KFC-Style Fried Chicken Bites (marinated in buttermilk)
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My fried chicken bites are the homemade answer to a KFC craving. Chicken breast soaks in buttermilk, gets dredged in seasoned flour and panko, and fries up craggy and golden.
This is the recipe to make when what you actually want is KFC. One reader, Pam, commented that she “thought these were even better than the ones from KFC!”, which I’ll take.
The buttermilk is the step I wouldn’t skip. Pieces of breast this small dry out fast, and half an hour in salted buttermilk is enough to keep them tender all the way through the fry. It also gives the flour something to grip, so the coating goes on thick instead of patchy. You can go up to a day if you’re planning ahead.
Baking powder in the seasoned flour sounds strange in a dredge, but it’s what keeps the crust light and craggy instead of hard. The chicken goes into the flour, back into the buttermilk, then into panko, and the breaded fried chicken bites chill for fifteen minutes so nothing slides off in the oil. No deep fryer needed, and no big pot of oil either. An inch and a half in a high-sided pan fries them through with far less to heat and clean up after. If you’d rather go smoky, my popcorn chicken takes the chipotle route.
Your questions, answered
Do I need to marinate the chicken? You can skip this step, but the chicken will not turn out as juicy and tender. To make the best fried chicken bites, you should marinate them first.
How long do I need to marinate the chicken? At least half an hour. Use this time to prep the rest of the recipe. If you’d rather plan ahead, you can keep the chicken marinating in buttermilk in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Can fried chicken bites be frozen? Yes! This is a great meal-prep recipe. After you bread the chicken, freeze it on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once the chicken pieces are frozen, you can store them in a freezer bag. You can fry them from frozen by adding 2-3 minutes to the cooking time.
What is the best way to reheat leftover fried chicken bites? The best way to reheat this chicken is in the oven. Put them on a baking sheet and bake them for about 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
KFC-Style Fried Chicken Bites (marinated in buttermilk)
Ingredients
Buttermilk Marinade
- 1 lb boneless chicken breast (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Fried Chicken Bites
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper
- 2 cups panko or breadcrumbs
- Cooking oil for frying
Instructions
- Place the chicken pieces, buttermilk, and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes on your counter or up to 24 hours in your fridge.1 lb boneless chicken breast, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Mix the flour with the baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Place the panko in another shallow bowl.¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper, 2 cups panko or breadcrumbs
- Use a slotted spoon to scoop some of the chicken pieces out of the buttermilk, letting the excess buttermilk drip back into the bowl. Put the pieces into the flour and toss to coat. Dip the pieces one at a time back into the buttermilk, then put them in the panko bowl. Coat them in panko, then place on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pieces. Put the breaded chicken into your fridge for 15 minutes – this helps the breading stick.
- Pour 1 ½ inches of oil into a high-sided pan and warm it over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit – use an oil thermometer. Carefully place several chicken pieces into the hot oil, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden and crispy. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-lined plate. Let the oil return to temperature, then repeat until all the chicken is fried and crispy.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
delish! my whole family loved them!
We thought these were even better than the ones from KFC!
The crispy coating was great and I loved the flavours you added to it.
Great template recipes for chicken bites or chicken popcorn. I wanted to test the air fryer so made everything as per your recipe but didn’t deep fry. Still worked out great, very tender and crisp on the outside. Well seasoned.
I made these and almost ate the whole bowl. So good!
This is such a genius idea! Perfectly fried and great if someone doesn’t want a full piece of fried chicken. My family loved it.