Popcorn-style crispy chicken bites

Ingredients

Chicken

• 600 g chicken breast, cut into 2.5 cm chunks
• 250 ml buttermilk

Seasoned flour

• 200 g plain flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp black pepper

To serve

• Oil for deep frying
• KFC-style seasoning sprinkle (salt + a pinch of paprika)

Method

1. Brine. Submerge chicken chunks in buttermilk. Rest 20 minutes.
2. Flour mix. Combine all dry ingredients in a shallow bowl.
3. Dredge. Lift chicken chunks from buttermilk, let excess drip. Toss in the seasoned flour until evenly coated.
4. Double-dredge. Dip the floured pieces back into buttermilk, then back into the flour. Press gently. This creates the craggy bits.
5. Rest. Spread on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
6. Heat oil. In a deep pot, heat oil to 180°C.
7. Fry in small batches. Lower 8–10 pieces at a time. Fry 3–4 minutes until deep golden and cooked through.
8. Drain & dust. Lift onto a wire rack. While hot, sprinkle with extra seasoning.
9. Serve. Pile into a red KFC-style carton. Best eaten within 5 minutes.

Tips

• Uniform 2.5 cm chunks are non-negotiable. Random sizes = some burnt, some raw.
• The double-dredge is the difference between popcorn chicken and sad chicken nuggets.
• Fry in batches. Crowding drops the oil temp and gives you greasy, pale bites.