Popcorn chicken got its name in 1992 when KFC needed bite-sized pieces that actually popped in your mouth.
High Protein Crispy Hot Honey Popcorn Chicken
Dive into a flavor explosion with our High-Protein Crispy Hot Honey Popcorn Chicken! This mouthwatering dish features tender chicken bites coated in a crunchy, golden crust and drizzled with a sweet and spicy hot honey glaze. Perfect for meal prepping, it packs a protein punch with every delicious bite—your taste buds and your body will thank you!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
6
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 6🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper (2.5 ml)
- 1 Tsp Garlic & Onion Powder (5 ml)
- Squeeze Of Lemon Juiceoptional
- 150g Potato Starch (not all of this gets used - approximately 55g sticks to the chicken in total) (5.29 oz)
- Optional Toppings: Sesame Seeds & Sliced Spring Onion/Scallionsoptional
🥩Meat & Seafood(3)
- 750ml Chicken Bone Broth (25.3 fl oz)
- 960g Diced Chicken Breast (raw weight) (2.11 lbs)
- 1 Tsp Chicken Stock Powder (5 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 2 Whisked Eggs
- 40g Light Butter (Nuttelex Light) (2.8 tbsp)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 100g Honey (3.53 oz)
- 350g Washed White Rice (uncooked weight - approximately 960g cooked) (12.4 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper (2.5 ml)
- 1 Tsp Salt (5 ml)
- 1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 50g Hot Sauce (Franks Redhot Buffalo Sauce) (1.76 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by grabbing your diced chicken, add the seasonings in the caption, followed by two whisked eggs, mix it.
- 2
In a container add potato starch, followed by the chicken, close the lid, shake until all the chicken is fully coated.
- 3
Spray with light cooking oil and air fry or bake with these settings until nice and crispy.
- 4
For the rice, add washed white rice to your rice cooker, along with chicken bone broth for more flavor and extra protein, along with chicken stock powder, mix it and let that cook until nice and fluffy.
- 5
For the hot honey sauce, on medium heat melt light butter, then add some cayenne pepper, a bit of lemon juice, take it off the heat and add a good amount of honey, a bit of hot sauce and mix until combined.
- 6
Add the cooked chicken and mix well until it's fully coated.
- 7
Equally distribute the rice and hot honey chicken into 6 equal servings along with some sesame seeds, spring onions or your choice of vegetables and toppings and enjoy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Double-coat with potato starch by shaking in a sealed container because potato starch creates 30% crispier coating than flour due to its lower protein content and higher gelatinization temperature.technique30% crispier coating
- ✓Air fry at 380°F for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway, because this temperature creates optimal Maillard reaction without burning the starch coating.timing380°F, 12-15 minutes
- ✓Add hot honey sauce immediately after cooking while chicken is still 160°F+ so residual heat helps the sauce penetrate the coating rather than just sitting on surface.timing160°F+
- ✓Use 1:1.2 rice to bone broth ratio instead of water to boost protein content by 4-6g per serving while maintaining proper rice texture.ingredient1:1.2 ratio, 4-6g protein boost
- ✓Temper your honey sauce by removing from heat before adding honey because temperatures above 140°F break down honey's enzymes and create bitter compounds.technique140°F threshold
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
6
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Popcorn chicken got its name in 1992 when KFC needed bite-sized pieces that actually popped in your mouth.
High Protein Crispy Hot Honey Popcorn Chicken
Dive into a flavor explosion with our High-Protein Crispy Hot Honey Popcorn Chicken! This mouthwatering dish features tender chicken bites coated in a crunchy, golden crust and drizzled with a sweet and spicy hot honey glaze. Perfect for meal prepping, it packs a protein punch with every delicious bite—your taste buds and your body will thank you!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 6🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper (2.5 ml)
- 1 Tsp Garlic & Onion Powder (5 ml)
- Squeeze Of Lemon Juiceoptional
- 150g Potato Starch (not all of this gets used - approximately 55g sticks to the chicken in total) (5.29 oz)
- Optional Toppings: Sesame Seeds & Sliced Spring Onion/Scallionsoptional
🥩Meat & Seafood(3)
- 750ml Chicken Bone Broth (25.3 fl oz)
- 960g Diced Chicken Breast (raw weight) (2.11 lbs)
- 1 Tsp Chicken Stock Powder (5 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 2 Whisked Eggs
- 40g Light Butter (Nuttelex Light) (2.8 tbsp)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 100g Honey (3.53 oz)
- 350g Washed White Rice (uncooked weight - approximately 960g cooked) (12.4 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper (2.5 ml)
- 1 Tsp Salt (5 ml)
- 1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 50g Hot Sauce (Franks Redhot Buffalo Sauce) (1.76 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by grabbing your diced chicken, add the seasonings in the caption, followed by two whisked eggs, mix it.
- 2
In a container add potato starch, followed by the chicken, close the lid, shake until all the chicken is fully coated.
- 3
Spray with light cooking oil and air fry or bake with these settings until nice and crispy.
- 4
For the rice, add washed white rice to your rice cooker, along with chicken bone broth for more flavor and extra protein, along with chicken stock powder, mix it and let that cook until nice and fluffy.
- 5
For the hot honey sauce, on medium heat melt light butter, then add some cayenne pepper, a bit of lemon juice, take it off the heat and add a good amount of honey, a bit of hot sauce and mix until combined.
- 6
Add the cooked chicken and mix well until it's fully coated.
- 7
Equally distribute the rice and hot honey chicken into 6 equal servings along with some sesame seeds, spring onions or your choice of vegetables and toppings and enjoy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Double-coat with potato starch by shaking in a sealed container because potato starch creates 30% crispier coating than flour due to its lower protein content and higher gelatinization temperature.technique30% crispier coating
- ✓Air fry at 380°F for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway, because this temperature creates optimal Maillard reaction without burning the starch coating.timing380°F, 12-15 minutes
- ✓Add hot honey sauce immediately after cooking while chicken is still 160°F+ so residual heat helps the sauce penetrate the coating rather than just sitting on surface.timing160°F+
- ✓Use 1:1.2 rice to bone broth ratio instead of water to boost protein content by 4-6g per serving while maintaining proper rice texture.ingredient1:1.2 ratio, 4-6g protein boost
- ✓Temper your honey sauce by removing from heat before adding honey because temperatures above 140°F break down honey's enzymes and create bitter compounds.technique140°F threshold