There are a lot of recipes out there for paleo/Primal fried chicken, all of them trying to create a crispy, finger-licking-good coating without flour. They might use nut flour, coconut flour, or arrowroot powder—and while they make pretty good dupes, they’re never quite the same as the original.
But what if instead of trying to recreate battered and fried chicken, you tried something totally different and, dare we say, even better? After tasting this chicken, you might give up fried chicken altogether.
This recipe is likely to be the crispiest baked chicken you’ve ever had, with skin that shatters when you bite into it—no messy frying involved. The secret? Dredging the chicken in a mixture of egg whites, baking soda, and salt, then letting the chicken air-dry overnight in the refrigerator. This genius method was perfected by Aki Kamozawa and H. Alexander Talbot, authors of the Maximum Flavor cookbook. The recipe here takes their wing recipe and adapts it to drumsticks and thighs, which are are just as delicious using this baking method.
This recipe also offers a completely Primal sauce made from coconut aminos, rice wine vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. Brushing the sauce on the chicken just before it comes out of the oven makes the skin slightly less crispy, but it adds lots of great flavor. The coconut amino sauce is also killer as a dipping sauce after the chicken is fully cooked.
Grab a piece right when it comes out of the oven because it’ll barely make it to the table before it’s devoured!
Better-Than-Fried Chicken Recipe
Servings: 4 to 6
Time in the Kitchen: 1 hour, plus chilling the chicken overnight
Ingredients
3 large egg whites
2 teaspoons (10 ml) baking soda
1 3/4 teaspoons (9 ml) kosher salt
3 pounds (1.4 kg) skin-on chicken wings, drumsticks and/or thighs
Coconut Aminos Dipping Sauce:
1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut aminos
1 1/2 (7.5 ml) teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/4 (6 ml) teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 garlic clove, put through a press or very finely chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) or more red pepper flakes or hot chili oil (optional, to taste)
Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, baking soda, and salt. Add the chicken and toss well to thoroughly coat.
Place a wire baking raking inside a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the chicken pieces on the rack, leaving space between each piece of chicken so they aren’t touching. You might have to use two pans. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 450 °F (230 °C).
In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, garlic clove, green onion and pepper flakes (if using). Split the sauce into two bowls. Use one bowl to brush the chicken during the baking process (optional) and one bowl to dip the chicken in after it’s cooked. Set both bowls aside.
Leave the chicken on the same racks and baking sheets. Place them in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken over and bake for 15 minutes more. Use a digital thermometer to make sure the temp is getting near 165°F (74°C). Thighs and drumsticks might take longer than wings. Optionally brush brush both sides of the chicken with the coconut aminos sauce. Put the chicken back in the oven, skin side up, for 10 more minutes until the skin is nicely browned and crispy.
This chicken tastes best if eaten soon after coming out of the oven. After a few hours in the refrigerator, the skin will no longer be crispy.
Everyone loves fried chicken, but what if you could get the same crispy skin and juicy meat with no messy frying or battering required? Granted, this recipe requires a bit more time than fried chicken since you’ll air-dry the chicken overnight in the fridge, but trust us, it’s worth it! This recipe is likely to be the crispiest baked chicken you’ve ever had.
Ingredients
Scale
3 large egg whites
2 teaspoons (10 ml) baking soda
1 3/4 teaspoons (9 ml) kosher salt
3 pounds (1.4 kg) skin-on chicken wings, drumsticks and/or thighs
Coconut Aminos Dipping Sauce:
1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut aminos
1 1/2 (7.5 ml) teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/4 (6 ml) teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 garlic clove, put through a press or very finely chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) or more red pepper flakes or hot chili oil (optional, to taste)
Instructions
n a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, baking soda, and salt. Add the chicken and toss well to thoroughly coat.
Place a wire baking raking inside a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the chicken pieces on the rack, leaving space between each piece of chicken so they aren’t touching. You might have to use two pans. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, garlic clove, green onion, and pepper flakes (if using). Split the sauce into two bowls. Use one bowl to brush the chicken during the baking process (optional) and one bowl to dip the chicken in after it’s cooked. Set both bowls aside.
Leave the chicken on the same racks and baking sheets. Place them in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken over and bake for 15 minutes more. Use a digital thermometer to make sure the temp is getting near 165°F (74°C). Thighs and drumsticks might take longer than wings. Optionally brush brush both sides of the chicken with the coconut aminos sauce. Put the chicken back in the oven, skin side up, for 10 more minutes until the skin is nicely browned and crispy.
This chicken tastes best if eaten soon after coming out of the oven. After a few hours in the refrigerator, the skin will no longer be crispy.
There are a lot of recipes out there for paleo/Primal fried chicken, all of them trying to create a crispy, finger-licking-good coating without flour. They might use nut flour, coconut flour, or arrowroot powder—and while they make pretty good dupes, they’re never quite the same as the original.
