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Keto Nashville Hot Chicken

A gluten-free and low-carb version of the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course, sandwich
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup pork rind crumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup avocado oil for frying
For the Spicy Oil
  • 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp brown sugar substitute
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup reserved cooking oil
For the Sandwiches
  • 8 slices preferred bread substitute
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 16-20 dill pickle slices

Equipment

  • Enameled cast-iron skillet

Method
 

For the Chicken
  1. Place the chicken thighs on a cutting board and pound them to an even thickness, then sprinkle them with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the heavy cream and lemon juice. Beat in the egg and hot sauce. Either set the bowl aside or use this mixture to marinate the chicken for 2-8 hours in the refrigerator.
  3. In another medium bowl, mix together the pork rind crumbs, parmesan, paprika and cayenne. Add black pepper to taste. Spread this mixture evenly over a large plate.
  4. Heat the avocado oil in a large cast-iron skillet to approximately 375 degrees. If you didn't marinate the chicken, dip it in the cream mixture and then coat with breadcrumbs, and starting with the largest piece first, place the chicken gently into the oil. Continue with the next largest piece, saving the smallest piece for last. If you marinated the chicken, remove the pieces from the bag, allowing excess marinade to drip off, then coat with crumbs and proceed as above.
  5. Cook the chicken in the oil for 4-5 minutes per side, turning gently with tongs to avoid knocking off the breading. Remove from the pan and put on a plate to allow the chicken to rest.
For the Spicy Oil
  1. In a heat-proof bowl, combine the cayenne, salt, both types of paprika, garlic powder, cumin, brown sugar substitute, and black pepper. Add 1/4 cup of the cooking oil, stir together, and brush onto the cooked chicken with a silicone pastry brush. You will probably not need to use all of the oil for this.
For the Sandwich Assembly
  1. Spread your top slices of bread with the mayonnaise and pickle chips. Put a piece of oiled chicken on the bottom slice and top with the top slices.
  2. Approximate macros per serving (chicken and sandwich toppings only, no bread): 513 calories, 1 gram net carbs, 29 grams protein, 45 grams fat. This is only an approximation, as it's difficult to calculate how much oil the food absorbs while frying, and how much of the spicy oil mixture you'll use. I calculated that about three tablespoons of the oil was absorbed into the chicken, that I used approximately half of the cream mixture for coating, and that I used half of the spicy oil.