Popcorn Chicken Platter Recipes

Steps:

• Mix flour, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Beat eggs and lemon juice together in a separate bowl.
• Heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil in a large pot over medium heat.
• Dip the chicken pieces into the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, and again into the flour mixture.
• Test the oil to make sure it is hot enough: a small amount of flour dropped in should sizzle. Place 10 pieces of chicken into the hot oil; cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate and season with salt. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Steps:

• For the honey sriracha mayo: Stir together the mayo, sriracha and honey to taste. Season with salt. Transfer to a small serving bowl and drizzle with a little extra sriracha. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• For the chicken: Put the paprika, garlic powder, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt in a large resealable plastic bag and shake to mix. Add the chicken and shake to thoroughly coat.
• Put the flour in a large bowl. Beat the buttermilk and eggs together in another large bowl.
• Bring a large, wide pot with about 1 1/2 inches of oil to 350 degrees F. Line a tray with paper towels.
• Dredge half of the chicken in the flour. Remove from the flour, shake off the excess and dip it in the buttermilk mixture to coat. Let the excess drip off, then return it to the flour. Carefully put the chicken in the oil and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the paper towels with a slotted spoon and sprinkle lightly with salt. Return the oil to 350 degrees F and repeat with the remaining chicken.
• Top with chives and serve with the honey sriracha mayo.

Steps:

• For the maple-mustard dip: Mix the mustard, mayonnaise, maple syrup, paprika and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
• For the popcorn chicken: Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large high-sided skillet or pot until a deep-fry thermometer registers 365 degrees F.
• Add the breadcrumbs to a bowl and set aside. Add the chicken, cornstarch, eggs, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper to a separate bowl and toss to combine and coat the chicken. A couple pieces at a time, toss the coated chicken in the breadcrumbs and coat thoroughly, until all the chicken is coated.
• Fry the chicken in 3 or 4 batches until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Remove and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Serve alongside the maple-mustard dip.

Steps:

• Tip the chicken into a large bowl with the buttermilk and 1 tsp salt. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 12 hrs, or up to 24 hrs.
• The next day, make the coating. Combine the paprika, garlic granules, mustard powder, dried herbs, cornflour, baking powder and 1 heaped tsp salt for the coating. Shake the excess marinade from each piece of chicken and dunk these into the coating mixture. Toss until each piece is well coated, then set aside on a tray.
• Pour the oil into a deep pan until it is no more than a third full and heat until it reaches 175C. If you don't have a thermometer, drop in a little of the marinade - it should immediately sizzle. Add about five pieces of chicken at a time and fry each batch for 5 mins, or until deep golden brown. Remove the cooked popcorn chicken to a plate lined with kitchen paper using a slotted spoon and leave to drain while you cook the remainder. Serve the popcorn chicken on a platter with a selection of your favourite dips for dunking.

Steps:

• Heat a small, dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cardamom, coriander, cumin seeds, and the peppercorns, and toast for 30 to 45 seconds, swirling the mixture occasionally until the seeds release their aroma and start to brown. Divide the toasted spice mixture in half. Transfer one half of this mixture to a spice grinder and pulse to a fine powder. (You can prepare the spices up to 1 week in advance and store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.).
• In a blender, combine the remaining toasted spice mixture with the buttermilk, serrano chiles, scallions, 15 of the curry leaves, the garlic, 1 tsp of the cayenne, the ginger, lime juice, and 1 Tbsp of the salt. Pulse until completely smooth and transfer to a large resealable plastic bag. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Trim excess fat from the chicken, and cut the flesh into 1 in [2.5 cm] cubes. Add to the marinade. Seal the bag and shake to coat evenly. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare the dredging mixture. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the remaining half of the ground spice mixture with the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining ½ tsp cayenne, and remaining 1 tsp salt, shaking vigorously to blend. Finely chop 10 of the remaining curry leaves and add them to the dredging mixture. Seal the bag and shake again to mix well.
• Once the chicken has marinated, use tongs to lift out half the chicken pieces, shaking off the excess batter, and transfer to the bag with the dredging mixture. Seal the bag and shake to coat evenly. Transfer the chicken pieces to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
• In a medium Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F [180°C]. Fry the chicken in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a spider, transfer the chicken to paper towels to drain.
• After the chicken is cooked, prepare the garnish: Cut the Thai chiles in half lengthwise. In the hot oil left in the pot, deep-fry the chiles and remaining 5 curry leaves until crispy, 30 to 40 seconds. Drain on paper towels.
• Put the chicken on a serving plate, garnish with the chiles and fried curry leaves, and serve hot with the maple-vinegar sauce or hot sauce.
• the approach:.
• Whenever I make popcorn chicken or fry larger serving pieces, I flavor the dish in stages. The whole spices are toasted to activate their oils. These are then blended into buttermilk to create a savory marinade. More seasoning is then added to the flour in the dredging mixture, and finally, the hot little nuggets of chicken are topped with crunchy fried curry leaves and chile peppers. While we often eat this with a hot sauce or ranch dressing, the very best accompaniment is the maple-vinegar syrup or green chutney.