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Sheet Pan Korean Popcorn Chicken is a slightly healthier, much easier take on Korean-style fried chicken. Inspired by our travels to both LA and Seoul. Breaded, oven-baked, and finished with an addicting sweet and spicy Korean-inspired BBQ sauce made with Gochujang chile paste. This chicken is sure to be loved by all. Add broccoli to the mix and sprinkle with the yummiest toasted sesame CRUNCH. I love to serve with steamed rice for an easy dinner that’s different, delicious, colorful, and flavorful.
This is crazy, but it’s been six years since my family and I traveled to South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Some of you may not have followed back then, but it was such a special trip. I’m so grateful for those memories. And even more grateful that I was able to experience them with my family. I’d never miss watching my brother compete at the Olympics (here’s one of my recaps if you’re interested)!
It was so amazing and inspired a lot of new recipes. Some are more traditional, some are a mix of fusion-style recipes that mix American and Korean ingredients.
And all of them are so delicious!
I made a lot of beef bowls, soups, and chicken dishes, but one of my favorite ideas has to be today’s popcorn chicken. Inspired by all the yummy Korean fried chicken, I wanted to take that idea and make it into more of a complete meal – but simpler and with less sweet sauce.
You’ll also like that the chicken and broccoli are made on a single sheet pan. Keeping clean-up pretty simple, gotta love that!
These are the details
Step 1: bread the chicken
Like my other breaded chicken recipes, I love to use cornflakes to coat each piece of chicken. They give the chicken that perfect crunch.I useNature’s Path, Organic Corn Flakes Cereal, which is naturally gluten-free and non-GMO. I order mine online, but Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have good options, too.
Crunch up the cornflakes, or you can also just buy cornflake crumbs. Next, add parmesan cheese. I use the cheese in place of flour; it adds a salty flavor that melts over the chicken, becoming crispy as it bakes. It sounds a little different paired with these flavors, but I think it’s delicious.
Bake the chicken up with a side of broccoli. It takes maybe 20 minutes to cook.
Step 2: the sauce
While the chicken is baking, make the sauce. The sauce is the absolute heart of the recipe. It’s sweet, spicy, and probably my family’s favorite sauce of all time. The important ingredient here is Gochujang (Korean chili paste). It’s spicy with a little sweetness, and it’s extremely flavorful.
Drizzle or toss the chicken with the sauce, then bake the sauce into the chicken. What happens is that the coating soaks up all the sauce. It really is so good.
Step 3: serve
These are so yummy with home-baked french fries, but personally, I love the crispy popcorn chicken bites along with rice. I do a simple sesame chili garlic crunch sprinkled on top, then the broccoli on the side.
This is the perfect dinner for everyone in the family! They’re all going to love it.
Last thing, this chicken makes for a really fun appetizer too. You could even add a yum yum style sauce for dipping!
Looking for other busy weeknight-night recipes? Try these!
One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake
Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Avocado Jalapeño Crema
Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Salmon with Caesar Roasted Potatoes
One Skillet Cheesy Green Chile Chicken
Lastly, if you make this Sheet Pan Korean Popcorn Chicken, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 341 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 egg
- 3 cups finely crushed corn flakes
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
- salt and black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- spicy mayo, for serving (optional, see notes)
Gochujang BBQ Sauce
- 1/2 cup tamari/soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1-2 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons chopped green onions
- chili flakes
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or rub with oil.
2. Dump the cornflake crumbs, parmesan, and pepper into a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then add the chicken and toss well to coat.
3. Dredge the chicken through the crumbs, covering fully. Arrange the chicken to one side of the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Add the broccoli to the other side. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
4. In a small saucepan, combine the tamari/soy sauce, honey,Gochujang (Korean chili paste), rice vinegar, ginger, 2 cloves garlic, sesame oil, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened into a glaze.
5. Remove the broccoli from the sheet pan. Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss the chicken up in the sauce. Bake another 5 minutes, until the sauce is baked onto the chicken.
6. In a bowl, mix the sesame seeds, green onions, 1 clove of garlic, chili flakes, and a tiny pinch of salt. Serve the chicken, broccoli, and sauce with the sesame crunch mix. I love this over rice, but it's also great with french fries!
Notes
Spicy Mayo: Combine 2 tablespoons of chili paste, 2 teaspoons ketchup, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, and 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or mayo. Season with 1 teaspoon of seasoned salt. The sauce will keep for 1 week in the fridge.
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