Description
Crispy homemade popcorn chicken delivers that perfect snack-time crunch your taste buds have been craving. Seasoned nuggets of juicy chicken pieces make weekend movie nights seriously delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Proteins:
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
Secondary Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Liquid Ingredients:
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Trim chicken breasts into uniform 1-inch chunks. Thoroughly pat each piece dry with paper towels to ensure crispy coating.
- Combine 1 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Whisk until perfectly blended.
- Create three separate stations: seasoned flour, 1 cup buttermilk, and 2 cups panko breadcrumbs in individual shallow dishes.
- Carefully coat each chicken piece first in seasoned flour, ensuring complete coverage. Gently shake off excess flour.
- Dip floured chicken into buttermilk, allowing extra liquid to drip back into the bowl. This helps breadcrumbs stick better.
- Roll buttermilk-coated chicken in panko, pressing crumbs firmly to create a thick, even layer around each piece.
- Pour vegetable oil into a heavy pot, filling 2-3 inches deep. Heat oil to exactly 350°F using a digital thermometer.
- Carefully lower breaded chicken pieces into hot oil in small batches. Avoid overcrowding the pot.
- Fry chicken for precisely 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until exterior turns deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Transfer fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Sprinkle with additional salt if desired.
- Serve immediately with your preferred dipping sauce while chicken remains hot and exceptionally crispy.
Notes
- Pat chicken pieces completely dry before breading to ensure maximum crispiness and prevent soggy coating.
- Use a thermometer to maintain consistent oil temperature around 350°F for evenly cooked, golden-brown chicken pieces.
- Allow chicken to rest on paper towels after frying to absorb excess oil and keep the coating extra crisp.
- For a gluten-free version, swap wheat flour for cornstarch and use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs to create the same crunchy texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 419 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 510 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg