Keto Chicken Schnitzel
Published January 5, 2020 • Updated February 19, 2026
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Chicken Schnitzel is a thin slice of chicken fried in avocado oil. It is breaded in almond flour and ground pork rinds to create a low-carb crispy chicken crust.
There are a number of recipes that I keep close and ready. My chicken parmesan, white chicken chili and this chicken schnitzel are ones I come back to all the time!
Schnitzel is traditionally a German recipe where breaded, thinly sliced meat is fried in oil to create a crispy outer crust. To make a low-carb version, I use almond flour and ground pork rinds, aka pork panko, for the breading. Frying the chicken thighs in avocado oil creates a crispy breading and juicy interior.
This is one meal I make frequently in my house. It’s a family favorite and easy to make for dinner. If you make up a large batch of it, you can reheat the leftovers in the oven or the air fryer to re-crisp up the outside.
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Ingredients
1.5 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast cutlets -
½ cup almond flour or coconut flour
-
2 eggs
-
1 ½ cups ground pork rinds
-
avocado oil or ghee for frying
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Season & prep the chicken
Season each chicken thigh with salt and pepper. To get thinner cuts of thighs, place the thigh in a ziploc bag or between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Using a mallet or rolling pin, pound the meat until the chicken is ¼ inch thick.
- Chicken thighs
- Salt
- Pepper
Prepare the coating
Place almond flour in a shallow dish. Place eggs and 1 tablespoon of water in another shallow dish and beat. Place ground pork rinds in a third shallow dish.
- Almond flour
- Eggs
- Water
- Ground pork rinds
Dip the chicken
Dip each chicken thigh in almond flour bowl to evenly coat with a light dusting of flour.
Add oil to skillet
To a large skillet, add ½ inch of avocado oil or ghee. Heat over medium high heat. The oil is hot enough when a small piece of the breading mixture sizzles in the skillet.
- Avocado oil (or ghee)
Add the chicken
Add 2-3 chicken thighs to the skillet. Only add in enough chicken to allow for even cooking. Have about ½ inch room around each thigh. You will have to cook the thighs in batches. Shake the pan back and forth over the burner to allow for the hot oil to slide over the edges and top of the coated chicken. This gets the edges crispy.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
What is chicken schnitzel made of?
Chicken schnitzel is made of boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts and is battered with a crispy breading. When I say 'breading' I mean almond flour mixture to keep this recipe keto-friendly!
Is chicken schnitzel high in carbs?
Your traditional chicken schnitzel can have over 20g of net carbs per serving. My keto version of schnitzel has only 1.7g net carbs! So if you need a low-carb version - this is obviously it!
Can I use an air fryer for this recipe?
I am working on a recipe that works in the air fryer. So far it has been less than stellar. I am finding it hard to duplicate the crispy-ness of the oil in the frying pan (vs the air fryer). If I can nail it, I will add it. If you find an air fryer recipe that works, please let me know at annie@ketofocus.com.
The pork rind coating gets so crispy. Made it with thighs and it's staying in rotation.
Love that you tried it with thighs. I do that sometimes too when they're on sale, and the extra fat keeps everything really moist.
Great receipt ,I will try with almond flour, less carbs.
I wish there was a printer friendly version of the recipe without the extra junk (ads etc)- don’t want to waste several sheets of paper on blank spaces and ads!
Yes are working on fixing that. It was working properly but something changed with our ad provider. Stay tuned!
Could you do this in the air fryer?
I actually haven't tried that yet, but now I'm curious to see how it would turn out.