Popcorn chicken - better than KFC!
Total Time
35 minutes
Prep Time
25 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
4.93 out of 5 stars
(13)
Ingredients
4 servings
- 500g / 1lb chicken breast (, skinless boneless, tenderloin or boneless thighs (Note 1)
- 3/4 cup buttermilk (Note 2 for yogurt/milk sub)
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (Note 3)
- 1 large egg (~50 - 55g, 2 oz in shell)
- 1 1/2 cups flour (, plain / all purpose)
- 1/2 cup corn flour / cornstarch (makes it crispy!)
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp celery salt (sub 1/4 tsp extra salt)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp regular paprika (aka sweet paprika, not hot or smoked)
- 1 tsp dried thyme (, crushed with fingers to make it finer)
- 1 tsp dried oregano (, crushed with fingers to make it finer)
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (, optional (tiniest background warmth, doesn't make it spicy)
- 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups canola oil (2.5 cm / 1" depth) (, or vegetable or peanut oil (Note 8 for re-use)
- 1/2 batch Honey mustard dipping sauce (pictured in post)
- Ketchup, tomato sauce,
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Preparation
Step 1
Abbreviated directions:
Step 2
Marinade chicken 1 hour+ in Buttermilk Marinade. Dribble then rub 3 tbsp marinade in breading to make small clumps. Dredge chicken, fry 2 minutes at 180C/350F.
Step 3
Marinade chicken:
Step 4
Cut chicken into small 1.25 cm / 1/2" cubes.
Step 5
Marinade - Whisk marinade in a bowl. Add chicken, stir to coat, then refrigerate for 1 hour (no longer than 24 hours).
Step 6
Prepare breading:
Step 7
Breading mixture - Mix together Breading and all KFC Secret Herbs & Spices in a large bowl (larger surface area = coat more chicken in one go).
Step 8
Clump = crunchy! Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the Marinade into the flour mixture. Use your fingers to rub in so you get lots of small lumpy bits all throughout (this fries up into extra crunchy bits, secret trick!).
Step 9
Prepare to cook (work in specified order of steps):
Step 10
Frying vessel (Note 5) - Large saucepan / small pot ~20cm/8" recommended for beginners. Large pot / deep skillet ~24cm/9.5" or larger recommended only for capable cooks. Use heavy based (not light and flimsy), for safety and heat retention.
Step 11
Preheat oven to 50°C/125°F, to keep cooked chicken warm.
Step 12
Breading (PS I'm right handed):
Step 13
Bread chicken - Pick up a handful of chicken from the marinade with your left hand, then scatter across surface of the flour mixture. Spoon flour over chicken then toss with the spoon to coat.
Step 14
Shake off excess (use right hand) - Separate the chicken pieces and press the clumpy flour onto the chicken pieces. Pick up a handful, shake excess flour off through fingers (no need to be thorough). Spread chicken on tray. Repeat with remaining chicken. Voila! No clumpy flour-batter-caked fingers!
Step 15
Separate and last minute coat (Note 6) - Just before frying, use your fingers to briefly re-toss the chicken you're about to cook in the residual flour on the tray (to freshen up the flour coating, as it sits around it sweats/gets wet), and make sure the chicken pieces are not stuck together.
Step 16
Frying:
Step 17
Line a tray with paper towels (for draining cooked chicken). Preheat oven to 50°C/125°F to keep cooked chicken warm.
Step 18
Heat oil - Add oil to your pot to a depth of 2.5 cm / 1". Heat it over medium high to 180°C/350°F (Note 7).
Step 19
Fry 2 minutes - Pick up some chicken and put it in a spider with large holes (Note 8) and shake so excess flour falls through (or use hands to shake off excess flour then then transfer into a scoop to lower into oil). Carefully lower chicken into the oil. Fry for 2 - 2.5 minutes until golden, separating any that get stuck together around halfway through.
Step 20
Drain - Scoop out with a spider and spread on a paper towel lined tray Keep cooked chicken warm in the oven and cook remaining chicken.
Step 21
Serve chicken - in popcorn boxes, for extra fun factor! - with dipping sauce of choice (pictured, Honey Mustard).
Step 22
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