There’s no reason to leave the house when you’re craving popcorn chicken. In fact, there’s no reason to even start up the fryer! Oven Popcorn Chicken whips up the super crunchy and extra delicious chicken bites without any mess, fuss, or stress! The savory chicken is soaked in a tangy and rich buttermilk marinade and coated in crispy and flavorful sour cream and onion chips! That’s one way to make an impression! Oven Popcorn Chicken tastes deep-fried, but doesn’t bother with the oil; it knows great chicken can come straight out of your oven!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 cups reduced-fat buttermilk
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 cups sour cream and onion kettle chips, crushed
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- dipping sauce, optional, to taste, of your choice, for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place it on a baking sheet.
Step 3 –In a large bowl, add the chicken pieces, the buttermilk, the garlic, the basil, the oregano, the thyme, the cayenne, the salt, and the pepper and stir to combine, making sure the chicken is evenly coated.
Step 4 –Marinate the chicken pieces for at least 30 minutes.
Step 5 –Drain the chicken pieces well.
Step 6 –Working in batches, dredge the chicken pieces in the kettle chips, pressing them to coat.
Step 7 –Place the coated chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle them with the butter.
Step 8 –Bake, turning the chicken pieces halfway through, until crisp and cooked through, with the chicken reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 20-25 minutes.
Step 9 –Serve immediately with the dipping sauce and garnish with the parsley.
