How to Make Homemade Popcorn Chicken
Small pieces of breaded, cooked chicken, commonly referred to as popcorn chicken, are a staple of many fast food restaurants. Similar to chicken nuggets, these fried treats are easy to prepare at home, and extremely versatile. By changing the spices in your homemade coating, or varying the dipping sauces served you can create exciting flavor combinations that rival a restaurant's version of popcorn chicken.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Knife
- Chicken breast
- Shallow dishes
- Flour
- Buttermilk
- Breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Oil
- Saucepan
- Tongs
- Cooling rack
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-
1
Remove the fat from two to three large chicken breasts and cut them into 1-inch cubes using a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Set them aside on a chopping board or plate.
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2
Add 1 cup of flour to a shallow dish, and 1 cup of buttermilk in a second shallow dish. In a third dish, combine 1 cup of breadcrumbs with 1/2 tbsp. each of salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder, stirring thoroughly to combine.
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3
Dredge two to three pieces of chicken in flour until well-coated. Using tongs, place the flour-coated chicken pieces in the dish of buttermilk and turn to coat. Finally, transfer the chicken pieces to the dish of breadcrumbs and coat.
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4
Pour two to three inches of oil in a saucepan and bring to 350 degrees F. In batches of two to four at a time, add coated chicken pieces to the oil to cook.
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5
Remove chicken pieces once the outsides turn a golden brown color, which will take about five minutes. Set it on a cooling rack or brown paper bag and let any excess grease drip off before serving.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Overcrowding the chicken when frying lowers the temperature of the oil, and may cause improper cooking.
