Description
Crispy Honey BBQ Popcorn Chicken delivers a mouthwatering twist on classic comfort fare. Southern-style breaded chicken bites drizzled with sweet and tangy sauce promise a delightful meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1.5 pounds (680 grams) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
Coating and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar, mixed)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Initiate oven preparation by heating to 400F (200C) and positioning a parchment-lined baking sheet for optimal chicken roasting.
- Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk, allowing them to marinate and tenderize for a minimum of 15 minutes, which enhances meat texture and flavor absorption.
- Craft a robust breading mixture by blending panko, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper into a comprehensive coating blend.
- Extract chicken from buttermilk, permitting excess liquid to drain, then meticulously coat each piece in the seasoned breading mixture, ensuring comprehensive coverage and even distribution.
- Arrange breaded chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet, then lightly mist with cooking spray to promote a golden, crisp exterior during baking.
- Roast chicken in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, rotating midway to guarantee uniform cooking and achieving an internal temperature of 165F (74C).
- Simultaneously prepare honey BBQ sauce by gently melting butter with BBQ sauce, honey, and garlic powder in a saucepan, creating a glossy, harmonious glaze.
- Transfer freshly baked chicken to a spacious mixing bowl and generously drench with the warm honey BBQ sauce, thoroughly coating each morsel for maximum flavor infusion.
Notes
- Choose chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken breasts for consistent size and easier cooking, ensuring even breading and faster preparation.
- Let buttermilk-marinated chicken sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before breading to help coating adhere better and promote crispier texture.
- Use Japanese-style panko breadcrumbs for extra crunchiness, which creates a lighter and more delicate coating compared to traditional breadcrumbs.
- Experiment with gluten-free alternatives like almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs for those with dietary restrictions, maintaining the same crispy exterior.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg