High Protein Crispy Korean Popcorn Chicken – Easy 35-Minute Recipe with Gochujang Glaze and Lean Chicken Breast
Samantha
This High Protein Crispy Korean Popcorn Chicken is the perfect mix of crunch, spice, and protein. Juicy chicken breast pieces are coated in a light, crispy shell and tossed in a sticky gochujang glaze that’s sweet, spicy, and savory. With nearly 40 grams of protein per serving, it’s a bold and satisfying meal that’s ready in just 35 minutes—perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or game-day snacking.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Korean-Inspired
Servings 4 servings
Calories 420 kcal
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 3 tbsp gochujang Korean chili paste
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 green onions chopped
- Sesame seeds for garnish
- Oil for frying or baking spray for oven/air fryer
Prep chicken: Cut chicken into small bite-sized pieces.
Coat: Dip in beaten eggs, then dredge in cornstarch for a light coating.
Cook:- Oven: Bake at 400°F for 18–20 minutes until golden and crispy.- Air Fryer: Cook at 375°F for 14–16 minutes, flipping halfway.- Frying: Heat oil in skillet, fry pieces for 4–5 minutes per batch until golden. Make glaze: In a skillet, sauté garlic and ginger in sesame oil. Add gochujang, soy sauce, and honey. Simmer until slightly thickened.
Combine: Toss cooked chicken in the glaze until evenly coated.
Serve: Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
Secret Tips for Perfect High-Protein Korean Popcorn Chicken
1. Use Small, Even Chicken Cubes:
Cut your lean chicken breast into evenly sized bite-sized pieces so the crispy Korean popcorn chicken cooks evenly. Smaller cubes also absorb the gochujang glaze better, giving every bite a sweet-spicy punch.
2. Double-Coat for Maximum Crunch:
For the best texture, coat the chicken once, let it rest, then coat it again. This helps the crust stay crunchy even after tossing the pieces in the sticky Korean gochujang sauce, making it ideal for meal prep and high-protein snacking.
3. Don’t Skip the Cornstarch:
Cornstarch is key to achieving the signature crisp in Korean popcorn chicken. Mixing it with a bit of flour creates a light, crackly coating that holds up beautifully under the glaze.
4. Balance Heat, Sweetness, and Umami:
Fine-tune your gochujang glaze by adjusting honey for sweetness, soy sauce for umami, or rice vinegar for acidity. This keeps your Korean popcorn chicken recipe balanced and customizable to your preferred flavor profile.
5. Toss the Chicken While It’s Hot:
Always coat the crispy chicken bites in the glaze right after cooking. The heat helps the sauce cling perfectly, making every piece glossy, flavorful, and fully coated.
6. Air-Fry for a Lighter High-Protein Option:
Air frying the chicken breast pieces gives you a lighter but still crispy result. It keeps your high-protein Korean popcorn chicken lower in fat without sacrificing crunch.
7. Finish with Fresh Garnishes:
Top with green onions and sesame seeds to add freshness, texture, and authentic Korean flavor. These garnishes complete the look and enhance the overall taste.Keyword air fryer korean popcorn chicken high protein, authentic korean popcorn chicken with lean chicken breast, baked korean popcorn chicken with gochujang, crispy korean chicken bites for meal prep, easy korean popcorn chicken under 40 minutes, gluten free korean popcorn chicken recipe, healthy korean popcorn chicken high protein, high protein crispy korean popcorn chicken recipe, high protein korean fried chicken with honey glaze, spicy korean popcorn chicken bites
