I have zero willpower when it comes to seeing any kind of crunchy Korean chicken on a menu, whether it’s chicken karaage with gochujang or popcorn chicken. I just love that crunchy coating with a sweet and spicy sauce, so having a version I could easily make at home was a must.
This recipe was recently retested and updated. The original version had me deboning bone-in chicken thighs to keep the skin on, which was a tedious job. When I retested it, I skipped that step completely and used boneless chicken thighs in a seasoned cornstarch coating, pan-fried in just a couple of tablespoons of oil, and the result was even crunchier bites. Plus, it now comes together in 30 minutes, since the sauce simmers while the chicken cooks.
The honey gochujang sauce has a balance of spicy, sweet and tangy, with fresh ginger, garlic and a splash of apple cider vinegar, and it’s easy to adjust the heat to suit your family. If you love gochujang as much as I do, my Korean Gochujang Grilled Chicken is another favorite Korean-inspired chicken dish.
Key Ingredients You Will Need
Boneless chicken thighs: I used to debone bone-in thighs for this recipe just to keep the skin, but boneless thighs cut into 1-inch pieces are so much easier, and with the cornstarch coating they turn out even crunchier than the skin ever did. If using chicken breasts in place of thighs I recommend butterflying the breasts before cutting into small pieces.
Egg: Just 1 egg is all it takes for 1 1/2 pounds of chicken. Coating each piece in egg before the cornstarch is what helps the coating stick, so it stays on the chicken in the pan instead of in the bottom of the skillet.
Honey: I tested this sauce with brown sugar and maple syrup too, and honey gave me the best thick, sticky sauce by far. It also brings the sweet side of the spicy, sweet and tangy balance.
Gochujang: I found 2 tablespoons gave the sauce the perfect balance of spicy, sweet and tangy, but this is one I’d adjust to your own taste. If you’re making it for kids or anyone who doesn’t love heat, start with less gochujang.
How To Make Korean Popcorn Chicken
1. Coating the chicken: The egg is what helps the cornstarch coating stick, so make sure every piece of chicken is coated in egg first, then well coated all over in the seasoned cornstarch.
2. Pan-frying: Wait until the oil is hot before adding the chicken, and work in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan and steam the chicken.
3. The sauce: I make the sauce while the chicken cooks, which is how this comes together in 30 minutes. Sauteing the fresh ginger and garlic in sesame oil first gives the sauce its depth, and it’s ready once it has reduced and started to thicken.
4. Tossing: Toss gently until every piece is coated, then finish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.
Tips For Making the Best Korean Popcorn Chicken
- Adjust the heat: the sauce is easy to make milder by using less gochujang, so taste it and make it your own.
- Use the egg: it’s what helps the coating stick to the chicken, so don’t skip it.
- Sauce it right before serving: the chicken loses its crunch the longer it sits in the sauce, so I only toss it together right before it goes on the table.
How To Store & Reheat Korean Popcorn Chicken
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can keep the chicken right in the sauce, and it’ll still be absolutely delicious, just not as crunchy.
Make Ahead: If you’re making it in advance, store the cooked chicken and the sauce in separate containers.
Reheating: Reheat the chicken in the air fryer or in a hot pan with a touch of oil, then toss it in the warmed sauce right before serving.
If you make this Korean Popcorn chicken recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite) on instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Korean Popcorn Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 cup corn starch or arrowroot powder
- 2 tbsp neutral oil avocado or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds for garnish
- 1 tbsp chopped green onions
Sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos or tamari
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in a bowl and crack in the egg. Stir so all of the chicken is coated in the egg.
- In another bowl stir together the corn starch, ground ginger, garlic powder, white pepper and salt. Dip each of the chicken pieces in the cornstarch mixture ensuring that they are well coated all over.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot add in the chicken (you may need to work in two batches depending on the pan sauce to ensure that you do no overcrowd the pan). Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crunchy. Add all of the cooked chicken to a large bowl.
- In a small sauce pan on medium heat add the sesame oil along with the ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer and leave to cook for 4-5 minutes until the sauce has begun to reduce and thicken.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss it gently until all of the chicken is coated. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions before serving
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
Oooooh this was so good. My 4 year old even loved this (for him I did the sauce on the side to dip the chicken in). Will definitely make again, especially now that I have a big jar of the Korean powder.
Hi! Korean American here. Thank you for using the Korean word for the chili powder and thoughtfully explaining it! And also pointing this out as Korean inspired. I see so many food bloggers and cooks just saying something is “Asian” so seeing this makes me happy 🙂 definitely will try this as I love healthy air fryer recipes!