My easy popcorn chicken recipe is everything I love about the popular, poppable dish, but made in the comfort of my own home. I feel good serving these homemade popcorn chicken nuggets to my kids because I know they’re made with wholesome ingredients, despite being fried. These tender chunks of chicken are so flavorful and have the perfect, satisfying crunch. Plus, they’re easy to make ahead, bake, or air-fry for a lighter option.
Homemade Panko Breaded Popcorn Chicken
Even as I’ve become a more seasoned home cook, I’ll admit I still take the occasional trip to KFC for their popcorn chicken. I’ve yet to find another version that tastes as good… until now.
I season my chicken bites with a flavorful mix of garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to give it tons of flavor, and it truly rivals KFC’s. The key is to use Panko breadcrumbs for extra crispy chunks. I find these popcorn chicken nuggets get the crispiest with a shallow fry, but you can also bake or air-fry them for a lighter option.
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Cutting Chicken Made Easy
Partially freezing your chicken breasts (just 15-30 minutes) makes them much easier to slice into uniform, popcorn-sized pieces. Use a sharp knife for clean cuts, and remember to let the chicken fully thaw before breading and cooking. This small step saves time and ensures even cooking!
Popcorn Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Deep Fryer or Dutch Oven
- Deep Fry Oil Thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs (*)
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cubed**)
- ½ inch vegetable oil (for frying***)
Instructions
- Mix the flour, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, and black pepper together in a shallow bowl. Beat the eggs and water together in a separate shallow bowl. Place panko in a third shallow bowl.¾ cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon water, 1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- Dredge chicken pieces in flour mixture and shake off excess. Dip into beaten egg, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Press the chicken into the panko until well coated.1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Transfer the dredged chicken to a clean plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes to 2 hours.
- Heat ½-inch of oil in a Dutch oven set over medium heat until it’s 350-365°F.½ inch vegetable oil
- When the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken pieces to the skillet, working in batches to avoid crowding the pan. Fry for 2 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. The internal temperature of the chicken will reach 165°F when done.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate, and repeat with the remaining chicken. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Try to cut the chicken into uniform pieces so it cooks at the same rate.
- To easily cut the chicken, freeze it for 15-30 minutes to firm it up.
- Before dredging, gently pat chicken pieces with paper towels. This helps the coating stick better and prevents oil splatter.
- I recommend keeping a “wet” hand and a “dry” hand when breading so you don’t accidentally bread your fingers!
- Make sure the chicken pieces are thoroughly coated in breading. You don’t want any exposed chicken!
- Fry 1-2 pieces of chicken first to make sure the oil temperature is right. This prevents ruining a whole batch.
- Don’t overcrowd the frying pot. This will reduce the oil temperature, leading to greasy chicken. Cook in batches, and skim out any breading bits between batches to avoid adding a burnt flavor to the chicken.
- Use a thermometer to keep track of the oil temperature! If the oil is too cold, your chicken will end up greasy; if it’s too hot, your chicken will end up raw with burnt breading.
- Properly cooked popcorn chicken bites should be 165°F internally.
- Keep the cooked chicken warm in a 200°F oven while you finish cooking the rest.
- To re-crisp leftovers, bake in a 375°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
- Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Lightly spray the breaded chicken pieces with cooking spray and arrange in a single layer in the basket. Cook for 10-12 minutes, shaking halfway through, until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the breaded chicken pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and cooked through to 165°F internally.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Popcorn Chicken Step by Step
Prep: Gather up everything you need to make this homemade popcorn chicken. Cube the chicken breasts and pat them dry with paper towels. Try to get them into uniformly-sized pieces so they all cook at the same rate.
Prep the Dredging Station: Mix ¾ cup of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of ground paprika, ½ teaspoon of onion powder, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper together in a shallow bowl. Beat 2 large eggs and 1 tablespoon of water together in a separate shallow bowl. Place 1½ cups of Panko breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl.
Dredge the Chicken Pieces: Using one hand, dredge 1 pound of cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Next, use the opposite hand to dip into the beaten egg, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Finally, using the first hand again, press the chicken into the Panko until well coated. Keeping a “wet” and a “dry” hand will keep things neater and prevent you from accidentally breading your fingers. Transfer the dredged chicken to a clean plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes to 2 hours. This helps the breading stick to the chicken so it doesn’t flake off during frying.
Fry the Chicken Pieces: Heat ½-inch of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven set over medium heat until it’s 350-365°F. When the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken pieces to the skillet, working in batches to avoid crowding the pan. Fry for 2 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through to 165°F. Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches, and skim out any breading pieces to avoid imparting a burnt flavor to the next batch.
Drain and Serve: Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate, or place in a 200°F oven to keep warm while you fry the rest of the chicken. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover popcorn chicken nuggets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a 350°F oven for about 5-7 minutes, until heated through.
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