Popcorn Chicken Recipe
Who can say no to Popcorn chicken? At least, I can’t. It is my go-to recipe to make a fantastic homemade appetizer, game-day snack, or fulfill my late-night cravings.
Out of my many favorite recipes, the Popcorn Chicken recipe comes at the top. The best thing about this recipe is you can make copycat KFC Popcorn chicken without special equipment or ingredients.
Incredibly nostalgic, devouring till the last morsel, comforting and delicious. Nothing more can justify the definition of Popcorn chicken.
Popcorn chicken is finger-licking, and all are obsessed with this recipe. Using all the staples already available in your pantry, you get the same crispy taste that we eat in restaurants.
The size of small chicken pieces is the reason they named chicken popcorns. They cook in minutes and are so darn addictive.
Check Out: KFC Fried Chicken Recipe
Ready within minutes, these KFC Style Spicy Popcorn Chicken Bites involve much healthier and crispier ingredients, each nibble ends up loud crunch.
Can’t wait to satisfy your popcorn chicken cravings? Let’s jump to the recipe.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
-
Time Saver: This popcorn chicken is a quick and super easy recipe you can try at home without spending too much money or time.
-
Crispier texture outside and flavourful relish inside Using exact measurements of ingredients, coating, and frying, you will get an irresistible food for kids and adults alike.
-
Kid-Friendly: They’re a finger food or appetizer perfect for any occasion, from kid’s birthday parties to back-to-school lunch boxes and after-school activities.
-
Crowd pleaser: You can enjoy complete control of the ingredients, flavors, and nutrients while making fried chicken bites at home, prepared for large badges during game nights and cocktail parties. The perk probably makes it better than slow-cooked fast-food fried chicken.
Ingredients
Chicken: I prefer to use boneless fresh or frozen chicken pieces with skin. Thigh pieces remain tender and juicy until the end, but breast pieces also go well with this recipe.
Sugar: Powdered sugar enhances the flavor of popcorn chicken and balances its relish on your tongue.
Spices for marination: I have used oregano, Ginger powder, Red Chili powder, Chaat masala, Black pepper and salt to taste. The result was none less than the KFC-inspired popcorn.
Garlic paste: Garlic paste is enough for this sizzling popcorn chicken to offer a tantalizing flavor.
Lemon: Last but not least, lemon is an essential ingredient for chicken marinade. Lemon juice helps tenderize the chicken, offering it an appetizing juicy flavor from the inside.
All-purpose flour (Maida): All-purpose flour is the base coat of the chicken, providing it with a crispy texture. Take a bowl of all-purpose flour and sieve to separate coarser from finer particles.
Oil: Any neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point, such as rice bran, peanut, canola, or sunflower oil is excellent for frying chicken. High levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in canola are a bonus, making it healthier than other options.
Video Tutorial
Instructions:
- Take the boneless chicken and cut it into small pieces, more likely in cube shapes. Fresh chicken with skin or thawed from frozen chicken breasts are the best options.
- Put the chicken in a mixing bowl and season it with spices, like garlic paste, dried oregano, Black pepper, salt, and sugar to get the best-nuanced flavor. Mix it well and let it marinate for an hour.
- Coat in all-purpose flour to get the maximum covering. Dip these well-coated chicken bites in cold water and coat them again with all-purpose flour. This double coating of all-purpose flour offers the crunchiest outer layer. Make sure every part of the chicken popcorn gets completely coated.
- Add oil to a deep frying pan and place over medium heat. Add chicken popcorn to the hot oil and let it fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until they turn golden and crispy. Deep frying is recommended in this recipe. Flip them over in between to ensure they are fried evenly.
- Let the excess oil drip and drain on a paper towel. These little munchies are ready to enjoy with your favorite sauce or ketchup.
Tips to Make These Recipes More Special
Do you want to make it more special for the next get-together? Don’t forget to follow these pro tips.
Nabeela Pro Tips
-
Use chicken with skin since it protects the meat, resulting in extra crispy and juicy chicken when fried.
-
Coating these popcorn chicken with cornflakes and breadcrumbs takes these to the next level.
-
Maintain the oil temperature from 350ºF to 375°F while frying the chicken. Too hot will burn its exterior covering and an undercooked interior. The too-cold temperature will leave it greasy.
-
Once you’ve prepared it, place it in the oven at an extremely low temperature to keep fried chicken crispy until you’re ready to serve.
-
Reheat fried leftover chicken in an oven to an extremely high temperature, allowing the coating to dry while the chicken is warming.
-
The completely dried flour offers the perfect coating and crunchiest texture.
FAQS
How To Serve Popcorn Chicken
Personalizing this recipe is purely dependent on your personal flavor preferences and what cuisine you choose to complement the popcorn chicken with, providing a refreshing balance to the crispy chicken.
I love to serve the chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans.
Speaking about dipping sauce, some of the favorites that pair well with these chunky chicken bites are barbecue, sweet honey mustard, ranch, or hot sauce.
Various sauces open doors for your guests to customize their dipping experience. Be it rich and indulgent creamy garlic and parmesan-based sauce with the chicken or the cool, cucumber-yogurt tzatziki sauce. Each crunchy nibble is irresistible.
Popcorn Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 50g Chicken (boneless)
- 1 tsp Sugar (powder form)
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Ginger powder
- 1 tsp Red chili powder
- 1 tsp Chaat masala
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- Salt (Adjustable)
- 1 tsp Garlic paste
- 1 Lemon
- 1 bowl All purpose flour (Maida)
- Cookies Oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Cut boneless chicken into small cube size pieces.
- Season the chicken in a bowl with garlic paste, dried oregano, black pepper, salt, and sugar. Mix well and marinate for an hour.
- Coat the chicken in flour, dip in cold water, and coat again with flour for extra crunch.
- Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy, flipping for even cooking.
- Drain excess oil on a paper towel. Serve with your favorite sauce or ketchup.
Video
Notes
