Masala popcorn chicken

This masala popcorn chicken is a fun take on the KFC popcorn chicken, flavoured with Indian spices! These bitesize chicken pieces are great for an afternoon snack and go well with some ketchup or chilli sauce! 

I don't make this kind of food very often - but I had a chicken breast in the freezer thought this was a nice way of finishing them up! I don't usually use chicken breasts for curries as they tend to dry out with slow cooking - I prefer to use legs or thighs which remain juicier and so a better job of soaking up flavours. However, for popcorn chicken - chicken breast is ideal as the act of frying them quickly with a breadcrumb coating means they keep their moisture - and the breast is easier to cut into bitesize pieces compared to thighs. To make these popcorn chicken bites you will need to use a technique called "panne" or "breadcrumbing". This means to coat the chicken pieces in flour, egg and them breadcrumbs before frying. You will need three separate bowls in order to do this and it does require a bit of washing up afterwards (or more space in your dishwasher!) - but it not a difficult technique and results in a crispy exterior. 

Ingredients 
1 large chicken breast chopped into bitesize pieces 
1 large egg 
120g (1 cup) plain flouur (all purpose flour) 
120g (1 cup) breadcrumbs 
1 tbsp rice flour 
1 tsp salt or to taste 
Oil for shallow frying I used sunflower oil 

You'll need these spices 
1 tsp chaat masala 
1 tsp red chilli powder 
1 tsp coriander powder 
1/2 tsp turmeric 
1 tsp cumin powder 

Method 

• In a large saucepan or kadai (suitable for frying) add a 2 cm layer of oil. Turn the heat to medium and let the oil heat up. 
  
  
• Combine the rice flour, plain flour, salt, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder in a bowl. Mix well to ensure that the spices are evenly distributed. Set aside.
  
  
• In another small bowl, beat the egg. Set aside next to the flour mixture. 
  
  
• In a final third bowl, add the breadcrumbs. Set aside next to the beaten eggs. 
  
  
• To test if the oil is hot, take a few breadcrumbs. If they fizzle straightaway then you know the oil is hot enough. The oil needs to be a medium for this recipe so the chicken pieces don't absorb a lot of oil and become too oily. The coating needs to seal straightaway so the chicken pieces remain juicy. 
  
  
• To start frying the chicken, take the chicken pieces and coat them in the flour mixture.
  
  
• Next, dip a chicken piece in the beaten egg and shake off any excess. I tend not to dip all the flour coated chicken pieces at once in the egg as they can clump together and it can get a bit messy. 
  
  
• Dip the chicken piece in the breadcrumbs and ensure that the chicken piece is evenly coated.
  
  
• Drop the breadcrumbed chicken piece in the hot oil and repeat this process with the remaining flour-coated chicken pieces. 
  
  
• Fry the chicken pieces until they have a golden exterior and until they are crisp. Tip: after frying one piece it is good to cut it in half and see if the chicken is cooked all the way through. That way you know if they need a little longer. 
  
  
• Remove the pieces with a slotted spoon and shake of any excess oil. Transfer the chicken pieces to a bowl. Whilst hot, dust with the chaat masala and shake well.
  
  
• Enjoy this masala popcorn chicken with a cup of chai and some dips like ketchup of chilli sauce!