Description
This homemade popcorn chicken recipe offers a crispy, flavorful alternative to fast-food versions like KFC, featuring a buttermilk marinade and an 11-spice breading blend for maximum crunch and taste. Perfect as a main meal or snack, it combines tender bite-sized chicken pieces with a secret herb and spice mix, fried to golden perfection and served with your favorite dipping sauces.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 500g / 1lb chicken breast, skinless boneless, tenderloin or boneless thighs
Buttermilk Marinade
- 3/4 cup buttermilk (or substitute with yogurt/milk - see note 2)
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1 large egg (~50-55g, 2 oz in shell)
Popcorn Chicken Breading
- 1 1/2 cups plain / all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup corn flour / cornstarch (for crispiness)
KFC 11 Secret Herbs and Spices
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp celery salt (or substitute with 1/4 tsp extra salt)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp regular paprika (sweet paprika)
- 1 tsp dried thyme, crushed finely
- 1 tsp dried oregano, crushed finely
- 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, for mild warmth)
For Frying
- 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups canola oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil (about 2.5 cm / 1" depth)
Dipping Sauce Suggestions
- 1/2 batch Honey mustard dipping sauce
- Ketchup, tomato sauce, sweet and sour sauce, pink sauce, BBQ sauce, or any favorite dipping sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Cut the chicken into small 1.25 cm / 1/2″ cubes to ensure even cooking and perfect bite-sized pieces.
- Make the Buttermilk Marinade: In a bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, salt, and egg until smooth. Add the chicken pieces, stir well to coat evenly, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours to tenderize and infuse flavor.
- Mix the Breading and Spices: In a large bowl, combine the plain flour, corn flour, and all 11 secret herbs and spices. This blend creates the distinctive crispy, flavorful coating.
- Create Crunchy Flour Clumps: Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the reserved marinade into the flour mixture. Use your fingers to rub it in and create small lumpy bits throughout. These clumps fry up crispy and add extra crunch to the coating.
- Bread the Chicken: With your left hand, pick up a handful of marinated chicken and scatter it over the flour mixture. Use a spoon to cover the chicken with flour, then toss to coat. Shake off excess flour with your right hand and spread the pieces on a tray. Repeat until all chicken is coated.
- Final Coat Before Frying: Just before frying, briefly toss the chicken pieces on the tray again to freshen the flour coating and ensure pieces are separate.
- Prepare for Frying: Line a tray with paper towels for draining and preheat the oven to 50°C / 125°F to keep cooked chicken warm. Heat oil in a heavy-based saucepan or deep skillet to about 180°C / 350°F.
- Fry the Chicken: Using a spider or slotted spoon, shake off any excess flour from chicken pieces and carefully lower them into the hot oil. Fry for 2 to 2.5 minutes until golden brown, separating pieces halfway through to prevent sticking.
- Drain and Keep Warm: Remove fried chicken with a spider and spread on the paper towel-lined tray to drain. Transfer to the preheated oven to keep warm while frying the remaining chicken.
- Serve: Serve the crispy popcorn chicken in fun popcorn boxes or on a platter with your choice of dipping sauces like honey mustard, ketchup, or BBQ for a delicious snack or meal.
Notes
- Note 1: Boneless chicken thighs provide more flavor and juiciness, but breast can be used for a leaner option.
- Note 2: If buttermilk is unavailable, you can substitute by mixing plain yogurt with a splash of milk or lemon juice.
- Note 3: Use kosher or cooking salt as preferred; adjust saltiness to taste.
- Note 4: The secret herb and spice mix is key to the authentic flavor inspired by KFC’s signature seasoning.
- Note 5: Use a heavy-based saucepan or deep skillet to maintain heat and ensure safe frying.
- Note 6: Refreshing the flour coating just before frying prevents sogginess and helps keep chicken pieces separate.
- Note 7: Temperature control is important; maintain oil at 180°C / 350°F for perfect frying.
- Note 8: Use a spider or slotted spoon with large holes to allow excess flour to fall back into the oil and for easy removal of chicken.
- Oil Re-use: Filter and store used oil if clean and show no burnt particles for future frying, but do not reuse oil more than 2-3 times for safety and quality.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 125g (approx 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
