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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
I tried this recipe on new year’s eve, I have to say it was absolutely yummy. Easy to make feeds a crowd and liked by children and adults. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you Dima! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Greetings from the Great White North-Canada!! Happy New Year! Wishing you a wonderous year full of blessings!!
Well, I recently discovered your blog and started following you on Instagram, too. I love your style of meal prep and your use of herbs and spices, especially. You are incredibly talented and creative!!
Since we are in Veganuary month, think January, I made the cauliflower in coconut sauce that was de-lish! A few days later, I decided to try the Korean oven-fried chicken in BarBQ sauce. It was an absolute disaster, sad to say. I made it using cauliflower for the vegans and chicken for the others. I used coconut milk for the soak for both but the corn flakes adhered better to the chicken. I doubled the sauce exactly, as I thought I would need it. I swirled it on the food and it was deadly!! Weird, unpleasant taste and salty tasting beyond edible. Sadly, I threw it all out. What went wrong here? I used Kikkoman Tamari, Gluten-free, regular not low sodium. The idea sounded great but what needs tweaking??I used Korean Gochu which I have used before, reducing the amount required. Help this adventurous cook !! Tonight we are having Persian chickpea curry. Fingers crossed! Please delete my comments if you wish; I did not know how else to write you! Warmest wishes.
Hi Fredda! So, it is very hard to pin point the exact issue since you have changed a lot of the main ingredients used within this recipe. MY guess is that the cauliflower is not soaking up the sauce properly. I am also wondering if your ingredients are different than in the US? Why was the sauce unpleasant? What did it taste like? Any more info you can provide would be helpful.
Thanks! Hope I can help!
I made this recipe for our NYE appetizers (hello, 2020).
Most of the ingredients I had on hand, with the exception of buttermilk, Gochujang, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds.
I used chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, and also did not use the low-sodium soy sauce 🙂
The Korean BBQ sauce is so good. The version I made was super spicy!!
I cooked the chicken for about 30 minutes, dipped the chicken into the sauce with a skewer, then put it back in the oven for about 5 minutes, which gave the chicken a unique texture that we all loved.
For the leftover pieces of chicken that we didn’t dip in the Korean BBQ sauce, I refrigerated for leftovers on New Year’s day. We just dipped them in ranch and they were still damn good!
That is so amazing!! Thank you so much for trying this Rosie! Happy New Year! xTieghan
My kids do not get excited about chicken for dinner but THIS chicken! It was delicious and everyone loved it.
That is so amazing to hear! Thank you Jenny! xTieghan
Thank you so much for this recipe. Very yummy. Question though- I made this tonight and my chicken didn’t look as crispy as yours. Maybe my pieces were too big? Also, I flipped my chicken over in the oven half way through. Was that a bad idea?
Thank you for your help.
HI! I would try make the chicken a bit smaller. I don’t usually flip my chicken, so try just leaving it as is all the way through cooking. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
My daughter and I love your website
This chicken looks amazing
Thank you Maura! xTieghan
Tasty but my sauce didn’t glaze up well. Any suggestions?
HI Chip! Just boil the sauce for 5-10 additional minutes. That should thicken the sauce right up. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you and Happy New Year! xTieghan
This was delicious! Will definitely be making again!
Thank you so much Shawna! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
My family is super picky and everyone loved it!
Yes! That is amazing! xTieghan
You are Red Gerard’s older sister?? And you almost didn’t go to the Olympics to see him win gold?! (also, can’t wait to try the recipe)
Haha yes I am! I hope you love this recipe Michelle! xTieghan
Can this be made in the air fryer ?
HI Jennifer, I am not familiar with the air fryer so I really cannot say for sure. I would imagine it should work just fine! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and Happy New Year! xTieghan
This is on the menu for New Year’s Eve!
I hope you all love this Laurie! Thank you! xTieghan
Wow… Cant wait to try this ! It looks so GOOD and yet so simple. Thank You for the video , it really helps.
Thank you! So glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made this tonight and it is fantastic! The sauce is everything! So much flavor: a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy and just so, so good! I especially love that it comes together fairly quickly so it’s great for a busy weeknight. Your recipes never disappoint. Thank you!
Thank you so much Tracey! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
MUST HAVE BEEN something I did. Almost not fair to rate this because I like sweet sauces. Mine looked nothing like the one above? It was a rich brown color very appetizing and my son loved it but me not so much. Im so in love with the honey smoked paprika sauce I think my standards are just too high. Wont be doing this one again.
Hi Jill! I am really sorry to hear this.. Are there any questions I could help you with? I hope you still enjoy other recipes on the blog if you decide to not try this again! xTieghan