1/6/2021 Popcorn Chicken | Cook's Country

Popcorn Chicken
SERVES Serves 6 to 8

TIME 1 hour

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

While traditional fried chicken requires work and patience, popcorn chicken is an easier way to enjoy it. To cut down onfrying time, we chose
boneless, skinless chicken breasts; brie y froze them to rm them up for easier cutting; and thencut them into 1/2-inch pieces—the perfect
“popcorn” size. Bringing the oil to a hotter frying temperature (400 degrees)and adding a little sugar to the dredge helped the chicken brown and
cook through quickly without drying out. Stirring granulated garlic, onion powder, and cayenne into the dredge of our and cornstarch (for extra
crispiness) added pops of avor, and baking powder provided lift so that the crunch wasn’t tough. For a substantial coating, we worked ½ cup of
water into the dredge to create craggy bits; this provided extra mass that stuck to each piece and fried up into a thicker and crunchier exterior. To
get the craggy dredge to readily cling to each piece, we tossed the chicken in beaten eggs before dredging it in two batches. Adding a little extra
our to the dredge between batches kept it from clumping too much. A simple honey–hot sauce dip completed this fun snack.

INGREDIENTS BEFORE YOU BEGIN

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more. We prefer Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
trimmed
*
here, but you can substitute your favorite hot sauce, if desired. Freezing the chicken breasts makes them easier
to cut.
2 ¾ cups all-purpose our

½ cup cornstarch INSTRUCTIONS

1 ½ tablespoons granulated garlic 1 Place chicken on large plate and freeze until rm but still malleable, about 40 minutes.
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
2 Whisk 2½ cups our, cornstarch, granulated garlic, sugar, baking powder, 1 tablespoon salt, onion
1 tablespoon baking powder
powder, cayenne,and 1 teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Add water and rub our mixture between your
Kosher salt and pepper hands until tiny craggy bits form throughout and mixture holds together like damp sand when squeezed.

2 teaspoons onion powder

3 Cut chicken into ½-inch pieces. Toss chicken, eggs, and 2 teaspoons salt together in second bowl. Transfer
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
half of chicken to our mixture and toss with your hands, pressing on coating to adhere and breaking up
½ cup water clumps, until chicken is coated on all sides. Pick chicken out of our mixture and spread in even layer on
rimmed baking sheet. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup our into our mixture until combined, then repeat coating
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
process with remaining chicken.
1 ½ quarts peanut or vegetable oil, for frying

6 tablespoons honey 4 Line second rimmed baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Add oil to large Dutch oven until it
measures about 1 inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 400 degrees.
2 tablespoons Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne
Pepper Sauce
5 Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, carefully add half of chicken to hot oil in several spoonfuls.
Immediately stir to break up clumps. Fry until chicken is evenly golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 3
minutes, stirring occasionally. Using clean spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer chicken to paper towel–
lined sheet. Return oil to 400 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken. Let cool for 5 minutes.

6 Whisk honey, hot sauce, and pinch salt together in small bowl. Serve chicken with honey sauce.

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