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!
500gramsChicken Thighsboneless and skinless , cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
1teaspoonGarlicminced
½teaspoonSalt
½cupCornflour
1 ½ - 2cupsOil for Frying
For the Sauce:
¼cupKetchup
2tablespoonsSoy Sauce
½teaspoonGingerminced or grated
1tablespoonRice Vinegar
2tablespoonsBira Hot Sauce
Toasted sesame seeds and chopped parsley or green onions for topping
Instructions
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.
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.
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.