Almond flour breaded keto chicken strips are a delicious way to enjoy one of your favorite comfort foods on a grain free diet. These keto chicken strips have a crispy almond flour breading that is seasoned with an everything bagel seasoning blend. Whether you’re feeding a 5, 15, or 55 year old, everyone is sure to love these healthy baked chicken strips!
What Do These Everything Bagel Keto Chicken Strips Taste Like
These almond flour chicken strips are a savory way to enjoy chicken strips on keto! When my brutally hones taste testers (i.e. my family) were tasked with comparing these strips with my crunchy tenders, these almond flour chicken strips were the house favorite! The buttermilk brine makes the tough tenders soft and flavorful while the breading adds texture and seasoning. Even with an almond flour breading, they are not mushy. Dip them in your favorite sugar free ketchup or ranch dressing.
What Kind of Breading Is Used On These Keto Chicken Strips
These keto chicken tenders are breaded in a mixture of almond flour and everything bagel seasoning. An extra pinch of garlic is added for a little more pizzaz. The combination of soft almond flour and gritty everything bagel seasoning gives these keto chicken strips a nice crispy breading.
Are These Keto Chicken Strips Easy To Make
These chicken strips are absolutely easy to make! Just like my crunchy chicken tenders, the breading will go on very smoothly after the tenders soak in the brine. There are no eggs required. You’ll simply mix the almond flour and bagel seasoning in a shallow plate, I like to use a pie plate, then press the chicken tenders into the mix until they’re well coated. Then you’ll fry them in a skillet for a few minutes and that’s it!
Do I Have To Brine The Chicken Tenders First
Yes, the brine is a necessary step in this keto chicken tender recipe. Not only does the brine serve to break down the tough texture of chicken tenders, it adds flavor to the plain chicken. The brine also serves as a binder for the breading so that eggs are not needed. It is recommended to brine your chicken for a minimum of 3 hours but overnight is best.
Can The Buttermilk Be Substituted for Heavy Cream
Buttermilk may be used if you follow a ketogenic diet but it isn’t always something we have on hand in the fridge. You can read more about buttermilk in this post. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can add 1/2 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1/2 cup of heavy cream and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. When it curdles, it is ready to use.
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Where To Buy Everything Bagel Seasoning
There are many different brands of bagel seasonings on the grocery store shelves these days. The most popular version is, of course, Trader Joe’s. If you don’t have a TJ near you, your local grocery store will have one. Here are some available on Amazon.
How To Reheat These Keto Chicken Tenders
The best way to reheat these keto chicken tenders is in the oven or air fryer. I prefer to reheat them in the oven to get the best crispy crunch a second time. You could also use the broiler. If using an air fryer, here is a chart with time conversions that may be helpful.
Is There a Nut Free Alternative To Almond Flour In This Recipe
If you cannot use almond flour, then you may substitute it with crushed pork rinds. Do not use coconut flour as it will become soggy and icky.
Different Ways To Use These Keto Chicken Strips with Almond Flour Breading
These chicken strips are great by themselves but the creativity doesn’t stop there. Try them on a salad, in a wrap, in tacos, or cut up in a casserole.
Everything Bagel Keto Chicken Strips
Ingredients
For the Brine:
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Tenders:
- 2 pounds chicken tenders about 8 to 10 tenders
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 6 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 to 5 tablespoons oil for frying
Instructions
- Remove the tendons in the tenders by pressing a fork down against the tender while you hold the tendon with your fingers. It should slide right out.
- Place the tenders in a large mixing bowl. Cover with the buttermilk, paprika, and salt. Toss to coat the tenders. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 3 hours, up to overnight.
- In a pie plate, mix the almond flour, everything bagel seasoning, and garlic powder.
- Roll each chicken tender in the breading. Press the breading onto the tender so that it is well coated.
- In a nonstick skillet over medium high heat, heat up 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil until a water drop test sizzles.
- Working in batches, fry the chicken tenders for 2 to 4 minutes per side. Do not disturb them until time to flip. Add more oil as needed to prevent burning.
- Remove the cooked tenders to a plate and serve hot.