Description
Popcorn Chicken brings crispy, golden happiness straight from your kitchen, rivaling those famous fast-food spots. Seasoned with secret spices and fried to perfection, these bite-sized treats will become your new favorite snack that everyone craves.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Marinade:
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Breading:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon MSG
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Vegetable oil or peanut oil, for frying
Instructions
- Grab chicken pieces and submerge them completely in a mixture of 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon paprika. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours so your chicken absorbs maximum flavor.
- Whisk 2 cups flour, 1 cup cornstarch, 2 tablespoons each of paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder with remaining dry spices in a large shallow dish. Make sure your seasoning blend is evenly distributed with no clumpy spots.
- Pull chicken from refrigerator and let excess marinade drip off each piece. Coat every chicken morsel thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing gently to help breading stick.
- Create an extra crispy layer by quickly dipping your flour-coated chicken back into the buttermilk, then rolling again in the seasoning mix. This double-dredging technique guarantees a seriously crunchy exterior.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to exactly 350F. Use a thermometer to confirm the precise temperature for perfect frying conditions.
- Slide breaded chicken pieces carefully into hot oil, working in small batches to maintain oil temperature. Fry each batch for 4-5 minutes until pieces turn deep golden brown.
- Check internal chicken temperature reaches 165F using a meat thermometer. This ensures your chicken is completely cooked and safe to consume.
- Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack lined with paper towels. Let excess oil drip away for maximum crispiness.
- Continue frying remaining chicken in batches, maintaining consistent 350F oil temperature. Serve immediately while chicken remains hot and super crunchy.
Notes
- Double-dredging creates an extra crispy, thick coating that mimics KFC’s signature crunch, so don’t skip this crucial step.
- Maintaining consistent oil temperature around 350F is critical for achieving golden, evenly cooked chicken without greasiness.
- Let the marinated chicken come close to room temperature before frying to ensure more even cooking and a crispier exterior.
- For a gluten-free version, swap wheat flour with a combination of rice flour and cornstarch, which will still deliver a fantastic crispy texture.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 4-5 minutes per batch frying
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 404 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 1150 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg