Spicy Popcorn Chicken Bites
Bite-size pieces of chicken marinate in hot sauce and buttermilk, then fry in a cornstarch-crisped coating for a spicy snack piled next to a stack of golden fries.
Popcorn chicken gets its shattering crust from a mix of cornstarch and flour, which fries up lighter and crunchier than flour alone. A short soak in hot sauce and buttermilk seasons the meat all the way through instead of just on the surface. Pile the bites next to fries and extra hot sauce for dunking.
Ingredients
Method
Tap a number to mark a step doneCut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and stir together with the buttermilk and hot sauce in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Soak the cut potato fries in cold water while the chicken marinates, then drain them well and pat completely dry with a clean towel.
Whisk together the cornstarch, flour, cayenne, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a wide dish. Lift the chicken pieces from the marinade and toss them in the flour mixture until fully coated.
Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy pot to 350F. Fry the potatoes in batches for 5 to 6 minutes until golden, then drain on paper towels and season with salt.
Fry the coated chicken in the same oil in batches for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown and cooked through.
Drain the chicken bites on a fresh rack, sprinkle with the remaining salt, and serve hot alongside the fries and extra hot sauce.
Kitchen note
Do not skip the cold water soak for the fries; it rinses off surface starch so they fry up crisp instead of soggy or pale.
