Popcorn Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

• Cooking oil (for frying)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (pureed)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups panko
• 1 lb chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons liquid honey

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat oil: Attach an oil/candy thermometer to the side of a medium-sized pot. Pour in 2 inches of oil and heat it to 300 degrees Fahrenheit over medium-high heat. Once the temperature reaches 300 degrees, turn the element down to medium and continue to heat the oil until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. 2

   Prep breading: While the oil is heating, prep the breading - make sure to keep a close eye on the temperature of the oil. Set up 3 bowls. In one bowl whisk the eggs, pureed chipotle peppers, soy sauce, and water. Put the flour in the second bowl and the panko in the third.

3. 3

   Bread chicken: Working with 3-4 pieces at a time, dredge the chicken pieces first in flour, second in the egg, and third in panko. Keeping one hand for the egg and the other for the flour and panko makes this process far less messy. Once the chicken pieces are coated, place them on a baking tray.

4. 4

   Fry chicken: Once the oil reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit, carefully drop in 7-8 pieces and let them cook for 4-5 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Test the thickest one when you remove it for doneness by cutting it in half. No pink means it's cooked through. Place the cooked chicken bites onto a clean baking sheet lined with paper towels while you cook the rest. Make sure the oil returns to 350 degrees Fahrenheit between batches.

5. 5

   Make sauce: To make the sauce, mix the mayonnaise and honey in a small bowl.

6. 6

   Serve: To serve, either drizzle a little of the sauce over the top of the chipotle popcorn chicken or serve it on the side for people to dip.