Name: Crunchy Korean Popcorn Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 Portions
Ingredients: 500 grams Chicken Thighs (boneless and skinless, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces); 1 teaspoon Garlic (minced); 1/2 teaspoon Salt; 1/2 cup Cornflour; 1 1/2 - 2 cups Oil (for Frying); 1/4 cup Ketchup; 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce; 1/2 teaspoon Ginger (minced or grated); 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar; 2 tablespoons Bira Hot Sauce; Toasted sesame seeds and chopped parsley or green onions (for topping)

Crunchy Korean Popcorn Chicken

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Serves 4 Portions

Prep 10 minutes

Cook 15 minutes

Total 25 minutes

Jump to the recipe

Give your party a pop-tastic start with an all fiery, tangy Korean popcorn chicken that’s double the fire and triple the crunch. Just dip, fry, pop and crunch!

What could be better than popcorn chicken? I’d say it’s this crunchy and sticky KOREAN style popcorn chicken! If you’re looking for a summer party starter that’s all fire and crunch then you have just gotten super lucky! Because this sticky, spicy, tangy and crunchy Korean popcorn chicken is where it’s all at!

Inspired by the hyper-famous Korean street snack, Dakgangjeong (my favourite summer discovery), this deep-fried boneless chicken nugget is a bite-sized fireball that’s bound to get the party rolling! And boy, don’t we know all about it! We served these crunchy Korean style popcorn chicken balls at game night when Denver had the boys over. And believe me, it took them just 11 minutes to wipe it clean and ask, no, beg, for the next batch of tangy, sticky crunchy awesomeness!

Made from boneless chicken fillet, this easy-peasy full-of-crackling fried chicken gets that Korean zing because it is tossed with tangy and spicy seasoning and Bira’s new hot sauce to amp up the heat and make these super-crunchy balls really POP!

So good hot and even stickier cooled down, this is the only kind of hot and sticky you’ll be needing this summer! I know the temperature’s soaring and you’d probably pick a popsicle, but trust me when I say it’s totallllllllllly worth the time you’ll spend to dish out this hot and spicay Korean Popcorn Chicken! One bite of this and you’ll completely understand why they say fight fire with fire! Pair this with chilled beer or a sundowner cocktail and you’ve got everything you need to fight the fiery summer and ring in a party!

Bira’s new hot sauce is really the life of this fiery party with its balanced heat and acidity, making sure that the popcorn chicken pops right into life when you bite into them. I’ve been dipping all kinds of yum from toasties to veggies into this fiery hot sauce that’s all punch because it doesn’t pretend to be sweet like all the other sauces. And trust me, it makes all the difference to your hot-as-fire Korean Popcorn Chicken!

So if you love crunchy chicken as much as I do, and share my love for party-food that’s over-the-top spicy, then go on and give your crunchy popcorn chicken a Korean twist and get your game on with a flavor palate that’s a sure winner!

More Party Snacks:

This post is sponsored by our friends over at Birawho make an amazing hot sauce and a variety of beers. I hope you check them out!

The recipe

Crunchy Korean Popcorn Chicken

Give your party a pop-tastic start with an all fiery, tangy Korean popcorn chicken that’s double the fire and triple the crunch. Just dip, fry, pop and crunch!

Serves 4 Portions
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Total 25 minutes

Ingredients

500 grams Chicken Thighs (boneless and skinless, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces)
1 teaspoon Garlic (minced)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Cornflour
1 1/2 - 2 cups Oil (for Frying)

For the Sauce:

1/4 cup Ketchup
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Ginger (minced or grated)
1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
2 tablespoons Bira Hot Sauce
Toasted sesame seeds and chopped parsley or green onions (for topping)

Method

1
Pat the chicken pieces dry with a kitchen towel to make sure there is no moisture on them. In a bowl, mix together chicken, salt and garlic and set aside for 10 minutes. Add cornflour to the chicken and coat well.
2
Heat oil in a pan to medium high heat or till it reaches 350°F (177°C). You can test the oil by adding a tiny piece of chicken to it. The chicken should immediately float to the top and bubbles should form on the surface of the oil. Add the chicken pieces to the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd. Fry till the chicken is golden brown and cooked from inside. Remove on kitchen towels to absorb extra oil and set aside.
3
Start making the sauce while the chicken in frying. To make the sauce, add ketchup, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar and Bira's hot sauce to a pan and mix well. Simmer the sauce for 3-4 minutes till everything's well combined and the sauce thickens slightly. Add the fried chicken pieces to the sauce and coat well. Add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick. Top with sesame seeds and parsley or green onions and serve hot.

Notes

Cutting chicken: Chicken popcorn is usually prepared with small bite sized pieces of chicken. 1 inch sized chicken cubes are ideal. Marinade: marinade for at least 10 minutes. For the best results, marinate the chicken in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 10 minutes prior to frying. Oil temperature: Ensure the oil is at 350F/ 177C for frying the chicken. This temperature is ideal for perfectly cooked crispy chicken. Make these in advance: You can also make these ahead by frying them once and storing them for a couple of hours. When ready to serve, heat the oil to about 400F/204C and flash fry the chicken cubes for the second time for just a minute. This will give it a super crispy coating and all have to do is toss it in the seasoning before serving and you'll have hot chicken popcorn ready to go.