Description
Delightfully crispy morsels of popcorn chicken, marinated in buttermilk and coated with a flavorful breadcrumb mixture.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ cup buttermilk (or milk)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Neutral oil (for frying – vegetable or canola)
Instructions
- Cut chicken into small, even bite-size pieces.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Soak chicken in buttermilk for at least 10 minutes.
- Mix flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Place beaten eggs in a separate bowl.
- Dip chicken pieces into egg, then coat thoroughly in the flour mixture.
- Heat oil to 350°F in a deep skillet or saucepan.
- Fry chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes, until golden and crispy.
- Remove and drain on paper towels or a wire rack.
- Optional: For air frying, preheat air fryer to 400°F, spray breaded chicken lightly with oil, and air fry for 8–10 minutes, shaking halfway through.
- Optional: For baking, preheat oven to 425°F, place chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, spray lightly with oil, and bake for 18–22 minutes, flipping once.
- Sprinkle lightly with salt while hot and rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
For added crispiness, double-dip the chicken and ensure the oil temperature is correct before frying.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: main course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Taiwanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg