epicurious
Harissa-Honey Popcorn Chicken
Saucy and glossy with textbook crunchy-gone-slightly-soggy bite, this popcorn chicken is sure to become a game-day MVP.
👥 6 Servings👤 Asha Loupy📖 epicurious
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●bowl
- ●whisk
- ●knife
- ●cutting board
- ●pot
- ●dutch oven
- ●baking sheet
- ●oven
- ●saucepan
📝 Preparation Steps
1
chicken
2
Place ½ preserved lemon, seeds removed, on a cutting board and finely chop. Using the back of your knife, mash into a coarse paste and transfer to a large bowl. Add 1 large egg, 4 garlic cloves, finely grated, zest of 1 lemon, 1 cup low-fat buttermilk, ⅓ cup cornstarch, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt to bowl and whisk to combine. Add 2¼ lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces. Mix well to make sure each piece is coated in marinade; cover and chill at least ⏱️ 4 hours and up to ⏱️ 12 hours.
large egg1Zest of 1 lemonlow-fat buttermilk1 cup¼ lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces2
3
Whisk 1½ cups rice flour, remaining ¾ cup cornstarch, and remaining ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large shallow dish to combine. Remove one third of chicken from bowl, letting some of the marinade drip back into bowl, and arrange in a single layer on rice flour mixture. Gently toss chicken to coat, pressing down into mixture and turning to make sure every nook and cranny is covered. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with remaining chicken in 2 batches.
½ cups rice flour1½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
4
Pour vegetable oil into a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot to come 2" up the sides. Fit pot with thermometer and heat oil over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°. Working in 3–4 batches, fry chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through and golden brown, 7–⏱️ 10 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet and let drain.
Vegetable oil (for frying; about 11 cups)
5
sauce and assembly
6
While the chicken is frying, heat ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter and 3 Tbsp. medium-bodied honey (such as orange blossom) in a small saucepan over medium until butter is melted.
. medium-bodied honey (such as orange blossom)3 Tbsp
7
Scrape honey butter into a large bowl, add 6 Tbsp. harissa paste, 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and whisk until smooth and emulsified. Taste sauce and season with more salt if needed.
. harissa paste6 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice2 Tbsp
8
Place fried chicken in sauce and toss until every piece is well coated.
9
Arrange chicken on a platter and serve with crunchy raw vegetables (such as radishes, cucumber spears, and carrot sticks) alongside.
Crunchy raw vegetables (such as radishes, cucumber spears, and carrot sticks; for serving)
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