Sweet Chili Popcorn Chicken

Ingredients 

For the Chicken: 

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, or chicken breasts

3 C buttermilk

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp. dried basil

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp. paprika

3/4 tsp. dried thyme

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. ground black pepper

4 1/2 C panko bread crumbs 

1/3 C butter, melted 

For the Sauce : 

1/3 C ketchup

3 tbsp soy sauce 

3 tbsp. brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp dried red chili flakes

9 tbsp. water 

1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch 

Directions 

1)  Start by preparing the chicken. If using chicken thighs, cut into 1/2 inch chunks/pieces. If using chicken breasts, portion the pieces a little larger - about 3/4 - 1" inch pieces. Add the prepared chicken to a bowl and set aside. 

2) In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, minced garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, paprika, salt, and ground black pepper. 

3) Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover chicken with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (Chicken can marinate for up to 12 hours) 

4) When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the chicken pieces into the panko bread crumbs until well coated. Place the coated chicken onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

5) Melt the butter and use a spoon to drizzle it over the top of the prepared chicken. Bake for 25 minutes, turning at the halfway mark. Remove from oven and set aside. 

6) Add ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, dried red chili flakes, and four tablespoons of water to a large skillet. Whisk to combine. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. 

7) In the meantime, whisk the cornstarch and the remaining tablespoons of water together until the cornstarch is dissolved. Once the ketchup mixture starts to bubble, pour the cornstarch and water mixture into the skillet and whisk into the sauce. 

8) The sauce will thicken almost immediately. Once thick, add the popcorn chicken into the skillet. Use two rubber spatulas to toss the chicken and coat each piece with the sauce. Turn off the heat. Transfer chicken to a platter, garnish accordingly, and serve immediately. 

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Marinating time: 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves: 9 

With this recipe my advice would be to double the sauce ingredients to make extra sauce. That way you can also use it to dip the chicken into while eating if you choose.