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Pork Rind–Crusted Air Fryer Fried Chicken

Golden, shatter-crisp chicken with a pork rind crust that delivers genuine fried chicken crunch — no flour, no deep fryer, and less than 0.5g net carbs per serving.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
With Brining Step 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs chicken — thighs, drumsticks, or breast tenders
  • 1.5 cups crushed pork rinds — plain or lightly spiced
  • 0.33 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 –0.5 tsp cayenne — optional
  • Salt to taste — pork rinds are already salty season carefully
  • Avocado or olive oil spray
  • Optional brine: 1 cup pickle juice OR 1 cup buttermilk + 1 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 pork rind fried chicken, keto air fryer fried chicken, low carb fried chicken, gluten free fried chicken, crispy keto chicken
  • 1 Food processor
  • 1 Meat thermometer
  • 3 Mixing bowls
  • Paper towels

Method
 

  1. If brining, submerge chicken for 30–60 minutes. Rinse and pat completely dry before proceeding.
  2. Blitz pork rinds in a food processor until fine crumbs form — dust-like consistency adheres better than coarse crumbs. Mix in Parmesan, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and cayenne.
  3. Whisk eggs, mayonnaise, and Dijon until smooth. The mayonnaise adds body and helps the crust adhere cleanly.
  4. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, allow excess to drip off, then press firmly into the pork rind crumbs. Press thoroughly — the crust should be fully packed onto all surfaces.
  5. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3–5 minutes.
  6. Arrange chicken in a single layer with space between each piece. Mist lightly with oil — a thin, even coat only.
  7. Cook 16–20 minutes for tenders or 22–28 minutes for bone-in thighs and drumsticks, flipping halfway and re-misting with oil. Internal temperature should read 165°F for breast meat and 175°F for thighs and drumsticks.
  8. Rest 5 minutes before serving. The crust continues to set during this rest — do not cut immediately.

Notes

Nutrition per serving (approx.): less than 0.5g net carbs | 38g protein | 22g fat | 360 calories. Values based on bone-in thighs with the full crust recipe above. Pork rind brands vary in sodium — taste before adding extra salt. Parmesan is optional but significantly improves browning and flavour depth.
Add 30–60 minutes if brining — the brine is optional but recommended for bone-in cuts
Cook time varies by cut — 16–20 minutes for tenders, 22–28 minutes for bone-in thighs and drumsticks. Always verify with a meat thermometer rather than time alone.
Servings: 4 — based on 2 lbs of chicken divided across four people as a main course. If using tenders or smaller cuts the yield could stretch to 5–6 servings, but 4 is the correct baseline for the nutrition figures to be accurate.