Description
This homemade Popcorn Chicken recipe offers a deliciously crispy and flavorful alternative to KFC’s version, using a buttermilk marinade and a secret blend of 11 herbs and spices for the ultimate crunch and juicy bite. Perfect for snacking or serving with your favorite dipping sauces, this easy-to-follow recipe ensures perfectly fried chicken bites every time.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 500g / 1lb chicken breast, skinless boneless, tenderloin or boneless thighs
Buttermilk Marinade
- 3/4 cup buttermilk (see note for yogurt/milk substitute)
- 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
KFC 11 Secret Herbs and Spices
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp celery salt (or sub 1/4 tsp extra salt)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp regular paprika (sweet paprika)
- 1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
- 1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
- 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 Frying
- 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups canola oil, vegetable or peanut oil (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, or any favorite dipping sauce
Instructions
- Marinate chicken: Cut the chicken into small 1.25 cm (1/2 inch) cubes. In a bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, salt, and egg. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat them evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but no longer than 24 hours for best results.
- Prepare breading mixture: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornflour, and all the 11 secret herbs and spices including salt, celery salt, black pepper, paprika, thyme, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, ginger powder, and optional cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly.
- Create crunchy clumps in breading: Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the reserved marinade into the flour mixture. Use your fingers to rub the marinade in to create small lumpy bits throughout the flour. These will fry up into extra crunchy clusters, enhancing texture.
- Prepare frying setup: Use a heavy-based saucepan or deep skillet about 20 cm (8 inches) in diameter for ease and safety. Pour oil into the pot to reach 2.5 cm (1 inch) depth. Preheat oven to 50°C (125°F) to keep cooked chicken warm after frying.
- Bread the chicken: Using your left hand, take a handful of marinated chicken and scatter it onto the breading mixture. Use a spoon to spoon flour over the chicken and toss to coat. Use your right hand to shake off excess flour by separating pieces and pressing flour clumps onto the chicken. Spread coated chicken on a tray. Repeat until all chicken is breaded.
- Final coat before frying: Just before frying, gently toss the chicken pieces in any residual flour on the tray to freshen the coating and prevent sticking.
- Heat oil: Place the pot on medium-high heat and heat oil to 180°C (350°F). Use a thermometer for accuracy or test by dropping a small piece of breading—it should sizzle immediately but not burn quickly.
- Fry chicken: Using a spider or slotted spoon, shake off excess flour from chicken pieces, then carefully lower them into hot oil in batches. Fry for 2 to 2.5 minutes until golden brown, stirring gently to separate pieces halfway through cooking to avoid sticking.
- Drain and keep warm: Remove fried chicken with a spider and spread on a paper towel-lined tray to drain excess oil. Place in preheated oven to keep warm while frying remaining batches.
- Serve: Serve the crispy popcorn chicken hot, ideally in popcorn boxes for fun, accompanied with your choice of dipping sauces such as honey mustard, ketchup, BBQ, or sweet and sour sauce.
Notes
- Classic sides include fries, coleslaw, KFC-style potato and gravy, steamed or grilled corn, cornbread or soft rolls, potato salad, and Southern baked beans.
- Chicken cut can be breast, tenderloin, or thighs. Breast is preferred for ease of cutting and leanness, with marinade aiding moisture retention.
- Substitute buttermilk with 1/4 cup yogurt whisked with 1/2 cup milk, or make buttermilk by adding 3/4 tsp white vinegar to 3/4 cup milk and letting it curdle for 10 minutes.
- For non-dairy substitutions, use plain flavored non-dairy yogurt and milk in the same quantities along with 1 tsp white vinegar to provide acidity.
- Adjust salt quantities depending on type: halve if using fine table salt; increase 2% if using coarse salt flakes.
- Cornflour adds crispiness, while all-purpose flour helps achieve a golden color. Adding 1 tsp cayenne pepper will make it spicy.
- Missing one or more spices in the secret blend is okay; the recipe remains flavorful.
- Use a smaller frying vessel (~20 cm/8 inches) if inexperienced, cooking in smaller batches for easier handling. Larger pans (~25 cm/10 inches) suit more experienced cooks.
- If breading sweats or becomes wet while waiting to fry, toss it again in flour before cooking.
- Maintain oil temperature at 180°C (350°F) for best frying results. Use a thermometer or test with breading or bubbles from a chopstick.
- A spider (wire-mesh skimmer) is useful for lowering and retrieving chicken from oil, allowing excess flour to fall through.
- Leftover chicken keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge but loses crispiness; reheat by a quick 30-second fry or 3 minutes in a very hot oven.
- Oil infused with seasoning can be reused 1-2 more times but will carry flavor over to other dishes.
- Recipe technique adapted from Serious Eats by Kenji Alt and includes a copycat 11 herbs and spices blend.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 125g
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
