How to Make Popcorn Chicken in an Air Fryer: Top 3 Recipes
Many restaurants serve popcorn chicken as an appetizer or as a main course. It's crispy, flavorful, and the ideal finger snack for any gathering. But what if you want to make popcorn chicken at home? With these air fryer popcorn chicken recipes, we've got you covered!
KFC-inspired Popcorn Chicken
Wouldn't it be great to be able to eat KFC like popcorn chicken at home that too at a lesser price? You can now, thanks to KFC-inspired popcorn chicken prepared in an air fryer.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp KFC Spice Blend (or other spice blends)
- 150 grams or 5.29 oz ordinary flour 400 grams (14.11 oz) ground chicken, a dozen big eggs
- Breadcrumbs, 150 g (5.29 oz)
- 1 tablespoon of your favorite chicken spice
- Season with salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make tiny meatballs out of the minced chicken. Alternatively, use uncooked chicken patties that have been quartered and shaped into meatballs.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them together with a fork. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, chicken seasoning, salt, and pepper. Combine breadcrumbs and KFC rub in a mixing bowl.
- Roll the chicken balls in the flour, then in the egg, and last in the breadcrumbs. Ensure that each piece of chicken is well covered in each bowl.
- Arrange the popcorn chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook at 360°F in an air fryer such as the Acekool Air Fryer FT2 for 8 minutes, then turn and bake for another 4 minutes at the same temperature.
- Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice.
BBQ Popcorn Chicken
This dish combines fried chicken with popcorn in a unique way. It's now healthier and tastier than before!
Ingredients
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
- Tabasco Sauce
- All-Purpose Flour
- Buttermilk
- Baking Powder
- Egg
- Brown Sugar
- Ketchup
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Garlic Powder
- Smoked Paprika
- Chili Powder
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Instructions
- Season your chicken with salt and pepper to get started. Make 1-inch pieces out of the chicken pieces.
- After that, combine the flour and baking powder in a medium-sized mixing dish.
- Combine the buttermilk, tabasco sauce, and egg in a separate mixing dish (combine well).
- Shake the chicken after it has been dipped in the flour mixture to get rid of any excess flour. Then dip the chicken in the buttermilk mixture and shake off the excess. Return the mixture to the flour mixture after that.
- Place the chicken in an air fryer basket or an Air Fryer tray as you coat it (both should be coated with olive oil so the chicken doesn't stick while cooking).
- Spray your tray well with olive oil spray once it has been loaded, being careful not to overcrowd the basket.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F and cook for 5 minutes before flipping them and cooking for another 5 minutes.
NOTE: Coat them again with a liberal amount of olive oil spray before flipping them.
Instructions to Make the Sauce
- To make the sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook for around 10 minutes.
- Then, in a large mixing bowl, place the cooked chicken, pour the BBQ sauce over it, and toss with tongs to cover evenly.
Nando’s Bag & Shake Popcorn Chicken
The Nando's peri-peri medium heat popcorn chicken is ideal if you want something that is properly seasoned, somewhat spicy but not overly hot and melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces of chicken breast
- 1 peri-peri medium Nando's bag-and-bake chicken
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 salad of your choosing (summer salads)
Instructions
- Dice the chicken breasts
- In a paper bag given, combine the bag and bake seasoning with plain flour.
- Add the diced chicken and give it a good shake.
- Cook for 5-8 minutes in a deep fryer or air fryer with caution.
- Serve with a salad of your choice- On top or with a dipping sauce of its own.
Recommended Kitchen Appliance
Acekool 8.5 QT Large Airfryer with Visible Window, 8 Cooking Presets
The Acekool Air Fryer FT2 makes the perfect air fryer popcorn chicken. With its circulating hot air which makes sure your chicken skin is crisp and the meat stays juicy, you get a melt-in-the-mouth snack in no time.
Try out our recipes today for a yummy snack that your friends and family will love!