Since the once-ninth planet in the solar system didn’t get to keep its gig, it had to find a new day job. Kind of vast career change, but it ended up in the food industry which is how Pluto’s Popcorn Chicken became such a star dish. Crispy, juicy, and complete with a sweet-and-creamy, homemade dipping sauce, you’re definitely going to want to make space for these little balls of deliciousness on your menu. Sometimes you just have to find the place you’re meant to be, and we’d say that’s the case for ole Pluto’s Popcorn Chicken. They’re really out of this world!
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- extra-virgin olive oil, to taste, for greasing the baking sheets
- 2 pounds chicken breasts (about 4 chicken breasts), boneless and skinless, cut into 1-inch-thick pieces
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup parmesan, freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the dipping sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 -Use the olive oil to grease two large baking sheets.
Step 3 -Season the chicken pieces evenly with the salt and the pepper.
Step 4 -In a shallow bowl, add the beaten eggs.
Step 5 -In a second shallow bowl, whisk the breadcrumbs, the cornmeal, the parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of the cayenne, and the salt together.
Step 6 -Add the chicken pieces, in batches, to the eggs and toss to coat.
Step 7 -Dredge the chicken pieces, in batches, in the breadcrumb mixture until they are fully coated, then spread them in an even layer on the prepared baking sheets.
Step 8 -Bake the popcorn chicken, flipping halfway through, until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and are golden, about 25 minutes.
Step 9 -While the popcorn chicken is baking, in a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, the mustard, the honey, and the remaining cayenne together until it is combined.
Step 10 -Serve the popcorn chicken with the dipping sauce.
