Description
Delicious Korean popcorn chicken delivers crispy, spicy flavor with a perfect balance of textures. Crunchy coating and tender meat make this dish a crowd-pleasing snack you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (453 g) chicken breast
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
- 1.5 tbsps salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chicken stock powder
- 2 tbsps water
- Cooking oil
- ¼ cup (60 g) gochujang paste
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Preparation: Slice chicken breast into uniform, bite-sized morsels, ensuring consistent sizing for even cooking and optimal texture.
- Coating Creation: Blend dry ingredients thoroughly in a mixing bowl, generating a seasoned mixture that will provide a crisp, flavorful exterior for the chicken.
- Marination and Dredging: Whisk a portion of dry mixture with water to create a light marinade, then coat chicken pieces before dredging in the remaining seasoned mixture, pressing gently to ensure complete coverage.
- Frying Process: Heat a large skillet over medium temperature, placing chicken pieces with adequate spacing to prevent steaming and promote a golden-brown, crispy exterior. Rotate pieces every 2-3 minutes to achieve uniform cooking.
- Draining and Resting: Transfer fried chicken to a wire cooling rack positioned over a baking sheet, allowing excess oil to drain and maintaining the desired crispness.
- Sauce Preparation: Whisk gochujang paste, ketchup, and sesame oil in a mixing bowl until smooth, creating a vibrant Korean-style sauce with complex flavor profile.
- Finishing Touch: Gently toss crispy chicken in the prepared sauce, ensuring complete coating, then garnish with toasted sesame seeds for added visual appeal and nutty complexity before serving.
Notes
- Precise Chicken Cutting: Uniform 1-inch pieces ensure even cooking and consistent texture, preventing undercooked or overcooked sections.
- Spice Distribution Technique: Thoroughly blend dry ingredients to eliminate clumping and guarantee balanced flavor in every bite.
- Batch Frying Strategy: Cook chicken in small quantities to maintain oil temperature and achieve maximum crispiness without overcrowding the pan.
- Sauce Coating Method: Gently toss chicken in sauce immediately after frying to lock in crispness while maximizing flavor absorption.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg