Photo generated by AI
Sesame-Ginger Popcorn Chicken with Sticky Rice & Quick-Pickled Cucumber
Preparation
20 Mins
Cooking time
25 Mins
Serving
4
Everything comes together in one synchronized flow — the oven does the heavy lifting on the chicken while you knock out the rice and a bright, tangy cucumber side that balances all that toasty warmth. It feels like a takeout night, but it’s on the table faster and made with things you already have.
Ingredients
For the Popcorn Chicken
- 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 in pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk (or ¾ cup milk + 1 tbsp white vinegar, rested 5 min)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1½ tsp garlic powder
- 1½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
For the Sesame-Ginger Glaze
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp cold water
For the Sticky Jasmine Rice
- 1½ cups jasmine rice
- 2¼ cups water
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
For the Quick-Pickled Cucumber
- 2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
To Finish
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Steps
- Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the sheet in the oven while it preheats — a hot pan means crispier chicken right from the start.
- Add the chicken pieces to a bowl, pour the buttermilk over top, and toss to coat. Let it sit while you get everything else moving.
- Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Combine it with the water, salt, and sesame oil in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid.
- While the rice comes to a boil, make the pickled cucumber. Combine the cucumbers, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, sesame oil, and ginger in a bowl. Toss well and set aside — the longer it sits, the better it gets.
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, ground ginger, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the sesame oil and neutral oil over the dry mixture and use a fork to work it in until you see small clumpy bits — this is what creates craggy, crispy texture on the chicken.
- Working in batches, lift the chicken pieces from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, then press them firmly into the flour mixture to coat well on all sides.
- Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and arrange the coated chicken pieces in a single layer, leaving a little space between each one. Bake for 20–22 minutes, flipping once at the halfway mark, until deeply golden and cooked through.
- While the chicken bakes, make the glaze. Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, ginger, and sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer, then add the cornstarch slurry. Stir continuously for 1–2 minutes until the glaze thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
- When the rice timer hits 15 minutes, remove it from heat and let it steam, still covered, for 5 minutes. Then fluff gently with a fork.
- Once the chicken comes out of the oven, transfer it to a large bowl and drizzle the warm glaze over top. Toss gently to coat every piece.
- Plate the rice, pile the glazed popcorn chicken alongside, and spoon the pickled cucumber next to it. Finish the whole plate with sliced green onions and a scatter of toasted sesame seeds.
Presented by :
These recipes were generated by artificial intelligence. Think of them as inspiration to kickstart your weekly meal planning. They’re a collection of ideas, based on the most sought-after food items, to browse freely and spark your creativity in the kitchen.