Description
Flavorful Korean Chicken Bao blends the beloved textures and flavors of two distinct cultures into an irresistible bite. Fluffy bao buns embrace succulent, crispy-coated chicken glazed in a sticky, spicy-sweet Korean sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 300g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 3g instant dry yeast
- 30g granulated sugar
- 3g fine sea salt
- 150ml warm water
- 15g vegetable oil, plus extra for brushing
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Parchment paper, cut into 3×3 inch squares
- 600g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (for marinade)
- 1 tablespoon non-alcoholic mirin substitute
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (for marinade)
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic (for marinade)
- Pinch of black pepper (for marinade)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (for breading)
- ½ cup cornstarch (for breading)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder (for breading)
- ½ teaspoon salt (for breading)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (for breading)
- 1 large egg (for breading)
- ½ cup cold water (for breading)
- 4–6 cups vegetable oil (for deep frying)
- ¼ cup gochujang
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (for glaze)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (for glaze)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (for glaze)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (for glaze)
- 1 tablespoon water (for glaze)
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch (for slurry)
- 1 tablespoon water (for slurry)
- 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup rice vinegar (for pickling)
- 2 tablespoons water (for pickling)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for pickling)
- ½ teaspoon salt (for pickling)
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Thinly sliced green onions
- Kewpie mayonnaise (optional)
Instructions
- Activate yeast: Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar; let sit 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to yeast mixture with oil, mix until shaggy dough forms.
- Knead: Turn dough onto a floured surface, knead 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- First rise: Lightly grease a bowl, place dough, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours until doubled.
- Shape bao: Punch down dough, divide into 12 equal pieces (45-50g each), roll into balls. Roll each ball into a 4-5 inch oval, brush half with oil, then fold in half. Place each bao on a 3×3 inch parchment square.
- Second rise: Arrange shaped bao in steamer baskets, cover, and let rise 30-45 minutes until puffy.
- Marinate chicken: Combine chicken pieces with soy sauce, non-alcoholic mirin substitute, ginger, garlic, and pepper. Marinate 30 min at room temp or up to 2 hours refrigerated.
- Prepare batter: Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, pepper. Add egg and cold water to form a thick, pancake-like batter.
- Coat and fry: Drain excess marinade from chicken. Add chicken to batter, toss to coat.
- Double fry: Heat oil to 325°F (160°C). Fry chicken in batches for 5-7 minutes until lightly golden. Remove and drain. Increase oil to 350°F (175°C). Return all chicken and fry for another 3-5 minutes until deep golden and crispy. Drain.
- Prepare glaze: In a saucepan, whisk gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, honey/maple syrup, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and 1 tablespoon water.
- Thicken: Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add cornstarch slurry, simmer 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
- Coat chicken: In a large bowl, toss fried chicken with warm gochujang glaze until evenly coated.
- Pickle cucumbers: Thinly slice cucumber. In a saucepan, combine rice vinegar, water, sugar, and salt; heat until dissolved. Pour warm brine over cucumbers, let sit 15-20 minutes at room temperature.
- Steam bao: Fill steamer pot with 1-2 inches of water, bring to a boil. Place proofed bao (on parchment) in steamer, ensuring space. Cover and steam for 8-10 minutes until puffed and soft. Let rest 2-3 minutes in covered steamer before removing.
- Assemble bao: Gently open a steamed bao bun. Place 1-2 pieces of glazed Korean fried chicken inside.
- Garnish: Top with pickled cucumber slices, toasted sesame seeds, green onions, and optional Kewpie mayonnaise. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Ensure the dough rises properly for the best texture.
- Adjust the spice levels in the glaze to your preference.
- Use fresh ingredients for optimal flavor.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Steaming and frying
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bao
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 70mg