Perfect for lunch, dinner or a weekend snack. This Cajun Popcorn Chicken recipe will surely be a hit!
Now that football season is finally here I feel like Sundays are pretty much reserved for football of course, eating yummy snacks and the usual lounging pretty much all day, ha. Who agrees? With that being said… I have the perfect recipe for football sundays, well any day of the week really even if you’re not a football person like me. I’m usually just lounging/ snacking and watching my husband go crazy when the Cowboys are playing haha.
This Cajun Popcorn Chicken recipe was pretty easy to put together and tasted delicious! Crispy, tender, bite size pieces of chicken with a kick… yumm I’ll take it! This popcorn chicken recipe was made using the traditional stove top deep fry method however, I also tested it out using the air fryer and it works perfectly fine if you’d like to skip using as much oil. Either way, I’m sure if you brought this yummy snack to any football party your friends will love you even more.
CAN I COOK THESE IN THE AIR FRYER?
Absolutely! You will want to follow all of the same steps, just be sure to work in batches. Once the shrimp has been added to the basket, spray with a little cooking spray and cook for about 10-12 minutes!
CAN I FREEZE THESE?
Absolutely! I actually make a variation of these for my son in the airfryer and freeze them in batches so that I can use them for a quick lunch for him on weekends.
Questions about this Cajun Popcorn Chicken? Did you make this recipe? Let me know in the comments below! Tag me #chefelizabethreese on Instagram, I’d love to see your creations!
Cajun Popcorn Chicken
Ingredients
- 1½ lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, Cut into large chunks
- 2 Cup Buttermilk
- 1 Tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ⅛ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- Kosher Salt and Pepper as needed
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Old Bay
- Canola Oil, for Frying
For the Popcorn Chicken Breading
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstartch
- 1½ Cup All Purpose Flour
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Old Bay
- ½ Teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, garlic powder and old bay.
- Add the chicken and buttermilk to a large resealable bag. Mix and refrigerate for about 30minutes or up to overnight.
- Heat 1-2 inches of canola oil in a dutch oven or large pot to 350°F.
- In a shallow dish, combine the flour, cornstarch salt, garlic powder, old bay and cajun seasoning. Remove the popcorn chicken from the buttermilk marinade and dip each piece in the flour mixture until well coated. Shake off excess flour.
- Fry a few pieces of the chicken at a time until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes per side. Let the cooked chicken rest on paper towels to cool.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!
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