Best Popcorn Chicken (Better than KFC!)

Skip the drive-thru and make kfc popcorn chicken at home! They are beautifully golden, ultra crispy, and deliciously juicy on the inside, and you can also oven bake them or air fry them.

Craving KFC? Try this homemade popcorn chicken recipe.

They taste better than the fast food giant and make a fantastic homemade appetizer. They cook in minutes and are so darn addictive.

Why this recipe works

These fried chicken bites may look intimidating, but I promise you, they are so quick to whip up.

• Easy to make at home. You don’t need any special equipment or ingredients to make copycat KFC popcorn chicken from scratch.
• Crowd-pleasing appetizer or snack. Who could possibly resist deep-fried crispy chicken bites? They’re a perfect finger food or appetizer for any occasion, from after-school activities and kid’s birthday parties to game nights and cocktail parties. 
• Better than fast food. By making fried chicken bites at home, you’re left in complete control of the ingredients, flavors, and nutrients. That’s more than you can say for the nutritional nightmare that is fast-food fried chicken.
• Oven and air fryer option. You can bake this dish or cook them up in the air fryer: both cut out a significant amount of the fat while achieving MAXIMUM crispiness.

Ingredients needed

This crispy popcorn chicken are so simple and besides the buttermilk and seasonings, there isn’t much else that is needed to make. Here is what you’ll need:

• Chicken. Chicken breasts are easy to work with and slice into bite-sized pieces. You can also use boneless chicken thighs or chicken tenders instead.
• Buttermilk. Coating the chicken in buttermilk helps tenderize and infuse the meat with a mild, tangy flavor.
• Salt. To break down the proteins in the meat, giving you more tender and juicy results. 
• Corn flour. This super-fine flour is used to coat the chicken pieces. After frying, the corn flour transforms into a light and crisp crust around each piece. If you don’t have corn flour, use a 1:1 mix of all purpose flour and cornstarch instead.
• Spices. I seasoned the corn flour with smoked paprika, oregano, basil, and mustard powder. Feel free to mix and match the herbs and spices to find your desired flavor.
• Oil. Use a high-heat oil that’s suitable for frying, like canola, peanut, sunflower, safflower, corn, grapeseed, or vegetable oil.  

How to make popcorn chicken 

KFC popcorn chicken is easy to make: the only thing to remember is to discard all the marinade before frying them up.

Marinate the chicken. Toss and marinate the chicken pieces with the buttermilk and salt. Meanwhile, whisk the flour and spices together in a separate bowl. 

Dredge. Drain the chicken and toss the pieces in the seasoned flour. 

Fry. Fry the chicken in the hot oil until they’re golden and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, season with salt, and serve.

Recipe tips and tricks 

Even-sized pieces. Cut the chicken into uniform bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking and a consistent texture.

Fry at the right temperature. The oil temperature should remain between 350ºF to 375°F while the chicken fries. If it gets too hot, the coating may burn before the chicken is cooked. Too cold and the chicken will become greasy.

Don’t overseason. It’s better to add salt after the popcorn chicken is fried instead of beforehand. If it happens to not be as seasoned as you like, you can always add more once cooked.

Flavor variations

Spicy popcorn chicken. Add chili powder, cayenne, and/or crushed red pepper flakes to the flour mixture. 

Garlic parmesan. Add finely grated Parmesan cheese and garlic powder to the flour mixture. 

Hot honey. Make a batch of hot honey sauce and toss the chicken bites in them as soon as they are fried.  

Honey BBQ. Season the flour with BBQ dry rub, then toss the fried bites in your favorite BBQ sauce sweetened with a touch of honey.  

Buffalo. Toss your popcorn chicken in classic buffalo sauce and serve them with blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side. 

How to serve 

• Dipping Sauce. You can’t go wrong with classics like ketchup or BBQ sauce, or something fun like a Big Mac sauce or ranch dip.
• Appetizer. Include these as fun bites like crab rangoon, Air fryer french fries, or corn nuggets.
• Popcorn chicken bowl. Make a delicious and healthier dinner bowl filled with steamed rice, veggies, and chicken bites.

Storage instructions

To store: After cooling, place the leftover popcorn chicken in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

To freeze: Spread the cooled chicken pieces on a baking sheet and freeze until they’re solid. Transfer the chicken to a freezer-safe bag, then freeze for up to 2 months. Let them thaw first or reheat them from frozen.

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Frequently asked questions