Oven Baked Popcorn Chicken

Oven Baked Popcorn Chicken are spicy, saucy, crispy, easy, and a healthier version of traditional popcorn chicken. This oven baked popcorn chicken recipe is simple and a perfect recipe for your next event.

Popcorn chicken always reminds me of my college days. I remember getting popcorn chicken for lunch and they use to be so spicy that they would burn my throat, but they were so good! I wanted to create a healthier version of popcorn chicken, because a lot of time they are deep fried and this recipe is oven fried.

Ingredients needed for oven baked popcorn chicken

• Boneless chicken breast: boneless skinless chicken thigh will also work
• Eggs
• Breadcrumbs
• Flour
• Smoked paprika
• Paprika
• Garlic powder
• Salt & pepper

Ingredients for the spicy sauce

• Butter
• Smoked paprika
• Paprika
• Chili powder
• Crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 435 degrees F.
2. Pat dry the chicken and cut into bite size pieces.
3. In a bowl, crack the egg and toss the chicken into the egg.
4. In a separate bowl, add breadcrumbs, flour, and all of the seasonings. Add the chicken to this bowl and toss until all of the chicken is covered with the dry ingredients.
5. Transfer the chicken to a baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and internal temperate reaches 165 degrees F.
6. In the meantime make the sauce! Add the butter to a sauce pan over medium heat and melt the butter until butter starts to turn brown. Remove the butter from heat and add the seasonings and mix.
7. Drizzle the sauce on the baked chicken and enjoy! If you want to have sauce for dipping, then double the ingredients for the sauce from the recipe index.

This is a fun recipe to recreate for when you’re hosting, a game night, or just a fun Friday evening! If you do make this recipe, tag me on Instagram!

Check out my Mahi Mahi Tacos with Chipotle Sauce recipe!