How to Make Popcorn Chicken

Last Updated: October 16, 2024 Approved

Popcorn chicken is a tasty, crispy way to enjoy juicy, white meat chicken. Cut into bite size pieces that you can easily pop in your mouth, they're ideal for dipping in your favorite sauce or condiment, such as barbecue sauce or honey mustard. But instead of running out to a fast food restaurant for popcorn chicken, you can make it at home, where you can customize the seasoning to suit your tastes.

Ingredients

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup (237 ml) buttermilk
2 teaspoon (9.83 g) sea salt
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon (7 g) baking powder
2 teaspoon (10 g) cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon (2.5 g) dried oregano
½ teaspoon (2.5 g) ground turmeric
1 teaspoon (5 g) onion powder
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Canola or vegetable oil for frying

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing the Chicken

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1
Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. To make the popcorn chicken, start with 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Use a knife to cut the raw chicken into pieces that are small enough to pop in your mouth. ^{[1]
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- Make sure to wash your hands before and after handling the raw chicken. ^{[2]
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- It’s best to use a flat knife to cut the raw chicken. A serrated knife can catch on the stringy parts of the breast.
- Try to cut all of the pieces to the same size so they’ll cook at the same rate when you place them in the oil.
- Trim away any fat or cartilage that you find in the chicken breast.
2
Combine the chicken with the buttermilk and salt. In a large bowl, combine the cut up chicken with 1 cup (237 ml) of buttermilk and 1 teaspoon (4.9 g) of sea salt. Mix well, so the chicken is coated with the buttermilk and seasoned with the salt. ^{[3]
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- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can combine 1 cup (237 ml) of regular milk with 1 tsp (5 ml) of lemon juice to replace it.
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3
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for several hours. After you’ve combined the chicken with the buttermilk and salt, cover the bowl with a piece of foil or plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator and allow it to chill for at least 1 hour. ^{[4]
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- You can chill the chicken and buttermilk mixture for up to 8 hours.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Breading the Chicken

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1
Mix the flour and spices in a plastic bag. In a plastic bag that you can seal, combine 1 cup (125 g) of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon (4.9 g) of sea salt, 1 ½ teaspoons (7 g) of baking powder, 2 teaspoons (10 g) of cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of dried oregano, ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon (5 g) of onion powder, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper to taste. Close the bag and shake until all of the ingredients are well mixed. ^{[5]
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- You can customize the seasonings for the popcorn chicken breading to suit your tastes. For example, you might mix some garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, or cajun seasoning into the breading.
2
Add ⅓ of the chicken pieces to the bag and shake well. Remove ⅓ of the chicken pieces from the buttermilk mixture, and place them inside the plastic bag with the breading. Close the bag and shake well to ensure that all of the chicken pieces are well coated. ^{[6]
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- Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the buttermilk and shake well so you don’t add excess moisture to the breading bag.
Take the chicken pieces out of the bag one at a time, taking time to shake off any excess coating. Place the breaded chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet to wait until it’s time to fry. Repeat the process with the rest of the chicken pieces until they’re all coated. ^{[7]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Frying the Chicken

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1
Heat the oil in a pot. In a large heavy saucepan, add 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) of canola or vegetable oil. Heat it on medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer registers the oil’s temperature as 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius). ^{[8]
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- You can substitute peanut oil for the canola or vegetable oil if you prefer. It usually provides a darker golden brown color to the chicken when it's done frying, though.
2
Place ⅓ of the chicken in the oil and fry for several minutes. Take ⅓ of the breaded chicken pieces and carefully add them to the hot oil. Allow the chicken to fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and is a golden brown color. ^{[9]
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- If you’re not sure whether the chicken is cooked through, cut a piece in half and make sure that the center is no longer pink.
- For a healthier version of popcorn chicken, you can bake the coated chicken in the oven. Just swap the flour in the breading for 2 ½ cups of Corn Flakes that have been crushed in the food processor and use ½ cup of flour to coat all of the chicken pieces before tossing them in the breading. Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) for 20 minutes, turning them over halfway through. Make them extra crunchy by broiling them for an additional 2 minutes. ^{[10]
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3
Remove the chicken from the oil and let drain on paper towel. When the chicken is finished frying, remove it from the oil with a slotted spoon. Place the pieces on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to absorb any excess oil. ^{[11]
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- While you want to allow the chicken to drain of the oil so they’re crunchy, don’t let them sit too long. You want to serve them while they’re still hot.
4
Repeat the process with the rest of chicken and serve. Once you’ve finished frying the first batch of chicken, fry the rest of it in the same way. When all of the popcorn chicken is fried, serve it with your favorite dipping sauces, such as barbecue sauce, honey mustard, and ranch dressing. ^{[12]
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- You can also sauce the popcorn chicken directly. Toss it while it’s still warm in a sauce of your choosing, such as honey barbecue or spicy buffalo, so all of the pieces are coated and serve.

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Question

Where do you get the supplies from?

Adele Orr

Top Answerer

You can get all of the ingredients from any grocery store, any brand will work, for the equipment, you can go to any kitchen store or even look online.

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Tips

If you enjoy Asian flavors, you can use traditional Asian spices and ingredients, such as minced ginger and Chinese five spice powder, to season the breading. Marinate the chicken in a mixture of soy sauce and rice wine before coating it to really boost the flavor. ^{[13]
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If you're baking your popcorn chicken, it helps to use a crispier breading ingredient, such as Corn Flakes. However, feel free to be creative. Use crushed potato chips, pretzels, or crackers instead of flour to ensure that your chicken is crispy even if it isn't deep fried.

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Give your popcorn chicken some Italian flair by incorporating Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning in the breading.

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Warnings

Be careful when frying. Hot oil can splatter easily, and cause unpleasant burns.

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Things You'll Need

Knife
Large bowl
Foil
Sealable plastic bag
Slotted spoon
Plate
Baking sheet
Large heavy saucepan
Deep frying thermometer

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How to Make Popcorn Chicken

Ingredients

Steps

Preparing the Chicken

Breading the Chicken

Frying the Chicken

Community Q&A

Video

Tips

Warnings

Things You'll Need

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