Sweet And Sour Chicken: Keto-Friendly Comfort Food

Sweet and sour chicken is a popular Chinese takeout dish, but can you still eat it if you're on the keto diet? The answer is yes! By making a few simple swaps, you can enjoy this crispy, tangy, and slightly spicy dish without compromising your keto lifestyle. This article will discuss the ingredients and cooking methods you can use to make keto-friendly sweet and sour chicken.

Keto sweet and sour chicken recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chicken breast cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup crushed pork rinds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup low-carb ketchup
• 1/4 cup unsweetened rice vinegar or ACV
• 2 tbsp soy sauce or liquid aminos
• 1 dash sriracha (optional)
• 1/4 cup granulated sweetener (e.g. Lakanto Classic), to taste
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Avocado oil or coconut oil, for frying

Method:

• Cut the chicken into chunks.
• In a shallow dish, combine the coconut flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
• In a separate dish, combine the crushed pork rinds and almond flour.
• Dip the chicken pieces into the beaten egg, then coat with the coconut flour mixture, followed by the almond flour/pork rind mixture.
• Heat avocado oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
• Fry the chicken pieces until cooked through and golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
• Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, green onion, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the lime juice, vinegar, ketchup, sriracha, and soy sauce to the pan. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer, about 2-3 minutes.
• Mix the granulated sweetener and xanthan gum, then add to the sauce. Simmer, stirring often, until the sweetener is fully dissolved.
• Stir in water to achieve the desired consistency, then remove from heat.
• Toss the chicken pieces with the sauce and serve immediately.

Tips:

• This dish is best served fresh, but leftovers can be stored separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or air fryer.
• For a vegetarian option, replace the chicken with cauliflower or tofu.
• If you're short on time, you can use store-bought keto-friendly sweet and sour sauce instead of making your own.

Breading and sauce swaps

Breading swaps

• Cornstarch and flour are out, crushed pork rinds and almond flour are in! This combination creates a nice crispy coating that holds up well to the sauce.
• If you don't want to use almond flour, you can use coconut flour instead, or just omit the flour and use parmesan cheese with pork rinds.
• For a paleo or whole30 option, you can use arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch.
• You can also bread the chicken in almond flour instead of pork rinds, but it will be less crispy.
• If you want to skip the breading altogether, you can just use chicken, salt, pepper, and oil for frying.

Sauce swaps

• Sugar is replaced with a granulated sweetener like Lakanto, Erythritol, or Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend.
• You can also use a liquid sweetener like sugar-free honey substitute or sugar-free maple syrup.
• Ketchup is replaced with a keto-friendly option like Alterna Sweets' Low Carb Ketchup, Primal Kitchen, or G. Hughes.
• If you want to make your own ketchup, you can use tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, and sweetener.
• You can also add in other ingredients like lime juice, soy sauce, or sriracha.
• To thicken the sauce, you can use xanthan gum or glucomannan (konjac root) powder instead of cornstarch.

Frying the chicken

Firstly, prepare the chicken by cutting it into bite-sized pieces. You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs, depending on your preference. For a more uniform texture, cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes.

Next, prepare the coating. In a food processor, combine crushed pork rinds with almond flour and, optionally, Parmesan cheese. You can also add some salt and pepper for extra flavour. Grind these ingredients until they form a meal-like substance. If you don't have a food processor, you can crush the pork rinds using a rolling pin until they are fine and crumbly, and then mix in the other dry ingredients.

Now, set up a breading station. Beat a couple of eggs in a bowl and place the pork rind mixture in a separate bowl or plate. Dip each piece of chicken first into the egg, allowing the excess to drip off, and then coat it thoroughly with the pork rind mixture.

To fry the chicken, heat some oil in a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium to medium-high heat. Avocado oil and coconut oil are good choices because they have high smoke points and are stable when heated. You can also use olive oil or a neutral cooking oil like canola oil. Fry the chicken pieces in small batches so as not to crowd the pan. Fry the chicken until it is golden brown and cooked through, which should take around 2-3 minutes per side. You can check for doneness using a meat thermometer (the internal temperature should be 165°F).

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan and place it on a paper towel-lined plate or a baking rack to absorb any excess oil. If you are frying the chicken in batches, you can keep the first batch warm in a low oven while you fry the rest.

Thickening the sauce

Choosing a Thickening Agent:

• Cornstarch is traditionally used to thicken sauces, but it is not suitable for keto diets.
• Instead, most keto recipes recommend using xanthan gum as a thickening agent. It only requires a small amount (about 1/2 teaspoon) and helps achieve a desirable consistency without adding extra carbs.
• If you don't have xanthan gum, you can also use glucomannan (konjac root) powder, which thickens the sauce without making it gooey.
• Agar Agar Powder is another vegan alternative to xanthan gum, made from seaweed. It can be used in the same amount as xanthan gum.
• Almond flour is not ideal for thickening as it may make the sauce gritty.

Preparing the Sauce:

• After adding the thickening agent, turn the heat up to high until the liquid starts to bubble.
• Remove the sauce from the heat and let it sit for a few minutes to allow it to thicken properly.
• If you prefer to add the sauce to the chicken later, make sure to thicken it by simmering for a couple of minutes while whisking.

Storing and Reheating:

• Store your keto sweet and sour chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• For best results, reheat the dish in a hot skillet to maintain the crispiness of the chicken. You can also use an oven or air fryer.
• The sauce can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Serving suggestions

Sweet and sour chicken is a takeout classic, but it's not always a healthy option. This keto-friendly version is a great alternative, and you can serve it with a variety of low-carb sides.

One option is to serve the chicken with cauliflower rice. You can make this yourself or buy it ready-made from the freezer section of your grocery store. You could also serve the chicken with stir-fried or steamed veggies. If you're looking for something a little more substantial, why not try making some keto-friendly fried rice to go with your sweet and sour chicken? You can make this using cauliflower instead of regular rice.

If you're serving the sweet and sour chicken as a starter, it works well as a sharing platter with some keto-friendly crackers or breadsticks on the side. You could also serve it as a main course, with a side salad or some roasted vegetables.

Whatever you choose to serve it with, this keto sweet and sour chicken is a delicious and healthy option that your family and friends will love.

Frequently asked questions