This popcorn chicken recipe is a family favorite and my kids get excited every time they see me cooking it. It’s moist, crispy, flavorful and the sauce is to die for and so easy to make!
This takes a little time to stand there and cook but the food disappears so fast once it’s ready!
How to Make Popcorn Chicken
Take 2 pound of raw chicken and cut into bite sized pieces. I buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, just whatever is cheapest. Then cut off any grisly bits or any little bits of bone shards that sometimes get missed when you buy the cheap cuts.
Into the bowl of chicken add: 1 egg, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 cup of cornstarch, 1/4 cup of flour, 1/2 a teaspoon of ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon of oil and 1/2 a cup of milk. Just dump it all in and mix thoroughly.
To fry the popcorn chicken you need a pan or pot the has about an inch of oil in in. Heat that to medium-high heat.
Use a two forks to get the popcorn chicken chunks into the oil once it’s hot. One fork to snag a piece and the other fork to carefully scoot it off into the oil. Fry one layer of chicken at a time until golden brown on both sides. about 1-2 minutes per side.
Make sure to cut one open and check that it’s white all the way through. You can’t undercook chicken like you can with steak.
While the chicken is frying you can put together the sauce quickly.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce (Orange Chicken Sauce)
This recipe came about because I was sort of trying to follow a different, fancier recipe but had to substitute a bunch of things for just whatever I had in my fridge. And it worked out great!
In a small pot combine 1/4 cup of sugar (you can add more if you like a sweeter sauce), 3/4 cup of white vinegar, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 1/4 cup of teriyaki sauce, 1/4 cup of water, and a 1/4 cup of orange juice (or a 1/4 cup of crushed pineapple).
Bring that to a boil.
In a small bowl mix together 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of corn starch. Pour this slurry into the sauce pot while whisking and keep stirring until it thickens.
Finally, add 3 teaspoons of minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger.
Once the chicken is all finished, toss with the desired amount of sauce and have the rest on the side for dipping.
Serve with rice, chow mien noodles, or stir fried veggies.
Enjoy!
Jessica’s Tips for Popcorn Chicken
-Store the leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 for days and in the freezer for up to 6 months.
-You can use pork chops instead of chicken. One of my kids is mildly allergic to chicken so I usually make some of both and they’re just as good. I buy pork chops, cut them into bite-sized pieces and use the exact same recipe. It’s great every time!
Don’t forget to pin it!
Print it for later!
Sweet and Sour Popcorn Chicken (Orange Chicken)
This popcorn chicken recipe is a family favorite and my kids get excited every time they see me cooking it. It's moist, crispy, flavorful and the sauce is to die for and so easy to make!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds raw chicken
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 cup milk
Sauce
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- In a bowl, mix chicken with egg, salt, corn starch, flour, pepper, 1 tablespoon oil, and milk.
- Heat an inch of oil in a pan for frying over medium-high heat.
- Use a fork to pull a piece of chicken from the bowl and another fork to push it off the first fork into the oil carefully. Fry in one layer of chicken at a time until golden brown. About 1-2 minutes per side.
- While the chicken is frying, make the sauce.
- In a pot combine the sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, 1/4 cup of water, and orange juice. Bring to a boil.
- In a small bowl combine the corn starch and 1 tablespoon of water to make a slurry. Whisk this into the sauce and continue to whisk until thickened.
- Add minced garlic and ginger and mix.
- Use some of the sauce to toss the chicken in and use the rest for dipping.
- Enjoy!
Notes
-You can substitute the orange juice with pineapple juice or even crushed pineapple.
-You can also substitute the chicken for pork chop pieces and it works just as well.
-Leftover chicken can be kept in an airtight container for up to four days in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 491Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 1524mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 0gSugar: 12gProtein: 30g
Other Recipes You Might Like
Easy Decadent Marshmallow Fudge in the Microwave
Leave a Reply