During the week, I’m sometimes in a pinch to make something fairly quick, but being a foodie, I can’t stand to sacrifice flavor in the interest of time. One of the easiest ways I’ve learned to take my meals to the next level without too much effort is to seek out the spice drawer. This is the exact place I looked when searching for inspiration for this very recipe. On this particular evening, I had a fair amount of chicken in the fridge, and definitely did not want to settle for just cooking it in a pan and placing it over rice, so I figured I’d create little nuggets, or what I like to call “poppers”, that would be quick and easy to make and also pack a punch filled with both spice and crunch by using just two ingredients from my pantry: panko crumbs and gochugaru.
It’s no secret that panko crumbs go well with almost every herb and seasoning, and at this particular moment, I was craving something spicy yet flavorful. That’s why I decided to reach for gochugaru, a Korean red chili pepper that has a unique flavor unlike any other pepper – there truly is no substitute in my humble opinion. Gochugaru is all things smoky, tangy, sweet, and savory; it offers a well-rounded flavor that’s not just pure spice, but so much more wrapped up in it.
“Gochugaru has a vibrant red color and a smoky flavor that is also a little fruity. The heat level varies—there are mild options and spicy options, depending on how many of the pepper seeds end up in the final product. Red chili peppers called taeyangcho are the primary pepper used in gochugaru. The same pepper is used to make gochujang, a spicy Korean chili paste with the same distinct red color and spicy flavor.”
– masterclass
Spicy Panko Chicken Poppers
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken Breast
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1.5 tbsp Gochugaru (plus more for topping)
- 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 cup Vegetable Oil
- Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (for dipping)
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry chicken breast. Then, tenderize on both sides with a rubber mallet or meat tenderizer.
- Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces, resembling small nuggets.
- Prepare three separate bowls; in the first bowl, whisk your eggs together. In the second bowl, add flour. In the third bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs and gochugaru.
- Dip the chicken breast to coat in each bowl, shaking off the excess ingredients as you go.
- Heat up your oil on medium to medium high heat in a stainless steel pan (this helps with browning). Once the oil is hot, add your chicken – be careful, as the oil can “jump” when you place your chicken in the pan.
- Flip chicken pieces when the panko on the undersides are golden brown. Once both sides have come to a nice crisp and the chicken nuggets are cooked the full way through, remove immediately from oil and let your meat rest on paper towels for 2-3 minutes before serving.
- Serve with Thai sweet chili sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.
Watch my video on how to make this recipe by clicking here.
