Chicken Fried Chicken (Easy Dairy Free Recipe!)

This crispy and juicy Chicken Fried Chicken recipe is completely dairy free! This southern favorite is tender, flavorful, and delicious served with garlic mashed potatoes and homemade pan gravy!

Many chicken fried chicken recipes use buttermilk as a way to keep the chicken tender and juicy. I decided to make this recipe without buttermilk because 1. my mother and younger sister eat mostly dairy free and 2. the chicken actually tastes better without it. Instead, I coat the chicken in a seasoned flour mixture, whisked eggs, and then flour again. This process develops a crispy crust that allows the chicken to stay wonderfully juicy as it cooks without the need for buttermilk.

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The cast iron dutch oven is my favorite secret to developing a crispy crunchy crust on my dairy-free fried chicken. It cooks the chicken evenly and thanks to the high sides of the dutch oven, you don’t have to worry too much about the oil popping and making a mess. Some of the cooking oil is used to make a tasty pan gravy for the chicken fried chicken and this whole meal comes together in under an hour!

This recipe is super easy to make and if you ran out of buttermilk or have a dairy-free diet, you can still enjoy a tasty fried chicken dinner! 

If you are looking for more dairy-free recipes check out this Crispy Fried Chicken without Buttermilk, Fried Chicken Tenders without buttermilk, and this Dairy Free Chicken Fried Steak!

Why is it called chicken fried chicken?

Chicken fried chicken is made of a boneless chicken breast battered and fried like fried chicken. It is made from chicken breast that has been flattened/tenderized, covered in flour and egg, then fried until crispy golden brown. This dish is usually served with mashed potatoes and creamy gravy. 

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here.

Key Ingredients Dairy Free Chicken Fried Chicken Recipe:

Chicken - I used 2 organic chicken breasts cut into cutlets so that I have 4 pieces. You could use more or less chicken if you like.

To Make chicken breast cutlets: Place your hand on top of the whole breast, and cut horizontally all the way through to make 2 pieces. Then repeat with the other breast. It helps the chicken to cook faster. Alternatively, you could cover the breasts with plastic wrap or place them inside a gallon bag and then pound them with a meat mallet until thin. From here cut the breast into 2 pieces or leave it whole and fry it as one big piece. 

Flour - I used regular all-purpose flour, but whole wheat flour would work great too!

Seasonings - Salt, freshly ground black pepper, onion powder, ground paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, and dried rosemary. 

Eggs - Used to bind the flour and seasonings onto the chicken. Also keeps the chicken moist since this recipe is dairy-free. 

Vegetable Oil - Used for frying. You can use whichever oil you like, just make sure it has a high smoking point so that the oil doesn’t burn during the frying process - like refined coconut oil, grapeseed oil, or avocado oil. I used avocado oil for this recipe. I buy a gallon because it is my main everyday cooking oil. I’ll link it here for you!

How To Make Chicken Fried Chicken without buttermilk

Step one: Set up your drenching stations. This will make battering your chicken much easier. 

Step two: Add flour, 1 ¼ teaspoon of salt, and the rest of the seasonings into a shallow baking dish. Whisk eggs in a baking dish and have a pair of gloves or 2 pairs of tongs, nearby. Line 2 baking sheets with wire racks - one for raw meat and one for cooked.

Step three: Cut chicken into cutlets then season with the rest of the salt. 

Step four: Working with one piece at a time, dip the chicken into the flour, and then the egg mixture, shaking off any excess, finishing in the flour mixture. Set aside on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining chicken. 

Step five: Heat a large cast iron dutch oven with several inches of oil. Add chicken and fry for 4 - 5 minutes per side or until it is crispy golden brown. 

Make the chicken fried chicken pan gravy

Step one: In a medium skillet, add flour and 3 - 4 tablespoons of frying oil. Whisk together and cook until it smells like pie crust, 1 - 2 minutes.

Step two: Whisk in cold chicken broth, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Allow it to simmer for 5 minutes then taste and adjust seasoning if needed. 

Step three: Serve crispy chicken fried chicken with homemade gravy and mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Kitchen Items You Might Need For This Recipe

2 sheet pans, one for raw chicken and one for cooked chicken

2 pairs of tongs, one for wet ingredients and one for dry. Or a pair of plastic gloves.

Cast iron skillet or dutch oven, using cast iron specifically makes the chicken even more crispy. I used the Dutch Oven part of this set.

Slotted spoon or tongs for frying.

Fried Chicken Cooking Tips

Use gloves to drench the chicken. If you are like me and don’t like touching raw meat, use gloves or a pair of tongs for the drenching portion of this recipe. It makes for easy cleanup and the process goes much quicker! I use one pair for the wet ingredients and one for the dry. 

Use a cast iron skillet to fry. I feel like this is the best-kept secret of frying foods at home. Cast iron skillets work so much better at getting a crispy golden brown crust over stainless steel. My family and I purchased this set over 5 years ago. We use it every day and it’s in perfect condition. For this recipe, I used the dutch oven, but the large skillet works great too. 

Season the chicken before drenching in egg and flour. I feel like this is a given, but add salt to the chicken before coating it in the flour and egg mixture. That way the chicken won’t be tasteless inside with a flavorful crust on the outside. 

Recoat chicken in flour. If you have finished coating all the chicken in the flour and egg mixture and you come back it looks a little wet - like the egg mixture absorbed some of the flour, just dip it back into the flour mixture. It will help the crust to get even crispier when fried.  

Frequently Asked Questions —

What is chicken fried chicken?

This is chicken breast fried like fried chicken! Boneless chicken breast is flattened and tenderized then battered and fried until golden brown and crispy. 

What is the difference between chicken fried chicken vs fried chicken?

Chicken-fried refers to the process of battering and frying meat like fried chicken. The difference between chicken fried chicken and fried chicken is the parts of meat used. Chicken fried chicken is made with flattened and tenderized boneless chicken breast and fried chicken is made of any part of the chicken!

Looking For More Recipes?

Fried Chicken without Buttermilk

Dairy Free Chicken Fried Steak

Fried Chicken Tenders

Garlic Mashed Potatoes with heavy cream

Red Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Green Beans with Garlic and Mushrooms

If you love this Chicken Fried Chicken without Buttermilk recipe, leave a comment below, share it on Instagram by tagging me (@themidwestkitchenblog) or give this recipe a 5- star rating. 

Have a blessed day!

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