American Style Crispy Buttermilk Popcorn Chicken

For your next gathering, how about something absolutely delicious? Not that you don’t make delicious stuff hehehehe

Let me introduce you to American Style Popcorn Chicken! This cooking method was invented by KFC back in 1992, and it’s basically like chicken nuggets or breaded chicken, except the chicken is cut into super tiny pieces… to look more like popcorn? Or maybe just the size of really big popcorn kernels. Either way, it’s a great snack, super easy to make, and perfect for parties and celebrations!

There are tons of recipes out there, but the one I chose to make is based on the most popular American version, using buttermilk (or curdled milk) to tenderize the chicken and add a touch of acidity to cut through the richness of the fried coating. But since buttermilk isn’t always easy to find at the supermarket, a great alternative is adding a little lemon juice to regular milk, this gives you that acidic tang and helps curdle the milk, creating a texture and flavor similar to buttermilk. Beyond that, it’s just flour and breadcrumbs.

To create an extra crispy crust, I fried them twice, which normally isn’t a problem, but in this case since the chicken pieces are so small, I fried at a lower temperature than usual and more slowly until they started to brown. Then when I increased the temperature and fried them a second time, it was really just to get them beautifully golden, because the chicken was already practically cooked through.

I was a bit worried the chicken might end up too dry, but the marinade helps the coating stick well to the chicken while also retaining moisture. I don’t see much difference between popcorn chicken and chicken nuggets, but I get it, since they’re smaller, you get more of that crispy coating with every bite! Plus, it ends up being more of a snack or appetizer than a main dish, making it perfect finger food for any celebration. You can always serve it with your favorite dipping sauce! Let’s get to the recipe!

American Style Crispy Buttermilk Popcorn Chicken

Servings: 2
Time: 1hr
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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Nothing like making popcorn chicken at home, these crispy and crunchy nuggets are super addictive... just like.... popcorn! ;D

Ingredients

Chicken – 2 Breasts
Milk – 250ml
Lemon – 1 Tablespoon (Juice)
Flour – For Dusting
Breadcrumbs – For Dusting
Cooking Oil – For Frying (I used Sunflower Oil)
Garlic Powder – A Pinch
Paprika – A Pinch
Salt – A Pinch

Directions

Start by cutting the chicken breasts. My idea for this recipe is 1 chicken breast per person, so 2 servings, 2 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces, a little bigger than a thumb, about half the size of a regular nugget.

Once cut, season with a pinch of salt.

In a large bowl, add the milk, followed by a tablespoon of lemon juice, mix and add the chicken, leave for about 15 minutes while you prepare the rest.

In a separate bowl, add a portion of flour and in another bowl add a portion of breadcrumbs, season the breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt, paprika, and garlic powder.
After 15 minutes, you will make an assembly line. Perhaps the simplest thing to do is to remove all the chicken from the milk and place it in a separate bowl. Do not throw away the milk.

Now take some pieces of chicken and put them in the flour, roll them well and shake off the excess, put these pieces back in the milk, remove them and put them in the breadcrumbs. Try to do everything at once because you want to dip the flour in the milk but you don’t want the flour to come off the chicken.

Roll the chicken pieces well in the breadcrumbs and place them on a separate plate. Repeat the same procedure for all the chicken, i.e., chicken > buttermilk > flour > buttermilk > breadcrumbs.

Heat the oil over medium-low heat. When you add the chicken, it should barely be frying, just bubbling a little, because in this first step you are going to cook the chicken and just set the coating a little. Turn it over and when the coating is golden brown, don’t add too much chicken at once. Remove the chicken to a plate and repeat with the rest of the chicken.

Once you have fried all the chicken once, increase the heat of the oil to medium-high (in my case, I had to add a little more oil) and when it is hot, add the chicken back to the oil. At this point, you just want to fry the outside quickly until it is golden brown. When it is done, remove it from the oil to drain on a rack or paper towel.

And that’s it, ready to serve. Like any fried chicken, you can serve it as a meal or as a snack. Enjoy!

Notes: I used chicken breast because that’s what I had, and it’s the easiest, but I’d even say using boneless chicken thighs is a great option and might be even more flavorful.

Another very common variation is to use whisked egg instead of buttermilk or milk. I like this variation too, but I think the coating ends up a bit less crispy, and the egg itself adds a slight sweetness which can be pleasant in many fried foods, but here I don’t think it’s necessary.

The double-frying technique is key here! The first fry at medium-low (around 160°C/320°F) cooks the chicken through without burning the coating. The second fry at medium-high (around 180°C/350°F) creates that irresistibly crispy, golden exterior.

You can bread the chicken pieces in advance and keep them in the refrigerator for a few hours before frying. Just make sure they’re in a single layer, so the coating doesn’t get soggy.

These are perfect with spicy mayo, honey mustard, ranch dressing, or even a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. Set up a dipping station at your party and let guests choose their favorites!

Best enjoyed fresh and hot, but if you have leftovers, you can reheat them in the oven at 200°C (400°F) for about 10 minutes to restore some of that crispiness. Avoid the microwave, it’ll make them soggy!

This recipe for American Style Crispy Buttermilk Popcorn Chicken was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Frango Tipo Pipoca · Popcorn Chicken foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.