 minutes per side until deeply golden. For boneless thighs, fry 5 to 6 minutes per side. Adjust the heat to hold the oil around 350°F (175°C) so the crust does not darken before the inside cooks, and reduce the heat if any piece is browning too fast.
4. Cook until the internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). Bone-in pieces can brown before the center is done, so if they are deeply golden but not yet at 165°F (74°C), move them to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and finish in a 400°F (200°C) oven until they reach temperature, usually 10 to 20 minutes.
5. Transfer the finished chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and rest a few minutes before serving. A rack keeps the crust crisp where a paper-towel-lined plate would trap steam.

Tips & Substitutions

• Use fresh chicken. Buy it the day you plan to cook, or use chicken that was frozen quickly after purchase. Thaw in the refrigerator and cook promptly. Chicken that has been sitting in the fridge for days accumulates more histamine.
• Boneless cooks faster and more evenly. Bone-in pieces give the classic look but take longer and run a bigger risk of a raw center. Boneless skinless thighs are the most forgiving choice if you are new to frying chicken.
• Keep the oil temperature steady. If the oil cools too much when you add the chicken, the crust soaks up oil and turns greasy. Let it return to 350°F (175°C) between batches.
• Baked option. Place the breaded pieces on an oiled wire rack over a baking sheet, brush the tops with olive oil, and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 35 to 45 minutes for bone-in or 25 to 30 minutes for boneless, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
• Air fryer option. 400°F (200°C) for 22 to 25 minutes for bone-in pieces or 15 to 18 minutes for boneless, flipping halfway through. Brush the pieces with olive oil first.
• Fresh herbs instead of dried. Use 1 tablespoon each of finely chopped fresh thyme and oregano in place of the dried. Fresh herbs are often better tolerated.
• If fried foods bother you. Frying is not a histamine issue on its own, but heavy fried meals sit poorly with some people. The baked or air fryer methods above give you the same crisp crust with less oil.
• Dipping sauces. Pair with dairy-free ranch or honey garlic sauce, both of which skip the vinegar and soy sauce found in store-bought versions.

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Why This Works

Fresh chicken. Chicken itself is low in histamine when bought fresh and cooked the same day. Avoiding pre-marinated or previously frozen chicken keeps the histamine load lower.

Coconut milk soak. Classic fried chicken soaks in buttermilk, a cultured dairy product that is fermented and a common trigger. An additive-free coconut milk soak is a non-fermented, dairy-free swap that many people tolerate better. It will not tenderize through acidity the way buttermilk does, but it keeps the chicken moist and helps the coating adhere. Check the label for guar gum or carrageenan, which some people prefer to avoid.

Cassava and rice flour. Both are generally well tolerated and give the crust structure without gluten. Gluten can be a separate issue for some people with histamine intolerance, so a gluten-free coating removes one variable.

Fresh light olive oil. Frying in a fresh, neutral, high-heat oil avoids the reused or aged oils that can be harder to tolerate. Refined coconut oil or avocado oil also work well for frying, though individual tolerance varies.

Dried thyme and oregano. These are commonly tolerated for flavoring. Individual response varies with dried herbs since they sit on a shelf, so the fresh versions are an easy swap if you find you react to dried.

Storage

Best eaten right out of the pan. Chicken is one of the foods most prone to histamine buildup in leftovers, so try to serve immediately. If you must store, refrigerate within 30 minutes and eat within 24 hours, or freeze portions right after cooking, keeping in mind that some people react even to frozen leftovers. Serve with mashed potatoes to round out the plate.