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  • 02.06.2018
  •  0

Salt & Pepper Popcorn Chicken

Wow your guests with this perfect party snack

Here in the Dumpling Sisters Kitchen, we love experimenting with classic flavour combinations. “Salt and Pepper” is one such flavour pairing that has the versatility to work with so many different base ingredients, from prawns to pork to tofu. 

As it heats up in London and we find ourselves inviting friends over to enjoy the sunshine, we wanted to create a party snack that uses “salt and pepper” in an unexpected and moreish way. Something that’ll work well with a cold beer, or icy elderflower pressé.

Popcorn chicken seemed an exciting choice, with its crunchy exterior providing the perfect vehicle for the flavourings to stick to.  The secret to the perfect Salt & Pepper Popcorn Chicken is to unlock the flavour of the pepper, salt and aromatics by frying them in a little oil first, and then coating the popcorn chicken in that heavenly flavoured oil. You can use this trick for almost anything that has been deep fried – even on fries! – and it’ll take your dish to the next level.

Our recipe makes enough for a party of 8 people. It is easily halved, or quartered.  So if there are fewer than 8 of you around, we suggest making a smaller amount as the chicken is totally addictive and you *will* end up eating all of it!

 

This recipe was sponsored by Schwartz.

 

Serves
8, as a party snack
Ingredients

1 kg chicken thigh, skinless and boneless, cubed
Oil for deep frying

Marinade
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
4 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp oil
70ml water

Coating
240g plain flour
120g cornflour
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 large pinches of salt

Dry fry seasonings
1 1/2 tbsp oil
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 fresh red chillis, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, diced
5 spring onions, sliced

 

Here in the Dumpling Sisters Kitchen, we love experimenting with classic flavour combinations. “Salt and Pepper” is one such flavour pairing that has the versatility to work with so many different base ingredients, from prawns to pork to tofu. 

As it heats up in London and we find ourselves inviting friends over to enjoy the sunshine, we wanted to create a party snack that uses “salt and pepper” in an unexpected and moreish way. Something that’ll work well with a cold beer, or icy elderflower pressé.

Popcorn chicken seemed an exciting choice, with its crunchy exterior providing the perfect vehicle for the flavourings to stick to.  The secret to the perfect Salt & Pepper Popcorn Chicken is to unlock the flavour of the pepper, salt and aromatics by frying them in a little oil first, and then coating the popcorn chicken in that heavenly flavoured oil. You can use this trick for almost anything that has been deep fried – even on fries! – and it’ll take your dish to the next level.

Our recipe makes enough for a party of 8 people. It is easily halved, or quartered.  So if there are fewer than 8 of you around, we suggest making a smaller amount as the chicken is totally addictive and you *will* end up eating all of it!

 

This recipe was sponsored by Schwartz.

 

GET THE METHOD →

Combine the cubed chicken thigh and marinade ingredients in a bowl. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
On a walled baking tray or large platter, combine the coating ingredients. Roll each cube of chicken in the coating mix, ensuring the entire surface is covered in flour.
In batches, deep fry the chicken at 180°C for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Drain in a sieve or on kitchen towels.
OUR
TIP!
To test if the oil is at temperature, simply insert the handle of a wooden spoon (or an uncoated, wooden chopstick) into the oil. When a steam of small bubbles emerges, the oil is ready for frying. Watch the video for our demonstration of this neat trick.
Finish with a final dry of the chicken in seasonings. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan. Fry the black pepper and salt, followed by the red chilli, garlic and then spring onions.
Add the fried chicken to the wok, toss everything together, and serve.
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