Crispy Chicken Bao (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Bao Buns
01 -
450g all-purpose flour
02 -
2 tbsp fine sugar
03 -
½ tsp salt
04 -
2 tsp quick yeast (7g)
05 -
3 tbsp full-fat milk
06 -
210ml lukewarm water
07 -
3 tbsp soft unsalted butter
08 -
1 tbsp olive oil
→ Chicken and Marinade
09 -
4 chunked chicken breasts
10 -
240ml buttermilk
11 -
½ tsp salt
12 -
¼ tsp white pepper
13 -
¼ tsp garlic salt
→ Crispy Coating
14 -
180g all-purpose flour
15 -
1 tsp salt
16 -
1 tsp ground black pepper
17 -
½ tsp garlic salt
18 -
½ tsp celery salt
19 -
1 tsp dried thyme
20 -
1 tsp paprika
21 -
1 tsp baking powder
22 -
1 tsp chilli flakes
23 -
Vegetable oil for frying (1+ litre)
→ Korean Sauce
24 -
2 tbsp gochujang
25 -
2 tbsp honey
26 -
4 tbsp brown sugar
27 -
4 tbsp soy sauce
28 -
2 minced garlic cloves
29 -
2 tsp grated ginger
30 -
1 tbsp vegetable oil
31 -
1 tbsp sesame oil
→ To Serve
32 -
1 small thinly sliced red onion
33 -
¼ diced cucumber
34 -
Small handful chopped cilantro
35 -
2 tsp mixed black and white sesame seeds
# Instructions:
01 -
Combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Mix milk, warm water and soft butter in a separate container until butter softens. Pour wet mix into dry ingredients and knead for 10 minutes by hand or with a mixer's dough hook.
02 -
Drop dough into an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it grow until twice as big, usually takes 90-120 minutes.
03 -
During proving, toss chicken chunks with buttermilk, salt, white pepper and garlic salt in a bowl. Mix well, cover and stick in the fridge for at least an hour.
04 -
After proving, give dough another quick knead and cut into 20 even pieces. Roll each into oval shapes (about 6cm x 9cm) on parchment paper. Brush with oil and fold them over with a chopstick in the middle to create a pocket.
05 -
Arrange folded buns on parchment sheets. Cover with plastic wrap making sure it doesn't touch the dough. Let them puff up for another hour.
06 -
Set your oven to a low temp. Warm up vegetable oil in a deep pan. Mix all coating ingredients together in a bowl.
07 -
Get your chicken from the fridge. Pull each piece out of the buttermilk, let extra liquid drip off, then roll it around in the coating mix until fully covered.
08 -
When oil gets hot, cook chicken in small batches of 10-12 pieces for 3-5 minutes until golden and done inside. Keep cooked pieces warm in your oven while you finish the rest.
09 -
Get water boiling in a steamer. Cook buns in batches, leaving them on their parchment, for 10 minutes. Move finished buns to a warm plate.
10 -
Mix gochujang, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vegetable oil and sesame oil in a pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 5 minutes until it gets thick.
11 -
Put all your fried chicken in a big bowl and pour sauce all over. Toss everything around to get sauce on every piece.
12 -
Gently open each steamed bun and stuff with saucy chicken. Add some red onion slices, cucumber bits, fresh cilantro and a sprinkle of sesame seeds before eating.
# Notes:
01 -
You can make buns ahead of time, cool them down, wrap them up and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just pop in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or steam again for 4-5 minutes.
02 -
The buns freeze well after cooking. Thaw overnight in your fridge or warm up from frozen by steaming for 5-6 minutes.
03 -
Want to prep Korean chicken in advance? Keep cooked chicken and sauce in separate containers in the fridge for up to a day. Heat chicken uncovered at 190°C for 10-12 minutes, then mix with warmed-up sauce.
04 -
Looking for something lighter? Try baking the chicken instead of frying using a chicken tender method.
05 -
Got a steam oven? Use it at 100°C for 8-10 minutes instead of a traditional steamer.