This easy keto popcorn chicken is a huge hit at get-togethers! Paleo, low-carb and Whole30.

This easy keto popcorn chicken is super delicious and takes just 20 minutes to make from scratch!

While I love making chicken strips, sometimes it’s just a little more fun to make bite-size pieces you can eat with your fingers! This easy keto popcorn chicken is great for any meal, but it really shines as a delicious appetizer, perfect for get-togethers.

These are double-breaded, making them extra crispy, and they have nice balanced salty, garlicky and peppery flavor.

If you’re worried about everyone sticking their hands in to grab them, toothpicks work perfect here. These are best served with an assortment of dipping sauces.

My favorite dipping sauce for these is barbeque, followed by honey mustard. But ketchup, Ranch or French dressing would be excellent here! They are neutral in flavor enough that any dipping sauce would work great.

This easy keto popcorn chicken can be made in either the air fryer or the oven

I made these in an air fryer, but you can definitely make them in the oven as well. I would recommend using a metal rack to allow air to flow under them, so they are crispy all the way around.

If you plan to make it in the oven, you’ll want to preheat it to 400F. If you’re making them in the air fryer, skip this step.

Next, you will want to chop the chicken into bite size pieces. 1 inch cubes is a good size, in my opinion, to be substantial, but not too big that it’s hard to handle. Some of the pieces will inevitably be weirdly shaped, no worries there!

You’ll need the following ingredients for the breading:

Egg
Blanched almond flour
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika

Mix the dry ingredients into one bowl, and the egg into another. Dip the chicken pieces first into the dry ingredients, then into the egg. Be sure to wipe off the excess egg. Dip again into the dry ingredients, for a delicious and extra-crispy double breading.

Lay the pieces out in a single layer either in the air fryer basket, or on a baking sheet with a wire rack on top. The wire rack is key in getting all sides of the popcorn chicken well-crisped, so definitely don’t miss this step!

If using the air fryer, cook for 8 minutes at 400F, shaking once in the middle. If using the oven, bake for 12-14 minutes. Be sure to check that the internal temperature reaches 165F before serving.

The air fryer is definitely my preference here, it makes the chicken so juicy and delicious!

These are definitely best enjoyed right away, while still warm. But you can reheat them by tossing them back into the air fryer or oven until warm and crispy once again, usually about 5 minutes for the air fryer, and 8 minutes for the oven.

Can I substitute the almond flour for something else?

I have tried many different gluten-free and keto flours, and nothing matches up to the taste and texture of almond flour. It works much better than coconut flour, and it’s my top recommendation. I do not recommend substituting flours here.

What dipping sauces do you recommend?

There are so many good options! Barbeque sauce is definitely my first choice. A homemade honey mustard (50/50 honey and dijon mustard) works great also. For keto, a sugar-free maple syrup would work in place of honey. Ranch or French dressing would also work really well!

If you give this easy keto popcorn chicken a try, please let me know what you think in the comments below. Also be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest so you don’t miss a recipe!