Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 500 g (1 lb) skinless chicken breasts, chopped into small bite-size pieces
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) buttermilk
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic salt (or garlic powder + extra ¼ tsp regular salt)
Crispy Coating
- 100 g (2/3 cup) cornflour (cornstarch in USA)
- 1 large egg
- 120 g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- ½ tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- Spray oil (approximately 15 ml or 1 tbsp avocado oil)
Serving Suggestions
- Ketchup
- BBQ sauce
- Burger Sauce
- Sweet Chilli Sauce
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: Add the chopped chicken breasts to a bowl. Pour in the buttermilk and sprinkle with salt, white pepper, and garlic salt. Mix thoroughly to coat the chicken evenly and let it marinate for 30-60 minutes. If short on time, 10 minutes will suffice but longer improves flavor and tenderness.
- Preheat air fryer: Preheat your air fryer basket(s) to 200°C (400°F) to ensure even cooking and crispiness.
- Prepare coating stations: Set out three bowls: one with cornflour, the second with a lightly whisked egg, and the third with a mixture of plain flour, salt, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, paprika, and dried thyme. Stir the seasoned flour mix together well.
- Spray the air fryer basket: Lightly spray the preheated air fryer basket(s) with avocado oil spray to prevent sticking and promote browning.
- Coat the chicken pieces: One by one, toss each chicken piece first in the cornflour to coat it lightly, then dip fully into the egg wash to ensure the outer flour sticks, and finally dredge in the seasoned flour mixture until fully coated.
- Arrange in air fryer: Place the coated chicken pieces in a single layer inside the air fryer basket(s). Do not overcrowd; leave space between pieces for optimal air flow. You may need to cook in two batches depending on your air fryer size.
- Cook the chicken: Spray the coated chicken pieces with a light coating of spray oil. Air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 15-20 minutes until golden and crispy. Shake the basket or turn the chicken pieces twice during cooking, spraying additional oil each time to maintain crispiness.
- Serve: Remove the popcorn chicken from the air fryer once cooked through and crispy. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauces such as ketchup, BBQ sauce, burger sauce, or sweet chili sauce.
Notes
- You can marinate the chicken longer than 1 hour for even more tenderness and flavor if preferred.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute with regular milk plus a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket to ensure even cooking and crisp coating.
- Use a spray oil with a high smoke point such as avocado or canola oil for best results.
- Shake or turn the chicken pieces halfway through cooking to promote even browning and crispiness on all sides.
- This recipe is easily doubled for larger batches, just cook in batches as needed.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Accompaniment
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
