Easy Popcorn Chicken Recipe

Milisa Armstrong | Miss in the Kitchen

Easy Popcorn Chicken will be exactly what you need when you've got hungry people in your household. Great for snacks and dinner.

Popcorn Chicken Photo

Fried chicken ranks pretty high on the list of the best comfort foods of all time. It’s honestly a lot of work to make fried chicken for the entire family and don’t even get me started on the mess that it creates.

Emmet loves to get popcorn chicken from the drive-thru and I have been known to snag a bite or two for myself. My homemade version is even better than take-out and it’s ready in less than 20 minutes!

I started by cutting up chicken breasts into bite-sized chunks. I threw them into a bowl and poured buttermilk over the top.

Popcorn Chicken Picture

I added flour and season salt to a plastic bowl with a lid, you know the kind you keep for leftovers.

I added about a dozen pieces of the buttermilk-coated chicken into the bowl of seasoned flour, placed the lid over the top and give it a good shake.  This was the best for containing the mess. You can use a zip top bag too. I repeated with the remaining chicken and set it all aside while I heated the oil.

Popcorn Chicken Image

I cooked the chicken in 2 batches using my big cast iron skillet. Each batch cooked up in about 8 minutes and I drained them on on a wire rack as they came off the stove. 

Popcorn Chicken Pic

Dipping sauces could be their own food group at our house. Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce is always our top choice for popcorn chicken. My Sriracha Comeback Sauce is another favorite and you can’t go wrong with good old ranch dressing.

File 1 Popcorn Chicken

The guys were milling through the kitchen snagging bites as the popcorn chicken came out of the skillet. I was starting to wonder if I was going to get any or not.  They are quite irresistible.

File 2 Popcorn Chicken

Most weekends I have to whole clan around and they are always hungry and very willing to be my taste testers. The Popcorn Chicken was a definite hit.  But let’s face it, what’s not to love? Juicy chunks of chicken coated with a crispy crust and then dunked in sweet barbecue sauce, it is simply delicious.  

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Easy Popcorn Chicken Recipe

    4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Chicken Breast, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 2/3 cup Buttermilk
  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
  • 3 cups Vegetable Oil, for frying

Directions

  1. Place chicken pieces into a bowl and top with buttermilk, stir to coat.
  2. Add flour to a bowl with a lid or zip top bag. Add seasoned salt and stir until well combined.
  3. Add about 12 pieces of chicken to flour mixture at a time, cover and shake to coat.  Shake excess flour from chicken pieces and set aside in a single layer.
  4. Place oil in a large cast iron skillet and place over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees.
  5. Cook chicken in batches, turning to brown both sides, about 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Place on a wire rack over a paper towel to drain.
  6. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauces. 

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Published:
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Cooking Method:
Fried
Category:
Snacks
Tags:
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Related Recipes:
Fried Recipes, Appetizer Recipes, Snack Recipes, Easy Dinner Recipes, Dinner Recipes, Family Meals and Snack Recipes, Chicken Recipes
Recipe Yields:
4 servings
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Related Post:
Published:
Author: Milisa Armstrong
Recipe Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 15
Calories 255

% Daily Value*
3%
Total Fat 2g
2%
  Saturated Fat 0g
2%
Sodium 43mg
9%
Total Carbohydrate 26g
1%
  Dietary Fiber 1g
  Sugars 2g
61%
Protein 30g

* Percent Daily Value are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrition Facts are estimated based on ingredients and data provided by Fat Secret. Please consult a doctor if you have special dietary needs.
Milisa Armstrong

About Milisa

Miss is a Southern girl through and through, which you know after about five seconds on her blog, Miss in the Kitchen. She's sharing her love of all things deep fried with us on Food Fanatic.

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