crispy popcorn chicken

this crispy popcorn chicken brings comfort in every bite. tender pieces of chicken wrapped up in the most perfect, crunchy shell. a bowlful of these with your favourite dipping sauce makes any afternoon feel like a little celebration.

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Making these little crispy popcorn chicken bites couldn’t be simpler – just toss everything in one bowl and let the magic happen. The coating turns perfectly golden as it fries, creating the lightest, crispiest shell around each piece of tender chicken. Keep them in a warm bowl on your counter, ready for dipping and snacking whenever the craving strikes.

why you will love this popcorn chicken recipe:

• simple and easy recipe: this popcorn chicken recipe is so easy and involves just one bowl instead of the traditional breading methods with egg and dipping in flour and breadcrumbs. you could easily whip this up in minutes and with minimal washing up to do after!

• great for making ahead and in batches – this popcorn chicken freezes really well, so it would be a great idea to make a big batch and store the rest in the freezer. simply fry some up whenever you feel like it!

• easy to make as part of a balanced diet – this popcorn chicken recipe doesn’t have to be unhealthy! you can easily make this popcorn chicken healthy by skipping the deep frying and opting for making in the air fryer or baking in the oven instead. serve with a side of vegetables or a salad to make it a balanced meal and you’re good to go. a great snack or meal idea for kids, too.

how to make these popcorn chicken bites

to make this homemade popcorn chicken, we’re going to start off by cutting boneless chicken breast into small, bitesized pieces. then, to the chicken, we’ll add a mixture of spices, as well as some vinegar to keep the chicken tender. once the spices have been mixed in, we’ll add flour and cornstarch to the chicken for our coating. add water to loosen up the popcorn chicken batter. then, finally, after all of this has been mixed together, add some breadcrumbs to keep the popcorn chicken crispy. then, we’ll fry the chicken popcorn until golden and crispy, and we’re done!

popcorn chicken ingredients

• chicken – i like to use boneless chicken breast for this popcorn chicken recipe. cut into small, bitesized pieces.

• spices – for our popcorn chicken seasoning, we’ll be using a mix of garlic powder, red chilli powder, black pepper, paprika and salt. you can adjust these to your taste.

• vinegar -adding a small amount of white vinegar to the chicken will help tenderise it.

• flour – coating the popcorn chicken in plain flour or all purpose flour is going to give us our crispy crust

• cornstarch- i like to use a mix of flour and cornstarch for the popcorn chicken coating for extra crispiness.

• water – just a small amount of cold water in the popcorn chicken batter will help loosen it and ensure that it’s the right consistency.

• breadcrumbs – i love to add a small amount of breadcrumbs to the popcorn chicken batter at the end to make these extra crispy. you can use any type of breadcrumbs, but i love to use panko breadcrumbs for the best crunch!

• oil – use any neutral oil such as sunflower, safflower, canola etc. for frying the popcorn chicken.

tools:

• large bowl – we’re going to be adding everything (the chicken, spices, flour, water etc.) in one bowl, so you want to make sure that it’s large enough for everything to fit in it.

• wire skimmer – use a wire skimmer to drain any excess oil after frying the popcorn chicken.

• deep pan or pot – for deep frying the popcorn chicken.

step by step instructions

for full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe below.

step one: in a large bowl, add chicken breast, cut into bitesized pieces, and then add all of the seasonings: garlic powder, red chilli powder, black pepper, paprika and salt. add vinegar and mix all of this into the chicken pieces until coated.

step two: then, to the same bowl, add flour and cornstarch. mix this into the seasoned chicken until completely coated.

step three: add water to the bowl in small amounts at a time, mixing it into the chicken each time. at this stage, you should have a looser popcorn chicken batter.

step four: add breadcrumbs to the popcorn chicken batter, and mix them in until the batter no longer looks loose and wet.

step five: heat up oil in a pot or pan to medium-high heat. once the oil is ready, gently add the popcorn chicken one by one to the oil, taking care not to overcrowd the pan (fry in batches if necessary). once you’ve added the popcorn chicken to the oil, turn the heat down to medium.

step six: let the popcorn chicken fry in the oil for about 2 minutes, undisturbed. then, gently stir them in the oil a little so that all sides fry in the oil.

step seven: continue to let the popcorn chicken fry for another 2-3 minutes over medium heat until they look golden and crispy.

step eight: using a wire skimmer, gently remove the popcorn chicken from the hot oil and drain any excess oil.

step nine: serve with your favourite sauce, and let’s eat!

tips and notes

• cut chicken into even, bite-sized pieces. make sure you don’t cut your chicken into chunks that are too thick or big. thick/big pieces of chicken will take longer to cook and be harder to fry.

• i prefer to use chicken breast for this recipe, but chicken thighs are usually a bit juicier, so you can use thighs if you like.

• adjust any spices and seasonings to your taste – i tried to keep this popcorn chicken recipe pretty balanced in terms of spice. but if you’RE WORRIED that this popcorn chicken MIGHT BE TOO SPICY for you (or if you’D prefer it to be spicier), I WOULD recommend adjusting some of the seasonings (like the red chilli powder).

• thoroughly mix the seasonings and spices into the chicken before adding the flour and cornstarch. this will ensure that the chicken is evenly coated with the spices, and the flavour is consistent throughout.

• when adding the water to the mixture, drizzle it in slowly while mixing it in to avoid clumps and ensure that you get a smooth batter.

• once you’ve added the breadcrumbs try not to over mix. just make sure the chicken pieces are well coated with the breadcrumbs.

• do not overcrowd the pan when frying the chicken. if necessary, fry the chicken in batches.

• make sure your oil is not too hot or too cool when frying. oil that is too hot will cook the outside too quickly and won’t cook the inside enough, and oil that isn’t hot enough will make the chicken greasy.

• when it comes to deep frying, use any neutral tasting oil. the oil should come about 2-3 inches up the pot with a good amount of space left so that there’s room for the oil to bubble up.

• to test oil temperature to ensure that it’s hot enough to start frying your popcorn chicken, you can dip the end of a wooden spoon or chopstick in the oil. if bubbles form steadily around it, the oil is ready for frying. if the bubbles are vigorous, it means that the oil is too hot.

• alternatively, you can drop a breadcrumb into the oil to test it as well. when the oil is ready, the breadcrumb should sizzle and rise to the surface in about 30 seconds. if the oil is too hot, the breadcrumb will burn quickly. if the oil isn’t hot enough, the breadcrumb will sink, with a minimal bubbling.

• if not serving immediately, drain any excess oil when removing the popcorn chicken from the oil, then place on a wire rack to prevent the chicken from becoming soggy.

• there are so many serving options when it comes to this popcorn chicken recipe! have popcorn chicken and fries or popcorn chicken and rice. they would also be great in a popcorn chicken wrap or popcorn chicken loaded fries. great as a snack or as part of a proper meal!

frequently asked questions

1. what is popcorn chicken made of ?

   – popcorn chicken is made of small pieces of chicken coated in a seasoned breading. it’s called ‘popcorn’ chicken, because the pieces are small and snack-able, almost like popcorn.

2. how can i make this popcorn chicken spicier ?

   – if you want to make this popcorn chicken a little spicier, you can increase the heat by adding more red chilli powder to the chicken seasoning. you can also make a spicy glaze for the popcorn chicken or serve with a spicy dip.

3. can i use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast ?

   – yes, you can absolutely use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. in fact, chicken thighs tend to be juicier and more tender, with more flavour too. just make sure they’re cut into small, bite-sized pieces to make frying easier.

4. can i make this popcorn chicken in the air fryer ?

   – yes, you can make this popcorn chicken using the air fryer instead of frying in oil. spray with oil and air fry at 200°C (400°F) until golden and crispy. keep in mind that the chicken won’t be as crispy as chicken that is deep—fried.

5. can i make this popcorn chicken in the oven ?

   – yes, you can, but again, keep in mind that the chicken won’t be as crispy as chicken that is deep-fried. just spray the popcorn chicken with oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) until golden and crispy.

6. how can i make this popcorn chicken quickly ?

   – this method is already a pretty quick way of making popcorn chicken! however, if you want to speed up the process further, you could buy pre-cut chicken so that you don’t have to spend time cutting it. you can also make a larger batch of the popcorn chicken at once, then freeze some of it so that you can fry it up whenever you feel like it!

7. how do i know if my oil is hot enough for frying ?

   – if you’re not sure whether your oil is hot enough, and you don’t have a thermometer, dip the handle of a wooden spoon or a chopstick in the oil. once you see bubbles start to form around the spoon/chopstick, and they start to float up, it means that your oil is hot enough for frying. if the oil is bubbling up really fast, it might mean that your oil is too hot.

8. my coating keeps falling off – what do i do ?

   – mix the chicken gently once you’ve added the breadcrumbs into the popcorn chicken batter. and don’t move the chicken around too much while frying. let it fry undisturbed for the first two minutes, before stirring it gently in the oil a little, and then letting it fry again.

9. how do i know when the chicken is cooked through ?

   – cut into the largest piece of chicken – it should be white throughout with no pink. small pieces will usually take about 4-5 minutes to cook through.

10. my oil got too hot/cold – what do i do ?

    – you want to make sure to let your oil come back to the right temperature between batches. if you think it’s too hot, just remove from the heat for a bit. if it’s too cold, wait for it to heat up to the right temperature. before starting with the next batch of chicken, test with a small piece to ensure that the oil is hot enough.

11. can i make this popcorn chicken ahead of time ?

    – this popcorn chicken is best served fresh, but if made in advance, it can be reheated in the oven or air fryer until hot and crispy again.

12. can i freeze this popcorn chicken ?

    – yes, you can. freeze on a baking sheet or tray in a single layer, then transfer the popcorn chicken to a freezer bag and store in the freezer. they can then be reheated from frozen in the oven.

13. my breading is too wet/dry – how do i fix this ?

    – if you feel that the breading is too wet, add more breadcrumbs. if you feel that it’s too dry, add a splash of water.

14. can i make this popcorn chicken recipe without breadcrumbs ?

    – i would really recommend making this popcorn chicken with breadcrumbs and it helps make the chicken extra crispy. however, you definitely can make it without the breadcrumbs. just make sure the popcorn chicken batter is the right consistency by upping the flour and cornstarch or reducing the water. the texture will be different without the breadcrumbs but it’ll still be delicious!

15. what kind of popcorn chicken dipping sauce would work well with this recipe ?

    – there are so many options that would work great as a popcorn chicken dip. for example, ranch, bbq sauce, sweet chilli sauce, spicy mayo, garlic aioli, honey mustard or really just anything you like!

16. is popcorn chicken healthy ?

    – since the popcorn chicken are deep fried, i would definitely consider this to be more of a treat rather than a health food. for a lighter, healthier version, air frying or baking the chicken would be a great option instead of deep frying.

17. what are some good popcorn chicken dinner ideas ?

    – if you’re looking for a good way to incorporate this popcorn chicken into your lunches are dinners, some great ideas would be:

    • popcorn chicken rice bowl with stir-fried vegetables

    • popcorn chicken tacos

    • add to a salad as a crispy chicken topping

    • serve with mac and cheese

    • popcorn chicken wrap

18. what kind of oil do i use for frying?

    – for frying the popcorn chicken, you will need to use an oil with a high smoke point so that it’s able to withstand the high temperatures needed for deep frying. i also recommend using an oil with a neutral taste so that it doesn’t impart any of its flavour on the chicken. some good options are sunflower oil, safflower oil or vegetable oil (which is a mix of different plant oils).

recipe