Homemade Popcorn Chicken
Homemade popcorn chicken is my quick 30-minute snack that comes out crispy, spicy, and full of flavour. Perfect for a quick snack with Indian flavors you won't get anywhere.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 298kcal
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Deep bottom pan/skillet
Ingredients
- 200- gram boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite-size chunks
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon paprika or red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon chicken masala powder or Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon cornflour
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- oil to deep fry
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts into small, bite-sized pieces. Marinate with ginger-garlic paste, salt, pepper, paprika, chicken masala powder, corn flour, egg white, and vinegar. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours for best flavors.200- gram boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite-size chunks, 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon black pepper, salt to taste, ½ teaspoon paprika or red chili powder, 1 teaspoon chicken masala powder or Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon cornflour, 1 egg white, 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice
- Remove the bowl from the refrigerator. Spread breadcrumbs on a wide plate. Take a few chicken pieces at a time and coat them well with the breadcrumbs. Press gently so they stick. Place the coated pieces on a plate.1 cup breadcrumbs
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add a few chicken pieces at a time. Do not stir immediately. Fry for about a minute.
- Now stir and fry until the chicken turns golden and crisp. Remove and serve hot with tomato sauce or your favorite dip
Video
Notes
- Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours so it absorbs the flavors and stays soft when fried.
- You can also freeze the coated chicken in a ziplock bag for up to a month just thaw and fry when needed.
- Keep the oil medium hot. Very hot oil burns the outside breadcrumbs coating, and low heat makes the pieces oily.
- Test the oil by dropping a breadcrumb if it rises slowly without turning brown fast, the oil is ready.
- After adding chicken to the pan, don't stir right away. Wait a minute so the coating stays on.
- Fry in small batches so the oil stays hot and the popcorn turns crisp.
- Don't skip the egg, as it keeps the chicken moist. If avoiding eggs, brine chicken overnight in buttermilk and salt.
- For baking, heat the oven to 200°C, place the coated chicken on a lined tray with a little oil, bake 12 minutes, flip, and bake 10 minutes more crispy but not as much as frying.
Nutrition
Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 467mg | Potassium: 269mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg