Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Popcorn chicken Recipe
It is a KFC popcorn chicken copycat recipe. It’s downright addictive – I problem you to cease at only one! Surprisingly fast, they take simply 2 minutes to cook dinner, and simply shallow fried at that.
Many individuals have tried this popcorn chicken now, together with a complete crew of builders at my dwelling which is beneath renovation. I received’t repeat what they really mentioned once they tried it. Let’s simply say Aussie builders are liberal customers of flowery language when they’re pissed off – or once they’re extraordinarily enthusiastic! 😂
The flavour is a copycat of KFC popcorn chicken, with it’s distinct seasoning. However there’s one huge standout distinction – this do-it-yourself popcorn chicken is definitely crispy. KFC’s will not be! It’s slightly tender and fairly greasy.
For individuals who are nervous about fried recipes, this popcorn chicken is an effective place to start out as a result of we’re solely shallow frying and every batch takes simply 2 minutes to cook dinner. A lot simpler than deep frying complete chicken items!
Popcorn chicken is made by marinating small items of chicken then coating in a closely seasoned “KFC 11 secret herbs and spices” flour combination. The coating is very formulated so the chicken cooks up actually crispy – no soggy popcorn chicken round right here!
Chicken and marinade
This recipe makes use of a buttermilk marinade, like Southern Fried Chicken, to maintain the chicken meat juicy. Marinating is sort of necessary for popcorn chicken as a result of the items of chicken are so small, they’ll overcook and dry out in a flash.
Don’t have buttermilk? Don’t fear, there are straightforward substitutes, see under the photograph or the recipe card.
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Chicken – I like to make use of breast as a result of it’s straightforward to chop into small cubes. Tenderloin can also be straightforward to chop into small even items.
Nonetheless, you actually can use any lower of chicken meat – thighs, drumstick meat, something that may be lower into cubes.
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Buttermilk – Sensible for tenderising the chicken and injecting it with salt so as to add seasoning into the flesh in addition to serving to to maintain it juicy when it cooks. Buttermilk is the standard liquid of alternative used for marinating in Southern Fried Chicken. It’s barely thicker than common milk however thinner than pouring cream, and mixed with egg it creates an excellent batter thickness for the correct quantity of flour to cling to the floor of every piece.
Discover it alongside milk on the grocery retailer, normally in small 600ml cartons ($2.75). This recipe requires 180ml (3/4 cup) so use the leftover buttermilk to make Blueberry or Choc Chip Muffins, or Pink Velvet Cake.
Substitutes – you should utilize yogurt blended with milk, or make your personal buttermilk with milk and vinegar. Each these substitutes work simply as properly, I attempted them each!
Non dairy – You should utilize any non dairy milk blended with any non dairy yogurt so long as they’re impartial flavoured eg. they don’t style nutty. If the yogurt has no acidity in it, like dairy yogurt does, then add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar into the marinade, then it is going to have the same marinating impact like buttermilk does.
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Egg helps the flour keep on with the chicken.
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Salt – To season the flesh of the chicken.
Flour coating (“breading”) and seasoning
“Breading” refers to coating the chicken within the seasoned flour combination. It’s is a time period used within the US which refers to coating issues in breadcrumbs or different dry combination (like seasoned flour we’re utilizing right here) that turns into a crispy crust when cooked.
Right here in Australia, we have a tendency to make use of the phrase “crumbing” once we coat meals with breadcrumbs, however I by no means felt it was the suitable time period when there’s no breadcrumbs concerned. So I take advantage of the time period “breading” which appears just a little extra common within the culinary world as of late, though sure, I do know breadcrumbs aren’t concerned!
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The Seasoning is a KFC copycat. It’s the identical elements utilized in my KFC Copycat Fried Chicken recipe, though portions tweaked barely to swimsuit Popcorn Chicken. For instance, the amount of salt is drastically decreased as a result of we’re working with tiny items of chicken slightly than large bone-in, skin-one items which is way tougher for seasoning to penetrate. Additionally, I wish to crush the oregano and thyme with my fingers to make them just a little smaller in order that they meld higher onto the floor of the small bites of chicken.
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Flour and cornflour/cornstarch – Utilizing a mix of flour and cornflour produces the most effective outcome for a crunchy, golden crust for fried chicken. Flour (simply common, plain/all goal flour) is commonplace for coating fried meals, however it doesn’t grow to be all that crispy. Nicely, it’s fairly crispy straight out of the fryer however it loses crispiness rapidly.
Cornflour, then again, fries up actually crispy however it doesn’t go a pleasant golden color. And in case you coat issues too thickly in cornflour it turns into too laborious and will get caught in your tooth.
Through the use of a mix of the 2, we will obtain crispy fried chicken perfection with simply the appropriate texture!
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Oil for cooking – canola, vegetable or peanut oil, for impartial flavour and skill to warmth to the temperature wanted with out burning the chicken or the oil smoking.
Should you’re a succesful cook dinner, that is all you must know for methods to make popcorn chicken:
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Marinate chicken 1 hour;
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Toss 3 tbsp marinade liquid within the flour combination, then coat chicken; and
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Fry 2 minutes at 180°C/350°F.
Nonetheless, this part is just a little lengthier than 3 steps so even up-and-coming cooks can have the boldness that this can be a slightly easy recipe. I’ve some ideas succesful cooks most likely already know for working with tons and many little items of chicken. Coating and cooking them one-by-one could be a ache!
1. Preparation
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Lower the chicken into small 1.25cm / 1/2″ cubes.
I lower the chicken into 1.25cm / 1/2″ strips, then lower the skinny finish into cubes, and lower the broader finish in half lengthways then into cubes.
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Whisk marinade – Put the buttermilk marinade elements in a bowl and whisk to mix.
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Marinade – Add the chicken, combine to coat and marinade for 1 to three hours, however don’t transcend 24 hours else the chicken could be a little too salty.
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Combine breading – Combine the flour, cornflour and “11 secret herbs and spices” in a bowl. The broader the higher – simpler to scatter items throughout the floor and toss to coat.
2. breading
The purpose right here is to get all these little items of chicken coated within the breading combination with out having to deal with them one-by-one which might take ceaselessly! The additional purpose is an easy little trick that makes our popcorn chicken cook dinner up additional crispy. 🙂
Bonus: Comply with my left hand / proper hand directions so that you don’t find yourself with batter-caked fingers!
Additionally – see Components part above for touch upon “crumbing” v “breading”. As a result of it’s being raised!
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Scoop up 3 tablespoons of the marinade out of the chicken bowl. (That is for the extra-crispy trick).
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Dribble this marinade throughout the floor of the flour combination.
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Combine / rub the marinade by the flour so that you get numerous little clumps of flour. These grow to be additional crispy bits on the chicken, it’s so good! Wonderful crispy chicken trick picked up Kenji’s Fried Chicken recipe on Severe Eats.
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Drip – Utilizing your left hand (I’m proper handed), choose up a handful of chicken and let the marinade drip by your fingers.
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Scatter the chicken throughout the floor of the flour bowl. That is our alternative to separate every bit of chicken as a result of as soon as coated with the flour, they received’t stick collectively.
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Spoon – Utilizing your proper hand, spoon flour over the chicken then, nonetheless along with your hand hand, use your fingers to toss and press flour onto the chicken.
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Shake – Decide up a number of the chicken (nonetheless along with your proper hand) and provides it a shake to take away a lot of the extra flour.
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Unfold the chicken on a tray. Go away the surplus flour on the tray, we’ll want it to do a final minute toss simply earlier than cooking. Repeat with remaining chicken.
AND VOILA! Did you discover how your palms aren’t caked with sticky thick flour batter!? 🎉
3. COOKING THE POPCORN CHICKEN
Cooking vessel – I discover it best to make use of a big saucepan or small pot round 20cm/8″ in dimension although if you’re a assured cook dinner you should utilize a bigger one round 25cm/10″. Popcorn chicken solely takes a few minutes to cook dinner so in case you use a big cooking vessel you must transfer quicker – see FAQ for extra data.
Shallow frying – As a result of the items of chicken are so small, we don’t want a lot oil. Simply 2.5cm / 1″ depth in no matter cooking vessel you’re utilizing. It is going to vary from ~2 1/2 cups (625 ml) for a 20cm/8″ small pot to three 1/2 cups (875 ml) for a 25cm/10″ pot.
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Ultimate toss / separate – The chicken will sweat and the white flour coating will darken because it sits round on the tray. So if yours has darkened a bit, give the chicken you’re about to cook dinner just a little toss on the tray within the extra flour to re-coat them and make them white once more, and to make sure they aren’t sticking collectively.
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Use scooper for security (or palms, in case you’re a professional) – Then use a big scooper with massive holes (slightly than superb mesh) to choose up a handful of chicken items and shake off extra flour (ie falls by the outlet).
Arms – Should you’re a assured cook dinner, be at liberty to make use of your palms however watch out of oil splash-age. I want to make use of palms as a result of then I can drop the chicken in one-by-one to make sure they aren’t sticking collectively.
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Decrease the chicken into oil pre-heated to 180°C/350°F utilizing the scooper.
Use a meals thermometer to check the oil temperature, or see recipe notes for methods to take a look at the oil temperature in case you don’t have one.
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Fry 2 minutes – Then cook dinner the chicken for two – 2 1/2 minutes till the floor is crispy and golden. Agitate the chicken midway by the cook dinner time and separate any sticking collectively.
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Scoop – When the chicken is finished, scoop it out.
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Unfold – Then unfold it out on a paper towel lined tray, to soak up extra oil. Then proceed to cook dinner remaining chicken, remembering to perform a little ultimate flour toss on the tray earlier than cooking every batch!
Oven and air fryer strategies – please see the FAQ for why it’s not really useful for this specific recipe with out alterations which I haven’t found out but!
Dipping sauce
And although I can guarantee you that this popcorn chicken is flavoured sufficient and crispy sufficient on the surface and juicy sufficient on the within to wish to shovel handfuls into your mouth plain, just a little dipping sauce definitely by no means goes astray.
My favorite is Honey Mustard Sauce, pictured – 4 ingredient, 1 minute sauce (you perceive why it’s a dipping fave!). Use what you need – ketchup, BBQ, candy and bitter, candy chilli. It’s chicken. You may just about use any dipping sauce for it!
HOW TO SERVE IT
Tumble all of it into an enormous serving bowl and let all people dig in (palms!) and assist themselves.
Or, serve it like film popcorn in paper cups or popcorn packing containers, in case you’re feeling additional enjoyable! I picked up those pictured on this put up from a reduction retailer, they have been $2 for five (right here they’re on Amazon Australia).
WHAT TO SERVE WITH POPCORN CHICKEN
For an actual KFC expertise at dwelling, full your meal with a aspect of do-it-yourself slaw (right here’s my favorite no-mayo Slaw, if you’d like a lighter choice) and KFC copycat potato and gravy (makes a wonderful dipper too!).
Else, another glorious aspect choices embrace baked potato wedges, do-it-yourself fries or crispy smashed potatoes, plus a easy backyard salad or any leafy greens tossed with my go-to easy salad dressing.
Hope you get pleasure from! Oh, and just a little trick I shared with a reader I ran into yesterday after I advised her I used to be sharing this at this time (hello Charlotte!) – use leftover marinade and flour to cook dinner up some little frivolously steamed cauliflower florets. It appears simply just like the chicken. What a strategy to sneak greens into the children, eh?? A popcorn field full of a mixture of popcorn chicken and popcorn cauliflower!! – Johnsat x
And watch me make it! Shout out to Kenji’s Fried Chicken recipe on Severe Eats for the wonderful additional crispy trick that I apply to all my fried chicken recipes (right here, right here and right here).
Ingredients
- 500g / 1lb chicken breast , skinless boneless, tenderloin or boneless thighs (Note 1)
- 3/4 cup buttermilk (Note 2 for yogurt/milk sub)
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (Note 3)
- 1 large egg (~50 – 55g, 2 oz in shell)
- 1 1/2 cups flour , plain / all purpose
- 1/2 cup corn flour / cornstarch (makes it crispy!)
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp celery salt (sub 1/4 tsp extra salt)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp regular paprika (aka sweet paprika, not hot or smoked)
- 1 tsp dried thyme , crushed with fingers to make it finer
- 1 tsp dried oregano , crushed with fingers to make it finer
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper , optional (tiniest background warmth, doesn't make it spicy)
- 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 cups canola oil (2.5 cm / 1" depth) , or vegetable or peanut oil (Note 8 for re-use)
- 1/2 batch Honey mustard dipping sauce (pictured in post)
- Ketchup, tomato sauce, sweet and sour sauce, pink sauce, BBQ, any other dipping sauce you love!
Instructions
- Marinade chicken 1 hour+ in Buttermilk Marinade. Dribble then rub 3 tbsp marinade in breading to make small clumps. Dredge chicken, fry 2 minutes at 180C/350F.
- Cut chicken into small 1.25 cm / 1/2" cubes.
- Marinade – Whisk marinade in a bowl. Add chicken, stir to coat, then refrigerate for 1 hour (no longer than 24 hours).
- Breading mixture – Mix together Breading and all KFC Secret Herbs & Spices in a large bowl (larger surface area = coat more chicken in one go).
- Clump = crunchy! Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the Marinade into the flour mixture. Use your fingers to rub in so you get lots of small lumpy bits all throughout (this fries up into extra crunchy bits, secret trick!).
- Frying vessel (Note 5) – Large saucepan / small pot ~20cm/8" recommended for beginners. Large pot / deep skillet ~24cm/9.5" or larger recommended only for capable cooks. Use heavy based (not light and flimsy), for safety and heat retention.
- Preheat oven to 50°C/125°F, to keep cooked chicken warm.
- Bread chicken – Pick up a handful of chicken from the marinade with your left hand, then scatter across surface of the flour mixture. Spoon flour over chicken then toss with the spoon to coat.
- Shake off excess (use right hand) – Separate the chicken pieces and press the clumpy flour onto the chicken pieces. Pick up a handful, shake excess flour off through fingers (no need to be thorough). Spread chicken on tray. Repeat with remaining chicken. Voila! No clumpy flour-batter-caked fingers!
- Separate and last minute coat (Note 6) – Just before frying, use your fingers to briefly re-toss the chicken you're about to cook in the residual flour on the tray (to freshen up the flour coating, as it sits around it sweats/gets wet), and make sure the chicken pieces are not stuck together.
- Line a tray with paper towels (for draining cooked chicken). Preheat oven to 50°C/125°F to keep cooked chicken warm.
- Heat oil – Add oil to your pot to a depth of 2.5 cm / 1". Heat it over medium high to 180°C/350°F (Note 7).
- Fry 2 minutes – Pick up some chicken and put it in a spider with large holes (Note 8) and shake so excess flour falls through (or use hands to shake off excess flour then then transfer into a scoop to lower into oil). Carefully lower chicken into the oil. Fry for 2 – 2.5 minutes until golden, separating any that get stuck together around halfway through.
- Drain – Scoop out with a spider and spread on a paper towel lined tray Keep cooked chicken warm in the oven and cook remaining chicken.
- Serve chicken – in popcorn boxes, for extra fun factor! – with dipping sauce of choice (pictured, Honey Mustard).
Notes
Classic sides: Fries, coleslaw, KFC copycat potato and gravy, steamed or grilled corn, cornbread or soft rolls, fries, potato salad, Southern Baked Beans!
1. Chicken – This can really be made with any cut of chicken meat. I use breast because it’s easy to cut into small cubes. Lean, but the marinade protects it from drying out.
2. Buttermilk – Substitute with 1/4 cup yoghurt whisked with 1/2 cup milk (ends up buttermilk-like), or make your own buttermilk: add 3/4 tsp white vinegar into 3/4 cup of milk, stir, leave 10 minutes. Will curdle. Use per recipe.
Non dairy – Use plain flavoured non dairy yogurt and milk (quantities as above), and it the yogurt is not acidic at all like dairy yogurt is, just add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar.
3. Salt – Halve if using fine table salt, increase by 2% if using salt flakes (and crush with fingers to make it finer).
4. Breading notes:
Cornflour makes it crunchy while flour makes it fry up golden (cornflour stays white).
Add 1 tsp cayenne pepper for hot & spicy!
Spices – Fine if you’re missing one or two, maybe even 3, there’s plenty of other spices to keep it flavourful. See ingredients section for what to substitute with for each spice.
PS In my world, crumbing = breadcrumbs, crushed cornflakes etc, breading = flour coatings. Mash up of Aussie/US culinary speak that seems practical to me, and also, I just can’t use the word “crumbing” when there’s no breadcrumbs involved!!
5. Frying vessel – You’re working with volume here, lots of little pieces of chicken that cooks fast. Up and coming cooks – I recommend using a smaller cooking vessel (~20cm/8″) and cooking in smaller batches which is easier, less speed to worry about. Capable cooks – feel free to use a larger cooking vessel ~25cm/10″. With a skillet, you can cook all the chicken in 3 batches in 6 minutes flat!
6. Batch cooking – Depending on how fast you work and how well your chicken is flour coated, the chicken may sweat (ie change from white to dark) while it is waiting around on the tray. If so, just toss the chicken in the flour on the tray just before frying.
7. Oil temperature – use a thermometer to check the temperature. If you don’t have one, test by throwing in a lump of breading – should sizzle straight away but not burn quickly. OR stick a bamboo chopstick in and touch the base of the pot – if bubbles rise from floor of pot, oil is hot enough.
8. Spider – Cooking utensil that is like a handheld colander / wire mesh, very useful for scooping things out of water / oil. See pictures in post / video for the one I have.
If you don’t have one with holes large enough for the flour to easily fall through, shake excess flour off before transferring into a regular finer mesh spider or slotted spoon before lowering into the oil.
9. Recipe source: Some techniques adapted from Kenji’s recipe on Serious Eats with some steps simplified / amended based on my testing. Spices are my KFC copycat “11 secret herbs and spices” mix.
Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge but crust will lose crispiness and inside is not as juicy as freshly cooked. Reheat with a quick 30 second fry or 3 minutes in a very hot oven.
Oil reuse – Oil gets infused with the seasoning flavour so while it’s ok to re-use once or twice more, be mindful that whatever you cook will be infused with the seasoning flavour from this recipe. I used the same oil to make this same popcorn chicken 3 times. I let the flour bits settle then poured off the clean oil, and topped up a bit as needed.
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