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Popcorn Chicken
Crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside, tender bite-sized popcorn chicken can be ready in just 30 minutes. Yummy popcorn chicken is fun for everyone.
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Crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside, yummy popcorn chicken is perfect as an appetizer for a party or a quick dinner. Bite-sized tender chicken can be ready in less than 30 minutes.
MORE RECIPES: Fried Pork Chops | Fried Pickles | Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken
Popcorn Chicken
Making crunchy, fried popcorn chicken is easier than you think. Tempting enough for a football game with friends, but easy enough for a quick kid-friendly weeknight dinner.
Marinated in spicy buttermilk and bread crumbs, pieces of chicken breasts are fried to a flavorful golden brown. Serve finger-licking popcorn chicken with your favorite dipping sauce like homemade fry sauce, ranch, or marinara.
Fun for the whole family, serve tender morsels of chicken as a snack, appetizer, or simple lunch. Make it a meal by pairing it with other classic pub food recipes like fried pickles or chili cheese fries.
Popcorn Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken breasts - boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Buttermilk
- Hot sauce - Cholula or Tabasco hot sauce
- Flour - all-purpose flour
- Salt - coarse sea salt
- Pepper - coarse black pepper
- Paprika
- Onion powder
- Panko bread crumbs
- Oil - vegetable oil or shortening for frying
For perfectly fried chicken pieces, maintain a decent depth of oil and the proper oil temperature. The oil temperature should be 350°F for best results. Then, when removing the chicken from the pot, use a slotted spoon to make sure you drain as much oil as possible before transferring it to the plate.
If you aren’t a fan of hot sauce, or want to serve your dish to family or friends who don’t like spice, you can leave the hot sauce out of the buttermilk. You can also make your own buttermilk if you don’t have any using milk and either lemon juice or vinegar.
The panko bread crumbs add a yummy crunch to the popcorn chicken, so make sure to thoroughly coat each piece of chicken in the flour, then the buttermilk, and then the panko before frying. While you can substitute regular bread crumbs for panko bread crumbs, the texture will not be quite as light and crunchy.
How to Make Popcorn Chicken
FIRST STEP: Dice chicken breasts into small bite-size pieces (¾”x ¾”).
SECOND STEP: In a bowl, stir together buttermilk and hot sauce.
THIRD STEP: Whisk together flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder in a shallow bowl.
FOURTH STEP: Place panko breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl.
FIFTH STEP: Heat oil (at least 4” deep, preferably 6” or more) in a Dutch oven. Heat oil to 350°F. The oil takes 15 minutes or so to heat to temperature. Use a candy or food thermometer to check the temperature. It must be the correct temperature before frying the chicken.
SIXTH STEP: Working with just a few pieces at a time, dip chicken pieces into the flour mixture, coating on all sides. Then dip chicken in buttermilk and finally into the panko breadcrumbs.
SEVENTH STEP: Carefully drop just a few chicken pieces at a time into heated oil and fry until cooked through (the center should reach 165°F). The outside should be deep golden brown and crispy. Maintain an oil temperature of 350°F for best results. The chicken takes just 2-3 minutes to cook through.
EIGHTH STEP: Place cooked chicken on paper towels or brown paper bags to soak up excess oil.
What temperature is best for frying?
For perfectly fried popcorn chicken, maintain a decent depth of oil and the proper oil temperature of 350°F. The best oil for frying is vegetable as it has a high smoke point.
What if I don’t have buttermilk?
Make your own buttermilk using whole or 2% milk and either lemon juice or distilled vinegar. For every 1 cup of milk, stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
Can I use regular bread crumbs?
You can substitute regular bread crumbs for panko bread crumbs, but the texture will not be quite the same. The panko bread crumbs really make the popcorn chicken light and crunchy.
How to Store Popcorn Chicken
IN THE FRIDGE: The fried coating is best eaten right after cooking, however leftover popcorn chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Allow the chicken to cool to room temperature before storing. Reheat the chicken in the microwave or the oven.
IN THE FREEZER: Popcorn chicken can be stored in the freezer by wrapping the cooled pieces in aluminum foil and placing them into a freezer bag for up to 6 months. Thaw completely before reheating.
REHEATING: Make sure frozen chicken is thawed completely before reheating. To reheat in the microwave, wrap the pieces in a paper towel to preserve the breading and heat in 30-second intervals. Leftovers can be reheated in the oven by placing the popcorn chicken on a baking pan lined with foil. Cover the chicken with foil and then warm at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Popcorn Chicken
Crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside, tender bite-sized popcorn chicken can be ready in just 30 minutes. Yummy popcorn chicken is fun for everyone.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6-ounces each)
- 2 cup buttermilk
- 2 dashes Cholula or Tabasco hot sauce
- 1½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- vegetable oil or shortening for frying
Instructions
- Dice chicken breasts into small bite-size pieces (¾”x ¾”).
- In a bowl, stir together buttermilk and hot sauce.
- Whisk together flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder in a shallow bowl.
- Place panko breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl.
- Heat oil (at least 4” deep, preferably 6” or more) in a Dutch oven. Heat oil to 350°F. The oil takes 15 minutes or so to heat to temperature. Use a candy or food thermometer to check the temperature. It must be the correct temperature before frying the chicken.
- Working with just a few pieces at a time, dip chicken pieces into the flour mixture, coating on all sides. Then dip chicken in buttermilk and finally into the panko breadcrumbs.
- Carefully drop just a few chicken pieces at a time into heated oil and fry until cooked through (the center should reach 165°F). The outside should be deep golden brown and crispy. Maintain an oil temperature of 350°F for best results. The chicken takes just 2-3 minutes to cook through.
- Place cooked chicken on paper towels or brown paper bags to soak up excess oil.
Nutrition
Calories: 1632kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 252g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 698mg | Sodium: 1009mg | Potassium: 4247mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 157mg | Iron: 8mg
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