How to fry popcorn chicken
Shallow-fry popcorn chicken in oil at 350°F (175°C) for about 2–2½ min, until the surface is crispy and golden. Treat the time as a starting point and confirm with a food thermometer. Poultry: 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, away from bone.
- Oil temperature
- 350°F (175°C)
- Method
- Shallow fry
- Starting time
- 2–2½ minper batch; agitate halfway and separate pieces; oil 1 in deep
- Piece size
- 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
- Done when
- the surface is crispy and golden
- Safe internal temp
- 165°F (74°C)
Numbers from RecipeTin Eats: Popcorn Chicken · safe temperature from the FoodSafety.gov chart. Celsius values are rounded.
Getting it right
- Pour about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of oil into a heavy pot or deep skillet and heat it to 350°F (175°C).
- Coat the chicken pieces and add one batch so they sit in a single layer.
- Fry 2 to 2½ minutes. Agitate the pieces halfway through and separate any that stick together.
- Scoop the batch out onto a paper-towel-lined tray and let the oil come back to 350°F before the next batch.
- Cut open the biggest piece of the first batch and check it with an instant-read thermometer: 165°F (74°C).
Why the temperature matters: oil that is too cool lets the coating soak up fat before it sets, so the outside goes heavy and pale. Oil that is too hot browns the outside before the middle is ready. The thermometer is how you hold the window between the two.