Baked Popcorn Chicken
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A healthier alternative to the deep-fried version with the best crispy potato chip crust!! No one will believe that this is baked!
Nope. The title is correct. This is baked.
Yes, completely baked from 0 to 100.
The secret? The epic potato chip crust!
And the beauty of the crust is how many variations you can use since Kettle Brand has so many bold flavors – pepperoncini, sriracha, maple bacon, etc. – you name it.
I used sour cream and onion here but you know Sriracha is next on my list.
Then the pepperoncini….then the roasted garlic……well, let’s just say I’m making my way down the list to hit them all.
Baked Popcorn Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 cups reduced fat buttermilk
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 cups crushed Sour Cream and Onion Kettle Brand® Potato Chips
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine chicken, buttermilk, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, to taste; marinate for at least 30 minutes. Drain well.
- Working in batches, dredge chicken in crushed potato chips, pressing to coat. Place onto the prepared baking sheet; drizzle with butter.
- Place into oven and bake, turning pieces halfway through, until crisp and cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Kettle Brand. As always, I only partner with brands that I love and truly believe in, allowing me to create more quick and easy recipes to get us through the week without breaking the bank. All opinions expressed are my own.
I made these twice now. Excellent! But, no matter how much non-stick I used they stuck to the rack. So, second batch went directly on parchment paper. So crispy on the outside and tender inside.
What is the dip recipe?!
Honey mustard – one of our favorite dipping sauces! 🙂
Have you tried this recipe in an air fryer? Any adjustments?
This was good
All I can say is YUMMY , eat them like popcorn nuggets.
I couldn’t get the chips crumbs to adhere to the chicken very well. I suspect the key might be that you have to really crumble them and then some how keep the texture. It was good though.
What sauce did you dip the Baked Popcorn Chicken into? Looks yummy
Looks like a honey mustard, search them on line.
This is a great recipe! Can you tell me the name of the dipping sauce in the picture? Would love to use too.
Hi, i loved your recipe, i was wondering can i make this using bone less beef cubes?
If i pre-cook the beef then coat it with buttermilk and chips then how long should i bake it in the oven?
Any ideas?
This looks delicious and will try. Question- the ingredient list says 1/4 cup butter but I didn’t see anywhere mentioning the butter in the directions. Am I missing anything? Thanks!
All the flavors were there but I had issues with the coating. It kept falling off and sticking to the pan every time I tried to flip. Any ideas on how to fix it?
I love popcorn chicken so much. And you gave me the baking version of this recipe. Simply superb. Will try this recipe AsAp. Thank you.
Great recipe! Turned out crispy and moist on my convection setting. My variations: cut up chicken breast tenders, almond milk, Kettle Brand buffalo bleu chips. Served with a homemade bleu cheese-buffalo dipping sauce and carrots and celery.
Delicious and easy! Thanks for sharing
Sorry, I’m realizing the error of my potato chip/gluten question! My bad!
Hi, this recipe looks great! I’m excited to try it! May I use gluten free potato chips?
(Also, I noticed people making comments about the potato chips being fried & if that’s an issue for some I’ve made other recipes using baked chips & had no issues. I haven’t tried it with this recipe, but just a thought.)
I forgot the butter! 🙁
This is just brilliant! Seriously.
My grandchildren & I made these last week. We marinated them several hours since we were busy doing other things, other than that we followed your directions exactly. They turned out wonderful. We didn’t have any problems with the chips sticking to the chicken. They looked exactly like your picture. Even though the chips are fried, they are certified gluten free, non gmo & 0 grams trans fat, all of the things are important to our family. Everyone loved them & we now have a new family favorite- thank you
These look amazing! I am dairy free. Does coconut or almond milk work as a buttermilk replacement? In other chicken finger recipes, I have used an egg to dip the chicken in before dipping the chicken in the flour. It’s a mess, but I think it works decently well. Which is the best option, do you think?
Thanks!
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
As a vegetarian, I wonder if I could use tofu instead of chicken ?
Yes, what a great idea!