Description
Korean Chicken Bao Buns are the ultimate fusion comfort food—featuring soft steamed bao buns filled with crispy fried chicken tossed in a sticky, sweet, and spicy gochujang sauce. This flavorful street-food-style dish is perfect for dinner, parties, or anytime you want bold, Asian-inspired bites. Easy to customize and fun to eat, these bao buns will be your new favorite!
Ingredients
- For the Bao Buns:
- Plain (all-purpose) flour
- Caster sugar
- Salt
- Instant dried yeast
- Whole milk
- Warm water
- Unsalted butter, very soft
- Olive oil
- For the Chicken and Marinade:
- Chicken breasts, sliced into bite-size chunks
- Buttermilk
- Salt
- White pepper
- Garlic salt
- For the Crispy Coating:
- Plain (all-purpose) flour
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Garlic salt
- Celery salt
- Dried thyme
- Paprika
- Baking powder
- Chilli flakes
- Vegetable oil (for deep frying)
- For the Korean Sauce:
- Gochujang paste
- Honey
- Brown sugar
- Soy sauce
- Garlic, minced
- Minced ginger
- Vegetable oil
- Sesame oil
- To Serve:
- Red onion, thinly sliced
- Cucumber, chopped
- Fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
- Black and white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare Bao Dough: Mix dry ingredients. Add warm milk, water, and softened butter. Knead until smooth and let rise until doubled.
- Shape Buns: Divide dough, roll out, brush with oil, fold, and let rise again.
- Steam Bao: Steam buns for about 10 minutes until puffed and soft.
- Marinate Chicken: Combine chicken with buttermilk and seasonings. Marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Dredge Chicken: Coat marinated chicken in seasoned flour mixture.
- Fry Chicken: Deep-fry until golden brown and crispy.
- Make Sauce: Simmer all sauce ingredients until thick and sticky.
- Assemble: Toss fried chicken in sauce, stuff into steamed buns, and top with onion, cucumber, herbs, and sesame seeds.
Notes
- Make bao buns ahead and freeze before steaming.
- Replace chicken with tofu for variations.
- Use lettuce, cabbage, or pickled veggies for added crunch.
- Bake chicken at 200°C (400°F) for 25–30 mins for a lighter version.
- Store bao and chicken separately for best texture when reheating.
