Homemade Popcorn Chicken couldn’t be easier to make! The key is marinating in buttermilk for that crispy, flaky finish. But warning, these are incredibly moreish!!
Ever wish you could get KFC style popcorn chicken in the comfort of your own home? Yeah, me too. It’s literally my guiltiest pleasure in life and I’m assuming that because you’ve made it here, it could well be yours too. So, here’s the plan. I show you how to make popcorn chicken in the most mind-blowingly delicious way and we can fall into a food coma and regret not going to the gym together. Sound good? Okay cool. Let’s go…
Buttermilk Popcorn Chicken
The best popcorn chicken has to be crispy on the outside and soft and juicy in the centre. No brainer right? We’ll get onto the batter in a second but firstly, the absolute key to tender fried chicken is buttermilk. And not just buttermilk, but marinating in buttermilk.
Why marinate popcorn chicken?
By marinating in buttermilk you tenderize the chicken. Once you’ve marinated the chicken in buttermilk it becomes nice and soft, and when you then coat it in the batter it becomes flaky. The flakier the popcorn chicken, the crisper it is. Win-win!
How long to marinate popcorn chicken?
If I know I’m making a batch of popcorn chicken I’ll marinate it overnight. The absolute minimum should be an hour. But because the chunks are quite small you want them to flake, not turn to mush. So just to be on the safe side I tend not to marinate for longer than 12ish hours (it’s not going to hurt if it’s longer, but you’ll see what I mean texture-wise).
Do I have to marinate the popcorn chicken in buttermilk?
Short answer – no. But I do HIGHLY recommend it. But you do have to at least coat it to allow the flour the stick.
What can I substitute buttermilk for?
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand you can either make it will milk and some form of acidity (lemon juice, white wine vinegar etc), or you can milk unsweetened yogurt with milk. More on that in the recipe card!
Fried Popcorn Chicken
Alrighty, nice tender chicken breast at the ready, let’s talk crispy batter. Alongside a simple spice mix and a cup of flour, you’ll want to add a secret ingredient:
Baking Powder
I always add a tsp of baking powder in with my fried chicken just to give it that extra crisp. The baking powder reacts with the oil and produces tiny air bubbles, which results in a light and airy batter. Make sure you’re not using baking soda or bi-carb soda!
Working in batches
Although tedious, I highly recommend dredging the chicken pieces one by one. You really want to coat the chicken as well as you can to create those nice flaky pieces. These parts are what make the chicken extra crispy. Although tempting, do not mix large amounts of the chicken in with the flour. It will make the batter of pasty. No more than 3-4 at a time.
Deep Fried Popcorn Chicken
When it comes to frying the chicken, there are two things worth keeping in mind:
- Oil Temp – Important to make sure your oil is at the right temp before adding the chicken. Too high and the outside will cook before the inside has, too low and the batter will become soggy and break off the chicken. You’re looking for the oil to be around 356F/180C. I recommend using a kitchen thermometer!
- Batches – You want to fry the chicken in batches to not only ensure they don’t stick together but also to ensure the oil temp doesn’t drop too much!
How long to fry popcorn chicken?
It’s dependent on the size of your chicken, but you’re looking for anywhere between 3-5mins. Won’t take long, and the pieces do continue cooking once removed from the oil.
Popcorn Chicken FAQ
What part of the chicken is popcorn chicken made of?
Traditionally you’d use chicken breast for popcorn chicken. Having said that you can use thigh if you’d prefer! In all cases, just make sure it’s boneless skinless meat you’re using.
How spicy is this popcorn chicken?
Even if you don’t like spice, keep the cayenne pepper in, just reduce the quantity. Cayenne pepper, alongside the smoked paprika, not only injects some gorgeous colour into those popcorn chicken pieces, but it also adds heaps of flavour.
Can you bake popcorn chicken?
You can, and I’ve tried it, but in all honesty it’s just not as crispy and moist in the centre. However, if you are watching the calories and want to cook in the oven, then I suggest using a flour/egg/breadcrumb combo to try and get the maximum crispiness. Dredge in flour, then egg and finish in breadcrumbs. Similar to how I make my Oven Baked Crispy Chicken Tenders or Chicken Nuggets!
Serving Popcorn Chicken
Popcorn chicken is incredibly versatile to serve. I usually serve it at gatherings, parties, footy matches etc as part of a ‘snack platter’. Here are the usual suspects alongside the popcorn chicken:
What to serve with popcorn chicken?
The other way to serve popcorn chicken is by itself with a good old trusty dip:
Best Dips for popcorn Chicken
And there we have it folks! Super easy and insanely delicious homemade popcorn chicken! KFC, you’re sacked! Just kidding please take me back… Let’s tuck into the full recipe shall we?!
How To Make Popcorn Chicken (Full Recipe & Video)
Homemade Popcorn Chicken
Equipment:
- Large Pot & Slotted Spoon (for deep frying)
- Medium Sized Bowl (for dredging)
- Small-Medium Sized Mixing Bowl (for marinating)
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Kitchen Thermometer
- Wire Rack & Paper Towels
Ingredients (check list):
- 2x 7oz/200g Chicken Breasts
- 4 cups / 1litre Oil, suitable for deep frying (vegetable, canola, sunflower)
- 1 cup / 250ml Buttermilk
- 1 packed cup / 200g Plain Flour (scoop & level method)
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1.5 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper (see notes)
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 3/4 tsp Onion Powder
- 3/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 3/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
Instructions:
- Slice your chicken breasts into mini even-sized bite-size pieces. You should get around 40-50 pieces in total.
- Combine in a bowl with your Buttermilk, 1 tsp of Salt and 1/2 tsp Black Pepper. Pop cling film over and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Preferably overnight. This will help tenderize the chicken pieces.
- In a bowl, combine your Flour, Baking Powder, 2nd tsp of Salt, Smoked Paprika, Cayenne Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Oregano and 1/4 tsp Black Pepper.
- Take a piece of Chicken and coat it the flour mixture. Really try and get as much flour in the cracks of the chicken. You want the chicken to be nice and flakey. This is important. Although it sounds tedious to do it one by one, by this is the best way to get the best coating on the chicken. No more than 3-4 at a time max.
- Heat up 4 cups of oil, depending on depth of pan. You want the temp at around 180C/356F. Grab a tiny piece of leftover flour mixture and drop it in. If it sizzles and slowly rises to the top, you're good to go.
- In batches, add the chicken and fry for around 3-5mins until golden brown. Place on wire rack over paper towels to drain away excess fat. To test if they're cooked, just take one piece out and slice it through the centre. It should be white and piping hot. If you're not confident with deep frying just test with one piece at the start.
- Repeat with the rest of your batches, bringing the oil back up to temp between each batch, then serve with your favourite dip!
Quick 1 min demo!
Notes:
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition:
For another KFC inspired recipe check out my Crispy Chicken Burgers!
For more similar recipes check out these beauties too:
Deep Fried Finger Food Recipes
- Spicy Fried Chicken Tenders (or Nashville Chicken Tenders)
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- Chicken Fried Potatoes
- Deep Fried Breaded Mushrooms
- Deep Fried Cheese Balls
If you plan on making this Popcorn Chicken Recipe be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it? Let me know how you got on in the comments and pick up your free ecookbook on the way!
47 Comments
Loretta
November 20, 2022 at 8:56 amAbsolute favourite GO TO popcorn chicken recipe!! Recommended to everyone, and never failed to get ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews!!
Chris Collins
November 20, 2022 at 3:01 pmSo awesome to hear, Loretta! Thank you!
Cathrynn
May 24, 2021 at 7:12 amSo so yummy! I’ve decided to keep this as a family recipe and I’ll probably stop buying frozen popcorn chicken from the supermarket! Thanks, Chris!
Chris Collins
May 24, 2021 at 10:19 amAwesome!! Thanks so much for the review Cathrynn!
S Koo
November 15, 2020 at 3:13 pmWould it be ok to use chicken thighs? Wondering if it will get too tender to the point of mush. Thanks!
Chris Collins
November 15, 2020 at 4:23 pmYes you can sub thigh, they’ll just take slightly longer to cook through than breast thats all 🙂
Kate
October 1, 2020 at 10:42 pmThese are a favorite in my house. Just wondering would it be possible to bake them?
Chris Collins
October 2, 2020 at 10:41 amThanks Kate! Glad the recipe is enjoyed!! I have actually tried baking these before and you just don’t get the same kind of texture as you do with frying unfortunately. Bit of a hassle, but hopefully worth it! 🙂
Troy
April 18, 2020 at 1:48 pmWhat a great recipe! it was easy to follow and tastes better than KFC 🙂
Chris Collins
April 18, 2020 at 5:31 pmThanks, Troy! Glad it went down well! 🙂
Julie
April 11, 2020 at 12:46 amWhat a hit this recipe was with everyone
Definitely another one to add yo my favs
Chris Collins
April 11, 2020 at 10:31 amWoo hoo! Glad it went down well 🙂
Teresa
November 1, 2019 at 11:15 pmI’m marinading these right now! Can’t wait to try them looks & sounds delicious. I will let you guys know how they turn out
Chris Collins
November 2, 2019 at 4:50 pmThat’s awesome! Hope they went down well 🙂
Annie W
July 20, 2019 at 11:13 amLoved this recipe which I served with steamed rice, corn, fried omelette and spring onions . I made a very simple honey soy dipping sauce which I served with sesame seeds sprinkled over the chicken. Cooked the chicken in my wok and kept the batches warm in oven. Loved it thank you
Chris Collins
July 20, 2019 at 12:46 pmSounds like a great combo Annie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Adrianna
May 8, 2022 at 12:18 amHello, I was just wondering about the amount of chicken you use. The recipe states you use two 7 oz chicken breasts. This is about 1 lb. of chicken breast, is this correct? Sorry if this is a common sense question; I just would like to be sure. Thank you!
Chris Collins
May 8, 2022 at 2:21 pmHey Adrianna! 14oz is just under 1lb. 16oz is exactly 1lb. Hope this helps 🙂 C.
tessa
May 16, 2019 at 5:52 pmDelicious and a lot easier than I thought, thanks to your step by step directions! I didn’t have any buttermilk on hand, so I used yogurt and sour cream instead – still delicious! I reduced the cayenne pepper a bit for the benefit of my four-year old, but I think I could have probably left it at full. We all loved it… definitely a dangerous recipe! 😉
Chris
May 16, 2019 at 9:09 pmSo glad you enjoyed the recipe, Tessa! Great to know it works well with yogurt/sour cream too. Thanks for popping back and leaving your feedback 🙂
Kate
March 9, 2019 at 2:11 pmChris, this was wonderful! Never knew that those flavors would come out as they did in this beautiful dish! Follow the recipe word for word!!!
Chris
March 9, 2019 at 2:22 pmSo glad you enjoyed it Kate!! 🙂
Wren
October 1, 2018 at 2:57 pmHi,
just wondering if the 145 calories were meaning for the whole recipe or just one serving? Also this is a really amazing recipe 🙂
Chris
October 1, 2018 at 3:17 pmHi Wren! Thanks so much! It’s per serving 🙂
Wren
October 1, 2018 at 3:26 pmhow much is one serving?
Chris
October 3, 2018 at 11:26 amThe calories are based on a serving size of 5 pieces of popcorn chicken per person (30 pieces in total shared by 6 people)
Yousaff
July 21, 2018 at 7:47 pmYummmm!! Love popcorn chicken and you just made it look even easier to make. I’m saving your recipe to try soon.
Chris
July 22, 2018 at 10:56 amThat’s awesome! Enjoy! 🙂
Shahista
May 20, 2018 at 7:05 pmThank you for the reply. I always get a little nervous making for a larger crowd. Can’t wait to make them for my son’s second birthday tomorrow!!
Shahista
May 20, 2018 at 5:58 pmCan you please tell me how many chicken breast, buttermilk, and flour I will need to make for 20 people? Thank you. Each person will probaly have 5 bites. Thank you.
Chris
May 20, 2018 at 6:48 pmHi Shahista!
For the original recipe I used 2 chicken breasts (150g/5oz each), which makes around 30 pieces. Based on your guess that people will eat 5 pieces each, the recipe as it is would feed 6 people. In such case, I recommend you quadruple the recipe so it comfortable feeds 20 people (better to have some leftover than not enough right?).
Therefore you would need:
8 Chicken Breasts
4 cups of flour (500g)
& 2 cups buttermilk will be plenty (500ml)
Remember to adjust the herbs and spices accordingly too (x4 each measurement).
Give me a shout if you’ve got any more questions, if not then enjoy! 🙂
Cynthia
March 24, 2018 at 11:32 pmIf ever there is a chance of leftovers with this recipe, do you know if they freeze and reheat well?
Chris
March 25, 2018 at 11:57 amHi Cynthia! Unfortunately I can’t answer this with certainty as I’ve never froze and reheated this particular recipe (there’s never leftovers!). I do try and avoid reheating things like this as the batter is never as crispy and the chicken won’t be as tender second time round. However, I am against food waste, so feel free to use your best judgement and safely freeze & reheat any leftovers as necessary. Let me know how you get on 🙂
Cathrynn
May 24, 2021 at 7:10 amI made a batch and let them cool to room temperature before freezing them in a ziploc bag. When ready to be eaten, I took out what I needed and reheat it for 5 mins in the air fryer at 180-200 degrees (depending on your air fryer). I’m still in the trial and error phase so may update if I tried to reheat the popcorn chicken longer on a lower temperature. Because it has been fried in oil the first round, the air fryer helps crisps up the popcorn chicken too!
Chris Collins
May 24, 2021 at 10:19 amThanks so much for sharing this, Cathrynn. Really useful to know!
Darlene @ Dip Recipe Creations
February 25, 2018 at 9:18 pmI love cooking with buttermilk! These look absolutely amazing and much easier than I would have guessed.
Chris
February 25, 2018 at 9:25 pmButtermilk makes the world go round!!
Molly Kumar
February 25, 2018 at 8:44 amYummmm!! Love popcorn chicken and you just made it look even easier to make. I’m saving your recipe to try soon.
Chris
February 25, 2018 at 10:05 amAwesome! Enjoy 🙂
Valentina
February 25, 2018 at 5:58 amYou’ve officially made me hungry, and I’ve already had dinner and dessert! I am loving the spices you’ve mixed into the flour and the crispness looks perfect! Happy to have landed on your site — I looked around and the recipes look delicious and it has a very fun vibe. 🙂
Chris
February 25, 2018 at 10:05 amThank you for your lovely words!! Hey, popcorn chicken could be a second dessert right!?
Hannah
February 25, 2018 at 2:43 amWay better than popcorn! 😀 I love it, it looks so crunchy and tasty!
Chris
February 25, 2018 at 10:04 amSo much better than popcorn!!
Sandi
February 25, 2018 at 2:26 amThese look so good. I love all of your step by step directions.
Chris
February 25, 2018 at 10:04 amThanks, Sandi! Glad they’re helpful 🙂
Emily | OatandSesame
February 24, 2018 at 11:50 pmWho can resist popcorn chicken! These are great tips for getting that perfect crispy, flaky coating. I can imagine that these are dangerous!!
Chris
February 25, 2018 at 10:03 amOh so dangerous!!