Popcorn Chicken (Better-than-KFC Copycat!)

Name: Popcorn Chicken (Better-than-KFC Copycat!)
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 500 g chicken breast, tenderloin or boneless thighs; ¾ cup buttermilk; 1½ tsp cooking/kosher salt; 1 large egg; 1½ cups flour, plain/all purpose; ½ cup corn flour / cornstarch; 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt; ½ tsp celery salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp paprika; ¾ tsp onion powder; 2 tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp mustard powder; ½ tsp ginger powder; ¼ tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp oregano; 2½ cups canola oil; ¼ cup mayo; 1 tbsp Dijon; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tsp cider vinegar or lemon; 1 pinch S&P

It's way crispier than KFC popcorn chicken. Quick to make, with a 2 minute shallow fry.

Serves 4
10 min
American
Snacks

Recipe and video by RecipeTin Eats. Watch on YouTube.

Ingredients

For 4 servings, as cooked in the video.

500 gchicken breast, tenderloin or boneless thighschopped into 1.25cm / 1/2” cubes
¾ cupbuttermilksub 1/4 cup yogurt + 1/2 cup milk
1½ tspcooking/kosher saltfor marinade; half if using table salt, increase a bit if using flakes and crush between fingers to make it finer
1large egg~50–55g / 2 oz in shell
1½ cupsflour, plain/all purpose
½ cupcorn flour / cornstarch
1 tspcooking/kosher saltfor herbs and spices; half if using table salt, increase a bit if using flakes and crush between fingers to make it finer
½ tspcelery saltsub 1/4 tsp extra salt
1 tspblack pepper
1 tsppaprika
¾ tsponion powder
2 tspgarlic powder
½ tspmustard powder
½ tspginger powder
¼ tspcayenne pepperoptional
1 tspdried thymecrushed with fingers to make it finer
1 tsporeganocrushed with fingers to make it finer
2½ cupscanola oil2–3 cups, 2.5 cm / 1” depth; veg or peanut oil
¼ cupmayofor Honey Mustard Sauce dip
1 tbspDijonfor Honey Mustard Sauce dip
1 tbsphoneyfor Honey Mustard Sauce dip
1 tspcider vinegar or lemonfor Honey Mustard Sauce dip
1 pinchS&Pfor Honey Mustard Sauce dip

Method

Whisk marinade, add chicken, toss, marinade 1–3 hours (no longer than 24 hours).
¾ cup buttermilk1½ tsp cooking/kosher salt1 large egg500 g chicken breast, tenderloin or boneless thighs
Mix breading with herbs & spices. Drizzle 3 tbsp marinade, rub with fingers to create lots of little clumps (makes extra crunchy nubbly crust on chicken). Drop chicken into breading with left hand, spoon over flour then toss/press on flour using right hand. Mostly shake off excess, spread on tray, repeat with all.
1½ cups flour, plain/all purpose½ cup corn flour / cornstarch1 tsp cooking/kosher salt½ tsp celery salt1 tsp black pepper1 tsp paprika¾ tsp onion powder2 tsp garlic powder½ tsp mustard powder½ tsp ginger powder¼ tsp cayenne pepper1 tsp dried thyme1 tsp oregano
Heat 2.5cm / 1” oil to 180C/350F. Put some chicken in spider, shake so excess flour falls through holes, fry 2–2.5 min until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels, eat! I like to dip in Honey Mustard Sauce (1/4 cup mayo, 1 tbsp each Dijon and honey, 1 tsp cider vinegar or lemon, pinch S&P).
2½ cups canola oil¼ cup mayo1 tbsp Dijon1 tbsp honey1 tsp cider vinegar or lemon1 pinch S&P

Per serving, estimated: 472 kcal · 38 g protein · 46 g carbs · 16 g fat

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