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Oven Fried Korean Popcorn Chicken, a slightly healthier, much easier, take on Korean style fried chicken. Inspired by the food carts found on the streets in Seoul. Breaded in corn flakes, oven baked, and finished with an addicting sweet and spicy Korean inspired BBQ sauce. This chicken is sure to be loved by all. Serve with steamed rice and a plate full of stir fried veggies for an easy dinner that’s different, delicious, colorful, and full of flavor.
Oh how this recipe takes me back to one of my favorite memories in life…this time last year in South Korea for the 2018 winter Olympics. I’ve said it so many times, but I am so grateful for those memories. And even more grateful that I was able to experience them with my favorite people. I can’t believe that I was this close to skipping out because I needed to stay home and work. I mean, I always knew in my mind there was no way I’d miss watching my brother compete in the Olympics, but I toyed with the idea for sure.
Glad I got smart, played the supportive older sister role, and dragged my butt onto the 16 hour flight. Because without a doubt, that will be a trip I will never, ever forget. Lost bags and all…
It really just goes to show me that I can’t always put work first. I think I need to remember that now more than ever. So thanks to the post, and to this recipe, for helping me to regain some perspective.
Now, let me tell you about this popcorn chicken. Which as you’ve probably guessed, was inspired by my time in South Korea.
After Red had competed, it was time for a few of my family members and I to head home. We decided to spend a day in Seoul before our flight back to LA. Even though we only spent 24 hours in Seoul, I can truly say that it is such a cool city. Full of so much culture and energy. The outdoor street markets were my absolute favorite. They had everything from fresh produce, to homemade dumplings, to waffles stuffed with ice cream (and the waffles were shaped like fish). Of course, they also had the most delicious fried chicken, tossed in Korean style BBQ sauce.
The dumplings, which I’ve now made a couple versions of here on HBH, were definitely one of my favorite foods. But the Korean chicken was equally amazing.
With the 1-year of anniversary of our trip falling on both this week and last. I thought it was the perfect time to recreate the Korean chicken. Hard to believe I didn’t make this sooner, but oh my gosh, I’m sure glad I finally did.
It. Is. The. Best.
First, I’m not really sure how traditional this is, as I didn’t base it off of any particular Korean fried chicken recipe (I really couldn’t find any). I just want to put out there that this is my take on the chicken we had on the streets in Korea. It’s not exactly the same, but it’s pretty dang close, and more importantly, pretty dang delicious…and probably healthier too!
To start, you need to bread the chicken. I use my go-to method…tossing the chicken in a little buttermilk, then coating it in finely crushed corn flakes. The finely crushed corn flakes are KEY. They really give the chicken an authentic “fried” taste and texture, without actually frying the chicken.
Tip? Pulse the corn flakes in the food processor to really break them down into a fine crumb.
Next, bake the chicken in the oven until it is crisped all over. My secret is to gently dab/brush the chicken with olive oil before it bakes. This helps the coating to really crisp up nicely in the oven.
While the chicken is baking, make the sauce. The sauce is the absolute heart of the recipe. It’s sweet, spicy, and probably my family’s favorite sauce of all time. The important ingredient is Gochujang (Korean chili paste). It’s spicy with a little sweetness, and it’s extremely flavorful. You can find it here on Thrive Market.
Drizzle or toss the chicken with the sauce, sprinkle with sesame seed, and EAT. I love serving this with steamed rice and veggies for a complete meal. But this chicken makes for a really fun appetizer too.
I really can’t tell you enough how much I love this chicken. It’s so delicious, addicting, easy, and a recipe that truly everyone will love. Plus it’s pretty easy too!
Favorite part about this Korean chicken though? That it takes me back to a really special time. I love when recipes bring back the best of memories.
If you make this oven fried Korean chicken, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How To Video:
Oven Fried Korean Popcorn Chicken.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 1048 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Korean BBQ Sauce
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1-2 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- green onions, chopped, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Add the chicken to a gallon size zip top bag. Pour the buttermilk over the chicken. Toss well to coat. 2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.3. Add the corn flake crumbs, flour, and a pinch of pepper to a medium sized bowl. Stir to combine.4. Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk, and dredge through the crumbs, pressing gently to adhere. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the chicken has been used. Make sure not to crowd your pan, if necessary use two baking sheets. Lightly brush the chicken with olive oil. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.5. Meanwhile, make the Korean BBQ Sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, honey, Gochujang (Korean chili paste), rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly into more of a glaze. Remove from the heat. 5. Brush or drizzle the chicken generously with Korean BBQ Sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve warm Enjoy!
This post was originally published on February 18, 2019
So good! That sauce was amazing over on the rice as well.
I am so glad you loved this, Elle! Thank you so much! xTieghan
This was really yummy and easy to make! I love this method of oven frying both in this recipe and the Nashville hot chicken recipe. We will definitely make this again. Thanks for all of your amazing recipes. You have quickly become our recent favorite when we meal plan on Sundays.
I am so glad you loved this recipe, Mikaela! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I made it yesterday and it was really really good!
My 8 year old son loved it so much that he takes it to school today as packed lunch.
The only thing I have to “criticize” is that the ingredients for the flakes mix is way too little, I had to make two more portions of it in order to get it all coated (I used around 1,5lbs).
But that’s fine, I know know for when I make it again.
That is so amazing! I am so glad this turned out amazing for you and you loved it! Thank you Ina! xTieghan
I read in the commentary section that it freeze well but do you think that I could freeze the chicken before it is cooked ? Like prepare it with the crumb coat and then freeeze it so when I whant to eat it, I could just pop it in the oven from the freeezer 😉
Hey Emilie! I have not tested that, but I am sure it would be just fine. I would freeze the chicken on a parchment lined baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag once frozen. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
This was fantastic! I cooked the chicken in the air fryer and it had a nice crispiness even with the amazing sauce. To keep it healthier, we made cauliflower rice and served it with cucumbers marinated in rice vinegar. This recipe is definitely one we’ll be making more often!
I am so glad you loved this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Insanely divine! You’ve got me craving korean chicken now in the middle of the night. I love your spin on this and definitely need to give it a try!
I hope you do try this one! Thank you Tammy! xTieghan
Made this for my hubby and adopted Korean son tonight. They both loved it and it was a little nostalgic for me because my mother often cooked chicken breaded with cornflakes! I added a bit more honey to the sauce because I initially made it a little too hot. Thank you!
Thank you so much Maria! xTieghan
This was good. Your corn flake coating recipes are always the best! My sauce didn’t really thicken, but once I coated the chicken in it, it naturally thickened up on the chicken due to the flour I think. I think I need to modify the sauce a bit next time. I would leave out the water and potentially use less soy sauce as that dominated the taste.
I didn’t have buttermilk so I used almond milk and a smidge of rice vinegar. It really helped tenderize the chicken!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Becca! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Made this for dinner tonight and it’s absolutely delicious! Was a hit with everyone in my house!
Thank you so much Holly! I am so happy to hear that! xTieghan
Good morning,
Looks good…but alas I have a question.
I am restricted from eating anything tomato base or any heat. I know it will change to overall idea of your lovely recipe, but any suggestions what to use instead of the K Chili paste? All sorts of items came to mind, but wanted your input.
One I thought was Balsamtic glaze? Molasses? Boiled Cider? combo of ?Thank you so much.
My husband does not like chicken ( 🙁 ) but if I camouflage it he will eat. 🙂
Hey Leslie, that is a hard swap. I do love the idea of a balsamic glaze. I would give that a tru using the balsamic in place of the chili paste. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Made this tonight and I never comment on recipes but had to…this is outstanding. I used the cornflake breadcrumbs you can buy to skip that small step. But other than that followed the recipe exactly. My 6 year old said I should add it to the list of her favorite dinners. Served it with rice and broccoli and will be making it again very soon. Thank you so much for this!!
I am so glad you loved this Megan! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I’m making this recipe for my kids tonight. Very excited! Just wondering how long the chicken should sit in the buttermilk for?
HI! The chicken just needs to be dipped into the buttermilk. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
I totally forgot to add flour to the chicken! I hope its still good:/
I am sure it still will be! Let me know how it turns out for you! xTieghan
I made this chicken yesterday. Flavor is awesome, however there was no crispy to this chicken. I was a little disappointed in that, as I made exactly as the recipe and was expecting a little crunch.
Hey Brenda, the chicken is not meant to be crispy as it’s covered in sauce. If you want the chicken crisp I recommend jus dipping the chicken in the sauce with each bite. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
This looks delicious and a nice change up from our usual oven baked chicken nuggets.
As far as serving… what is in the cute little wooden bowl in your pictures? Looks like toasted sesame seeds and…something green? Parsley? Finely chopped scallion? Thank you for clarifying!
HI! It’s just chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan