These Pork-Dusted Keto Air Fryer Chicken Fingers Will Melt Your Face

I am #blessed to travel the world as a working food writer and sample some of the seriously most over-the-top menus and innovative cuisines, but often the thing I crave most is a perfectly executed chicken finger. There's something about that juicy meat wrapped up in a crunchy shell and dipped in a tangy sauce that always hits the spot. (I suppose it's called comfort food, after all.)

These deep-fried, golden brown beauties aren't the healthiest, so it isn't my best food choice after weeks of devouring rich meals and decadent desserts. I've found a way to scale back so I can have my beloved tenders even after an indulgent food tour of Rome or Rio. This keto recipe cuts the carbs on the classic chicken finger while maintaining its signature crispiness and salty, fatty goodness. 

The secret? Pork rinds, parmesan cheese and an air fryer. 

Here's how to make the best keto chicken fingers ever.

What you'll need

6 chicken tenders 1 cup crushed pork rinds  ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon onion powder ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 2 eggs, beaten

It's all about the salty pork flavor and spices.

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Directions

1. In a medium bowl or deep plate, mix the crushed pork rinds, grated parmesan cheese and spices. In a separate small bowl, beat two eggs.

2. Coat each chicken finger with the eggs and then dredge through the pork rind, parmesan and spice mixture. Place each piece on the rack of an air fryer.

3. Remove the fingers from the air fryer and allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy.

Dredge the fingers in egg first so the keto coating really sticks.

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The recipe is quite simple, but there are quite a few tips to keep in mind for customization purposes. Here are some of my favorites: 

Feel free to keep the high-fat, low-carb keto theme in mind and serve these with dipping sauces such as ranch or blue cheese dressing. Sauces like honey mustard and barbecue are my favorite, but they pack a ton of sugar in small quantities.  Customize the spice blend by incorporating dried herbs such as parsley or oregano. The cheese is not necessary if you want to remove the dairy component.
If carbs are not a concern, scale back on the pork rinds and replace the amount with panko breadcrumbs to maintain the same level of crunchiness. 
Prior to cooking, cut your chicken fingers into bite-sized pieces to create nuggets. These will take less time to cook. 
These can easily turn into buffalo chicken fingers. Allow them to cool a bit and then gently toss in your preferred buffalo sauce before serving. 

Use the mesh air fryer basket for enhanced crispiness. 

Joey Skladany/CNET

As with any "fried" food, these will dry out and not taste good when reheated. Consider making smaller quantities to enjoy immediately upon cooking. 

For more air fryer intel, try this 10-minute air fryer salmon or these decadent air fryer s'mores.