Honey BBQ Popcorn Chicken -

5 from 1 vote

Honey BBQ Popcorn Chicken

Make a scrumptious batch of hand-breaded popcorn chicken to toss in honey BBQ sauce. This quick and easy recipe includes oven instructions and modifications to make your honey bbq popcorn chicken in the air fryer: a great game day appetizer and protein-packed main course.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer bbq popcorn chicken, baked bbq popcorn chicken, baked popcorn chicken, honey bbq chicken bites, honey bbq popcorn chicken

Servings: servings

Calories: 466kcal

Author: Valerie Skinner

Equipment

Parchment Paper
medium-size mixing bowls
Whisk
Tongs
air fryer or Ninja Foodi

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken breast fat trimmed & cut into bite size chunks
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 cup bbq sauce
¼ cup honey

Instructions

Oven Instructions

With a sharp knife, trim visible fat from the chicken, then cut the breasts into bite-size "popcorn" pieces.
Assemble the dredging station starting with the egg wash bowl. Crack both eggs into a medium-size bowl and whisk until full beaten. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and pepper together. In a third bowl, add the plain bread crumbs.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set it aside.
Meanwhile, dredge the chicken in small batches. First, add the chicken pieces to the seasoned flour, toss to coat, and shake off any excess. Then, transfer the chicken to the egg wash bowl and gently toss to coat, shaking off any excess egg. Finally, add the chicken to the breadcrumb bowl, pressing the pieces gently to fully coat. Place the coated pieces on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer while you work through the remaining batches.
Once all of the chicken is coated, transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (about 15 minutes), flipping halfway through.
While the chicken is baking, whisk the BBQ sauce and honey together in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until the sauce is warm.
Use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken bites to a bowl, then pour the honey BBQ sauce on top, and gently toss with a rubber spatula to fully coat the popcorn chicken in honey bbq sauce. Serve hot.

Air Fryer Instructions

Prep and bread the chicken for the air fryer using the oven instructions above. Set the breaded pieces aside on a clean plate while you finish coating the rest.
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Working in batches, add the popcorn chicken to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Set the timer for 15 minutes and let cook until crispy and golden brown, flipping each piece with tongs halfway through.
Meanwhile, combine the bbq sauce and honey in a saucepan and gently warm over low heat.
Use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken bites to a bowl, then pour the honey BBQ sauce on top, and gently toss with a rubber spatula to fully coat the chicken in honey bbq sauce. Serve hot.

Notes

🧊 Storing & Freezing

Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Reheating: The breading will absorb some of the sauce and lose its crunch, but reheating in the air fryer can fix that. Add the chicken to the air fryer basket and reheat at 400F for 3-4 minutes or until the breading is crispy and the chicken is hot. Toss in sauce and serve.

Freezing: If you plan to freeze this popcorn chicken, do not toss in sauce. Instead, let the popcorn chicken cool, then place on a baking sheet an set it in the freezer until the chicken pieces are firm. Then, place them in a freezer-safe resealable age and keep in the freezer for 3-4 months.

Nutrition