Crispy Popcorn Chicken with Dipping Sauces Recipe
Crispy and flavorful Popcorn Chicken made with tender bite-sized chicken pieces coated in a seasoned flour and egg mixture, then coated with crunchy crushed corn flakes. This versatile recipe can be baked, air fried, or deep-fried to perfection, making it a perfect snack or meal served with your favorite dipping sauces.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 2–3 large breasts)
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 ½ cups corn flakes cereal, lightly crushed
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Coat Chicken: Place the bite-sized chicken pieces into a large bowl or a ziplock bag and add the all-purpose flour. Stir or shake gently to coat each piece thoroughly with the flour. Set this coated chicken aside.
- Prepare Egg Mixture: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika until fully combined. Set aside. In another shallow bowl, place the crushed corn flakes ready for coating.
- Coat with Egg and Cornflakes: Dip each piece of the flour-coated chicken first into the egg mixture, then transfer it to the crushed corn flakes. Gently press the cereal onto the chicken pieces to fully coat and adhere the crunch layer.
- Choose Cooking Method: Decide how you want to cook your popcorn chicken: baking, air frying, or deep frying. Follow the corresponding instructions below based on your preference.
- Baking: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Arrange the coated chicken pieces in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip each piece over and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and crispy.
- Air Frying: Preheat the air fryer. Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. Place half the chicken pieces into a single layer in the basket and spray the tops with cooking spray. Air fry at 360°F for 3 minutes. Flip the pieces, spray the tops again, then increase the temperature to 400°F and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes until crisp and cooked through.
- Deep Frying: Heat a few inches of vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry the chicken pieces in batches carefully, cooking each batch for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove cooked pieces with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Serving: Serve the popcorn chicken warm with your choice of dipping sauces such as BBQ sauce, hot honey, ranch dressing, Chick-fil-A sauce, or any favorite dip.
Notes
- Make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket or the frying pot to ensure even cooking and crispiness.
- For extra crunch, lightly smash corn flakes instead of pulverizing them to a powder.
- You can swap out chicken breasts for chicken thighs for more juiciness.
- Adjust seasoning in the flour or egg wash to suit your flavor preference.
- Leftovers can be reheated in an oven or air fryer to regain crispiness.
Keywords: Popcorn Chicken, crispy chicken bites, air fryer popcorn chicken, baked popcorn chicken, fried chicken snack
