Popcorn Chicken

This crispy and flavorful popcorn chicken is always a huge hit. Fry some up for movie night or game day and make the whole family happy. For an over-the-top treat, serve with one of my dipping sauces.

Course appetizer/snack, chicken main meal

Cuisine American

Keyword how do you make popcorn chicken, how to make popcorn chicken, kfc popcorn chicken, popcorn chicken recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 582kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

Buttermilk Marinade

1 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 large eggs

Chicken

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ ground cayenne pepper
2½-3 cups vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Whisk the flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper in a wide bowl.
In a deeper bowl, whisk the milk and lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in the eggs. Add the chicken pieces to the egg mixture and let them rest for 20 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the buttermilk marinade and toss it in the flour mixture, turning on all sides to coat.
Heat the oil to 350 degrees and fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Work in batches and using a spider skimmer, remove the chicken to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. For best results, serve promptly.

Notes

To avoid the dreaded breading fingers, use one hand for the dry ingredients and one hand for the wet ingredients.
Try to maintain a consistent fry temperature of 350-375 degrees. Use a candy or deep-fry thermometer. Dutch ovens are good, heavy pans for frying. Because of their thickness, they maintain and hold heat well.
This recipe calls for you to make your own buttermilk. Save money and make your buttermilk at home by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a cup of milk and letting it sit for about 5 minutes.
To keep the chicken warm and crispy, put the chicken on an ovenproof wire rack on top of a baking sheet in the oven at 225 degrees.

Nutrition