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Sunday, January 12, 2025

Popcorn rooster – RecipeTin Eats


It is a KFC popcorn rooster copycat recipe. It’s downright addictive – I problem you to cease at only one! Surprisingly fast, they take simply 2 minutes to prepare dinner, and simply shallow fried at that.

Popcorn chicken

Popcorn rooster

Many individuals have tried this popcorn rooster now, together with a whole crew of builders at my house which is underneath renovation. I gained’t repeat what they really stated after they tried it. Let’s simply say Aussie builders are liberal customers of flowery language when they’re pissed off – or after they’re extraordinarily enthusiastic! 😂

Nigel from H Squared, my builders, making an attempt the Popcorn Rooster. Simply to make clear, no flowery language got here from him! 😂

The flavour is a copycat of KFC popcorn rooster, with it’s distinct seasoning. However there’s one massive standout distinction – this do-it-yourself popcorn rooster is definitely crispy. KFC’s will not be! It’s slightly comfortable and fairly greasy.

For individuals who are nervous about fried recipes, this popcorn rooster is an efficient place to begin as a result of we’re solely shallow frying and every batch takes simply 2 minutes to prepare dinner. A lot simpler than deep frying entire rooster items!

Popcorn chicken

Substances in Popcorn Rooster

Popcorn rooster is made by marinating small items of rooster then coating in a closely seasoned “KFC 11 secret herbs and spices” flour combination. The coating is very formulated so the rooster cooks up actually crispy – no soggy popcorn rooster round right here!

Rooster and marinade

This recipe makes use of a buttermilk marinade, like Southern Fried Rooster, to maintain the rooster meat juicy. Marinating is kind of necessary for popcorn rooster as a result of the items of rooster are so small, they’ll overcook and dry out in a flash.

Don’t have buttermilk? Don’t fear, there are simple substitutes, see beneath the photograph or the recipe card.

  • Rooster – I like to make use of breast as a result of it’s simple to chop into small cubes. Tenderloin can be simple to chop into small even items.

    Nevertheless, you actually can use any reduce of rooster meat – thighs, drumstick meat, something that may be reduce into cubes.

  • Buttermilk – Sensible for tenderising the rooster and injecting it with salt so as to add seasoning into the flesh in addition to serving to to maintain it juicy when it cooks. Buttermilk is the standard liquid of alternative used for marinating in Southern Fried Rooster. It’s barely thicker than common milk however thinner than pouring cream, and mixed with egg it creates a very good batter thickness for the correct amount of flour to cling to the floor of every piece.

    Discover it alongside milk on the grocery retailer, normally in small 600ml cartons ($2.75). This recipe requires 180ml (3/4 cup) so use the leftover buttermilk to make Blueberry or Choc Chip Muffins, or Purple Velvet Cake.

    Substitutes – you need to use yogurt blended with milk, or make your individual buttermilk with milk and vinegar. Each these substitutes work simply as nicely, I attempted them each!

    Non dairy – You should utilize any non dairy milk blended with any non dairy yogurt so long as they’re impartial flavoured eg. they don’t style nutty. If the yogurt has no acidity in it, like dairy yogurt does, then add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar into the marinade, then it’ll have the same marinating impact like buttermilk does.

  • Egg helps the flour follow the rooster.

  • Salt – To season the flesh of the rooster.

Flour coating (“breading”) and seasoning

“Breading” refers to coating the rooster within the seasoned flour combination. It’s is a time period used within the US which refers to coating issues in breadcrumbs or different dry combination (like seasoned flour we’re utilizing right here) that turns into a crispy crust when cooked.

Right here in Australia, we have a tendency to make use of the phrase “crumbing” once we coat meals with breadcrumbs, however I by no means felt it was the suitable time period when there’s no breadcrumbs concerned. So I take advantage of the time period “breading” which appears just a little extra common within the culinary world today, despite the fact that sure, I do know breadcrumbs aren’t concerned!

  • The Seasoning is a KFC copycat. It’s the identical components utilized in my KFC Copycat Fried Rooster recipe, though portions tweaked barely to swimsuit Popcorn Rooster. For instance, the amount of salt is drastically lowered as a result of we’re working with tiny items of rooster slightly than large bone-in, skin-one items which is way tougher for seasoning to penetrate. Additionally, I wish to crush the oregano and thyme with my fingers to make them just a little smaller in order that they meld higher onto the floor of the small bites of rooster.

  • Flour and cornflour/cornstarch – Utilizing a mix of flour and cornflour produces one of the best consequence for a crunchy, golden crust for fried rooster. Flour (simply common, plain/all function flour) is normal for coating fried meals, nevertheless it doesn’t develop into all that crispy. Properly, it’s fairly crispy straight out of the fryer nevertheless it loses crispiness shortly.

    Cornflour, alternatively, fries up actually crispy nevertheless it doesn’t go a pleasant golden color. And in case you coat issues too thickly in cornflour it turns into too laborious and will get caught in your enamel.

    By utilizing a mix of the 2, we will obtain crispy fried rooster perfection with simply the precise texture!

  • Oil for cooking – canola, vegetable or peanut oil, for impartial flavour and talent to warmth to the temperature wanted with out burning the rooster or the oil smoking.

Popcorn chicken
Popcorn rooster simply must be shallow fried as a result of they’re small items.
Popcorn chicken

Learn how to make Popcorn Rooster

If you happen to’re a succesful prepare dinner, that is all it’s worthwhile to know for methods to make popcorn rooster:

  1. Marinate rooster 1 hour;

  2. Toss 3 tbsp marinade liquid within the flour combination, then coat rooster; and

  3. Fry 2 minutes at 180°C/350°F.

Nevertheless, this part is just a little lengthier than 3 steps so even up-and-coming cooks can have the boldness that this can be a slightly simple recipe. I’ve some ideas succesful cooks in all probability already know for working with heaps and many little items of rooster. Coating and cooking them one-by-one could be a ache!

1. Preparation

  1. Reduce the rooster into small 1.25cm / 1/2″ cubes.

    I reduce the rooster into 1.25cm / 1/2″ strips, then reduce the skinny finish into cubes, and reduce the broader finish in half lengthways then into cubes.

  2. Whisk marinade – Put the buttermilk marinade components in a bowl and whisk to mix.

  1. Marinade – Add the rooster, combine to coat and marinade for 1 to three hours, however don’t transcend 24 hours else the rooster could be a little too salty.

  2. Combine breading – Combine the flour, cornflour and “11 secret herbs and spices” in a bowl. The broader the higher – simpler to scatter items throughout the floor and toss to coat.

2. breading

The aim right here is to get all these little items of rooster coated within the breading combination with out having to deal with them one-by-one which might take perpetually! The additional aim is a straightforward little trick that makes our popcorn rooster prepare dinner up further crispy. 🙂

Bonus: Comply with my left hand / proper hand directions so that you don’t find yourself with batter-caked fingers!

Additionally – see Substances part above for touch upon “crumbing” v “breading”. As a result of it’s being raised!

  1. Scoop up 3 tablespoons of the marinade out of the rooster bowl. (That is for the extra-crispy trick).

  2. Dribble this marinade throughout the floor of the flour combination.

  1. Combine / rub the marinade via the flour so that you get plenty of little clumps of flour. These develop into further crispy bits on the rooster, it’s so good! Wonderful crispy rooster trick picked up Kenji’s Fried Rooster recipe on Critical Eats.

  2. Drip – Utilizing your left hand (I’m proper handed), decide up a handful of rooster and let the marinade drip via your fingers.

  1. Scatter the rooster throughout the floor of the flour bowl. That is our alternative to separate each bit of rooster as a result of as soon as coated with the flour, they gained’t stick collectively.

  2. Spoon – Utilizing your proper hand, spoon flour over the rooster then, nonetheless along with your hand hand, use your fingers to toss and press flour onto the rooster.

  1. Shake – Decide up among the rooster (nonetheless along with your proper hand) and provides it a shake to take away many of the extra flour.

  2. Unfold the rooster on a tray. Go away the surplus flour on the tray, we are going to want it to do a final minute toss simply earlier than cooking. Repeat with remaining rooster.

AND VOILA! Did you discover how your fingers aren’t caked with sticky thick flour batter!? 🎉

3. COOKING THE POPCORN CHICKEN

Cooking vessel – I discover it best to make use of a big saucepan or small pot round 20cm/8″ in measurement although in case you are a assured prepare dinner you need to use a bigger one round 25cm/10″. Popcorn rooster solely takes a few minutes to prepare dinner so in case you use a big cooking vessel it’s worthwhile to transfer sooner – see FAQ for extra data.

Shallow frying – As a result of the items of rooster are so small, we don’t want a lot oil. Simply 2.5cm / 1″ depth in no matter cooking vessel you’re utilizing. It’s going to vary from ~2 1/2 cups (625 ml) for a 20cm/8″ small pot to three 1/2 cups (875 ml) for a 25cm/10″ pot.

  1. Last toss / separate – The rooster will sweat and the white flour coating will darken because it sits round on the tray. So if yours has darkened a bit, give the rooster you’re about to prepare dinner just a little toss on the tray within the extra flour to re-coat them and make them white once more, and to make sure they don’t seem to be sticking collectively.

  2. Use scooper for security (or fingers, in case you’re a professional) – Then use a big scooper with giant holes (slightly than superb mesh) to select up a handful of rooster items and shake off extra flour (ie falls via the outlet).

    Fingers – If you happen to’re a assured prepare dinner, be at liberty to make use of your fingers however watch out of oil splash-age. I choose to make use of fingers as a result of then I can drop the rooster in one-by-one to make sure they aren’t sticking collectively.

  1. Decrease the rooster into oil pre-heated to 180°C/350°F utilizing the scooper.

    Use a meals thermometer to check the oil temperature, or see recipe notes for methods to check the oil temperature in case you don’t have one.

  2. Fry 2 minutes – Then prepare dinner the rooster for two – 2 1/2 minutes till the floor is crispy and golden. Agitate the rooster midway via the prepare dinner time and separate any sticking collectively.

  1. Scoop – When the rooster is finished, scoop it out.

  2. Unfold – Then unfold it out on a paper towel lined tray, to soak up extra oil. Then proceed to prepare dinner remaining rooster, remembering to do some ultimate flour toss on the tray earlier than cooking every batch!

Popcorn chicken

Oven and air fryer strategies – please see the FAQ for why it isn’t really helpful for this specific recipe with out alterations which I haven’t discovered but!


Issues of serving

Dipping sauce

And although I can guarantee you that this popcorn rooster is flavoured sufficient and crispy sufficient on the skin and juicy sufficient on the within to need to shovel handfuls into your mouth plain, just a little dipping sauce definitely by no means goes astray.

My favorite is Honey Mustard Sauce, pictured – 4 ingredient, 1 minute sauce (you perceive why it’s a dipping fave!). Use what you need – ketchup, BBQ, candy and bitter, candy chilli. It’s rooster. You may just about use any dipping sauce for it!

Popcorn chicken

HOW TO SERVE IT

Tumble all of it into an enormous serving bowl and let all people dig in (fingers!) and assist themselves.

Or, serve it like film popcorn in paper cups or popcorn packing containers, in case you’re feeling further enjoyable! I picked up those pictured on this publish from a reduction retailer, they have been $2 for five (right here they’re on Amazon Australia).

WHAT TO SERVE WITH POPCORN CHICKEN

For an actual KFC expertise at house, full your meal with a aspect of do-it-yourself slaw (right here’s my favorite no-mayo Slaw, if you need a lighter possibility) and KFC copycat potato and gravy (makes a wonderful dipper too!).

Else, another glorious aspect choices embody baked potato wedges, do-it-yourself fries or crispy smashed potatoes, plus a easy backyard salad or any leafy greens tossed with my go-to easy salad dressing.

Hope you get pleasure from! Oh, and just a little trick I shared with a reader I ran into yesterday after I advised her I used to be sharing this in the present day (hello Charlotte!) – use leftover marinade and flour to prepare dinner up some little frivolously steamed cauliflower florets. It appears simply just like the rooster. What a approach to sneak greens into the youngsters, eh?? A popcorn field full of a mixture of popcorn rooster and popcorn cauliflower!! – Nagi x

Popcorn rooster further ideas & FAQ


Watch methods to make it

And watch me make it! Shout out to Kenji’s Fried Rooster recipe on Critical Eats for the wonderful further crispy trick that I apply to all my fried rooster recipes (right here, right here and right here).

Hungry for extra? Subscribe to my e-newsletter and observe alongside on Fb, Pinterest and Instagram for the entire newest updates.

Popcorn chicken

Popcorn rooster – higher than KFC!

Servings4 as a meal

Faucet or hover to scale

Recipe video above. That is higher than KFC as a result of it is truly crispy – KFC popcorn rooster will not be, it is comfortable and greasy! The flavour is remarkably comparable with my copycat of the KFC’s 11 secret herbs and spices. It is ridiculously good – you need to shovel it in your mouth by the handful!Comparatively simple and on the straightforward finish of frying recipes as a result of it is simply shallow fried and takes simply 2 minutes. Serve in cups or mini popcorn packing containers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce for a enjoyable meal or snack that everybody loves! Air fryer and baking choices – not lined on this recipe, please see FAQ above for cause.

Substances

Popcorn Rooster Breading (Observe 4):

KFC 11 Secret Herbs and Spices (Observe 4):

Dipping sauce recommendations

Stop display from sleeping

Directions

Marinade rooster:

  • Reduce rooster into small 1.25 cm / 1/2″ cubes.

  • Marinade – Whisk marinade in a bowl. Add rooster, stir to coat, then refrigerate for 1 hour (now not than 24 hours).

Put together breading:

  • Breading combination – Combine collectively Breading and all KFC Secret Herbs & Spices in a big bowl (bigger floor space = coat extra rooster in a single go).

  • Clump = crunchy! Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the Marinade into the flour combination. Use your fingers to rub in so that you get plenty of small lumpy bits all all through (this fries up into further crunchy bits, secret trick!).

Put together to prepare dinner (work in specified order of steps):

  • Frying vessel (Observe 5) – Giant saucepan / small pot ~20cm/8″ really helpful for inexperienced persons. Giant pot / deep skillet ~24cm/9.5″ or bigger really helpful just for succesful cooks. Use heavy primarily based (not mild and flimsy), for security and warmth retention.

  • Preheat oven to 50°C/125°F, to maintain cooked rooster heat.

Breading (PS I am proper handed):

  • Bread rooster – Decide up a handful of rooster from the marinade along with your left hand, then scatter throughout floor of the flour combination. Spoon flour over rooster then toss with the spoon to coat.

  • Shake off extra (use proper hand) – Separate the rooster items and press the clumpy flour onto the rooster items. Decide up a handful, shake extra flour off via fingers (no must be thorough). Unfold rooster on tray. Repeat with remaining rooster. Voila! No clumpy flour-batter-caked fingers!

  • Separate and final minute coat (Observe 6) – Simply earlier than frying, use your fingers to briefly re-toss the rooster you are about to prepare dinner within the residual flour on the tray (to clean up the flour coating, because it sits round it sweats/will get moist), and ensure the rooster items usually are not caught collectively.

Frying:

  • Line a tray with paper towels (for draining cooked rooster). Preheat oven to 50°C/125°F to maintain cooked rooster heat.

  • Warmth oil – Add oil to your pot to a depth of two.5 cm / 1″. Warmth it over medium excessive to 180°C/350°F (Observe 7).

  • Fry 2 minutes – Decide up some rooster and put it in a spider with giant holes (Observe 8) and shake so extra flour falls via (or use fingers to shake off extra flour then then switch right into a scoop to decrease into oil). Rigorously decrease rooster into the oil. Fry for two – 2.5 minutes till golden, separating any that get caught collectively round midway via.

  • Drain – Scoop out with a spider and unfold on a paper towel lined tray Maintain cooked rooster heat within the oven and prepare dinner remaining rooster.

  • Serve rooster – in popcorn packing containers, for further enjoyable issue! – with dipping sauce of alternative (pictured, Honey Mustard).

Recipe Notes:

Basic sides: Fries, coleslaw, KFC copycat potato and gravy, steamed or grilled corn, cornbread or comfortable rolls, fries, potato salad, Southern Baked Beans!


1. Rooster – This will actually be made with any reduce of rooster meat. I take advantage of breast as a result of it’s simple to chop into small cubes. Lean, however the marinade protects it from drying out.
2. Buttermilk – Substitute with 1/4 cup yoghurt whisked with 1/2 cup milk (finally ends up buttermilk-like), or make your individual buttermilk: add 3/4 tsp white vinegar into 3/4 cup of milk, stir, go away 10 minutes. Will curdle. Use per recipe.
Non dairy – Use plain flavoured non dairy yogurt and milk (portions as above), and it the yogurt will not be acidic in any respect like dairy yogurt is, simply add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar.
3. Salt – Halve if utilizing superb desk salt, improve by 2% if utilizing salt flakes (and crush with fingers to make it finer).
4. Breading notes:

  • Cornflour makes it crunchy whereas flour makes it fry up golden (cornflour stays white). 
  • Add 1 tsp cayenne pepper for decent & spicy!
  • Spices – Superb in case you’re lacking one or two, possibly even 3, there’s loads of different spices to maintain it flavourful. See components part for what to substitute with for every spice.

PS In my world, crumbing = breadcrumbs, crushed cornflakes and many others, breading = flour coatings. Mash up of Aussie/US culinary communicate that appears sensible to me, and likewise, I simply can’t use the phrase “crumbing” when there’s no breadcrumbs concerned!!
5. Frying vessel – You’re working with quantity right here, plenty of little items of rooster that cooks quick. Up and coming cooks – I like to recommend utilizing a smaller cooking vessel (~20cm/8″) and cooking in smaller batches which is simpler, much less pace to fret about. Succesful cooks – be at liberty to make use of a bigger cooking vessel ~25cm/10″. With a skillet, you possibly can prepare dinner all of the rooster in 3 batches in 6 minutes flat!
6. Batch cooking – Relying on how briskly you’re employed and the way nicely your rooster is flour coated, the rooster could sweat (ie change from white to darkish) whereas it’s ready round on the tray. In that case, simply toss the rooster within the flour on the tray simply earlier than frying.
7. Oil temperature – use a thermometer to examine the temperature. If you happen to don’t have one, check by throwing in a lump of breading – ought to sizzle immediately however not burn shortly. OR stick a bamboo chopstick in and contact the bottom of the pot – if bubbles rise from ground of pot, oil is sizzling sufficient.
8. Spider – Cooking utensil that is sort of a handheld colander / wire mesh, very helpful for scooping issues out of water / oil. See footage in publish / video for the one I’ve.
If you happen to don’t have one with holes giant sufficient for the flour to simply fall via, shake extra flour off earlier than transferring into an everyday finer mesh spider or slotted spoon earlier than decreasing into the oil.
9. Recipe supply: Some methods tailored from Kenji’s recipe on Critical Eats with some steps simplified / amended primarily based on my testing. Spices are my KFC copycat “11 secret herbs and spices” combine.
Leftovers will preserve for 3 to 4 days within the fridge however crust will lose crispiness and inside will not be as juicy as freshly cooked. Reheat with a fast 30 second fry or 3 minutes in a extremely popular oven.
Oil reuse – Oil will get infused with the seasoning flavour so whereas it’s alright to re-use a few times extra, be aware that no matter you prepare dinner might be infused with the seasoning flavour from this recipe. I used the identical oil to make this similar popcorn rooster 3 instances. I let the flour bits settle then poured off the clear oil, and topped up a bit as wanted.

Diet Info:

Serving: 100gEnergy: 280cal (14%)Carbohydrates: 9.4g (3%)Protein: 21.8g (44%)Fats: 17.3g (27%)Saturated Fats: 3.7g (23%)Sodium: 589mg (26%)Sugar: 1.5g (2%)

Re-use the oil to make these!

These have comparable / their very own sturdy seasoning so it’s okay to make use of the oil from this recipe for these. Don’t re-use the oil from Popcorn Rooster to make issues like Churros, Beer Battered Fish, Honey Rooster and many others as it’ll alter the flavour of the batter.


Lifetime of Dozer

Dozer’s routine to deal with his old-man medical situation consists of half-hour after every meal on his digestion mattress which is about on an incline so gravity may also help his meals transfer down into this abdomen. He all the time begins off so nicely, completely place:

Then about midway via, he begins to get bored and squirm off….

And by the top, I normally discover him like this:

If he might speak, I’m certain he’d be declaring “I’m nonetheless technically on the digestion mattress, mum! My proper paw is!”😂

Background: Dozer’s digestion mattress is my sensible/viable different to a feeding chair that maintain canine in an upright place throughout and publish consuming – too laborious for a big canine like Dozer, and likewise his backbone will not be sturdy sufficient! It’s a routine to deal with unwanted effects of his laryngeal paralysis situation which he was recognized with earlier this yr. I’m so completely satisfied to have the ability to inform you he recovered and is having fun with life to the max, albeit just a little slower today as a senior canine (he’s 12, virtually 13!), he’s in remarkably nice situation and nonetheless capable of get pleasure from romping on the seashore. I’m so grateful he’s okay! ❤️

Proof of seashore romping:

Screenshot



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