Keto Diet: Is Kfc's Original Recipe Chicken Compliant?

KFC is a popular fast-food chain that specialises in fried chicken. The chicken is usually breaded and fried, making it unsuitable for a keto diet. However, some people on a keto diet may occasionally eat KFC, as long as they stay within their daily limit of carbs.

There are some low-carb options at KFC, such as grilled chicken and side salads. The grilled chicken has zero carbs, while the side salads have one gram of net carbs. The original recipe chicken is also a relatively low-carb option, with three grams of carbs per piece.

If you are on a keto diet and want to eat KFC, it is recommended that you stick to grilled chicken and avoid the breaded and fried options. You should also avoid the side dishes, as they are high in carbs.

KFC's Original Recipe Chicken has 3 grams of carbs per piece

The Original Recipe Chicken is breaded, so if you are on a keto diet, you may want to opt for grilled chicken instead. KFC's grilled chicken has zero carbs per piece.

If you are eating the Original Recipe Chicken, be mindful of the sauces you choose. The Buttermilk Ranch Dipping Sauce, for example, has 1 gram of carb per serving, while the Finger Lickin' Good Sauce has 5 grams of carbs per serving.

If you are cooking at home, you can make your own keto-friendly fried chicken. Try coating the chicken in a keto buttermilk marinade before covering it in an almond flour mixture.

KFC's grilled chicken is a keto-friendly option

The side dishes at KFC are not nutritious and are high in carbs. You shouldn’t eat them even if you’re not on the ketogenic diet! KFC’s side dishes include pot pie, biscuits, and macaroni and cheese.

If you find yourself in need of a meal and low-carb KFC is your only option, here are some tips for making it work:

• Utilize the nutrition calculator on the KFC website. You can customize your order by picking which recipe you ordered.
• Get a side salad. Make sure you ask for the salad without any dressing. A dressing will contribute to the sugar and carb count, unless it’s olive oil and vinegar. A side Caesar salad would also work. Just make sure you hold the croutons.
• Don’t be tempted by different preparations. Always stick with the original chicken recipe as it means that you’ll be indulging in fewer ingredients.
• Don’t be afraid to get dirty. If push comes to shove and your KFC accidentally gives you crispy instead of grilled chicken, then you may have to get a bit dirty and use your fingers to pick off the breading.
• Say no to dipping sauces. Dipping your chicken in sauce might seem harmless, but it’s a good way to tack on added sugars and carbs that are detrimental to your keto diet.

KFC's side salad is keto-friendly if you skip the dressing

If you're looking for a keto-friendly salad, you can try the classic egg salad, grilled chicken salad, or the loaded cauliflower salad. You can also make your own keto-friendly salad by adding ingredients such as avocado, bacon, blue cheese, and shrimp.

If you're craving KFC's fried chicken, you can make your own keto-friendly version at home by coating the chicken in a keto buttermilk marinade and then dipping it in an almond flour mixture. This will give you a crispy and crunchy texture on the outside, while keeping the chicken moist and juicy on the inside.

Ingredients:

• Skin-on chicken (drumsticks, thighs, and/or breast pieces)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1 1/2 cups keto breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Oil for frying (avocado oil, safflower oil, or peanut oil)

Instructions:

• Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
• In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and heavy cream. In a separate bowl, mix the keto breadcrumbs, almond flour, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Dip each piece of chicken in the egg/cream mixture, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture.
• Heat oil in a deep pan or pot to 180C/350F. Fry the chicken until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 75C/165F.

You can also bake or air fry the chicken for a healthier option.

Enjoy your keto-friendly KFC-style fried chicken!

KFC's fried chicken can be made keto-friendly by using keto-friendly breading and frying in healthier oil

The breading used in traditional fried chicken is typically made with wheat flour, which is high in carbohydrates and not suitable for a keto diet. However, by using alternative ingredients such as almond flour, crushed pork rinds, or a keto breadcrumb substitute, the breading can be made keto-friendly. These alternatives have a lower carbohydrate content and can be used to coat the chicken before frying.

In addition to the breading, the oil used for frying can also be adjusted to make KFC's fried chicken more keto-friendly. Avocado oil, safflower oil, and peanut oil are recommended due to their high smoke points. These oils are less likely to break down and form harmful compounds when heated to the temperatures required for frying.

By making these adjustments to the breading and frying oil, KFC's fried chicken can be made more suitable for a keto diet while still retaining its signature crispy texture and juicy flavour.

KFC's breading is high in carbs and should be avoided on keto

KFC's Original Recipe Chicken is hand-breaded and seasoned with a blend of 11 herbs and spices that have been kept secret since the chain's founding. The breading is essentially flour, and thus it is high in carbs, with only a small leg piece containing 4.2 grams of carbs. There will be more on a breast piece, though, as it is larger and will have more breading.

The KFC website lists an Original Recipe Chicken Breast as containing 390 calories, 21 grams of fat, 11 grams of carbs, and 39 grams of protein. The Extra Crispy version of the same cut of chicken contains 530 calories, 35 grams of fat, 18 grams of carbs, and 35 grams of protein.

If you are on the keto diet, it is best to make your own fried chicken at home, where you can use keto-friendly breading such as almond flour or pork rinds.

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