Description
Enjoy this delicious and easy popcorn chicken recipe, perfect for a quick snack or appetizer. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, these bite-sized chicken pieces are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
Buttermilk Marinade:
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
Coating:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Egg Wash:
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Place chicken in a bowl with buttermilk and hot sauce. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare Coating: Whisk together flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Coat the Chicken: Dip chicken pieces into flour mixture, then egg wash, then back into flour mixture.
- Fry: Heat oil to 350°F. Fry chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve: Drain on paper towels and serve hot with dipping sauce.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, double-dip in flour and egg.
- Bake at 425°F for 20–25 minutes or air fry at 400°F for 10–12 minutes.
- Pair with honey mustard, ranch, or spicy mayo.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus marinating time)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
