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Korean Chicken Bao Recipe

Korean Chicken Bao Recipe
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★★★★★

5 from 9 reviews

This Korean Chicken Bao recipe features light and fluffy steamed bao buns filled with crispy, flavorful Korean-style fried chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce. Topped with fresh vegetables and sesame seeds, these bao buns make a delicious and satisfying snack or meal with a perfect balance of textures and flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Bao Buns

  • 450 g (3 3/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp (one packet or 7g) instant dried yeast
  • 3 tbsp whole milk
  • 210 ml (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp) warm water
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter (very soft)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Korean Chicken Marinade

  • 4 chicken breasts (sliced into bite-size chunks)
  • 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • ¼ tsp garlic salt

Crispy Coating

  • 180 g (1 1/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic salt
  • ½ tsp celery salt
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • Vegetable oil for deep frying (at least 1 litre / 4 cups)

Sauce

  • 2 tbsp gochujang paste
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
  • 2 tsp minced ginger
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil

Toppings

  • 1 small red onion (thinly sliced)
  • 1/4 cucumber (chopped into small pieces)
  • Small bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro, roughly chopped)
  • 2 tsp black and white sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Make the bao dough: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, caster sugar, salt, and instant dried yeast. In a separate jug, mix the whole milk, warm water, and very soft unsalted butter until the butter is melted. Gradually stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture using a spoon, then knead with your hands on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook to knead.
  2. First proof: Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film or a damp tea towel, and leave to prove until doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours.
  3. Marinate the chicken: Place chicken chunks into a bowl, add buttermilk, salt, white pepper, and garlic salt. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate to marinate for at least 1 hour.
  4. Shape the buns: Once the dough has risen, lightly knead it on a floured surface and divide into 20 equal balls. Place the balls on pieces of baking parchment and roll each one into an oval approximately 6cm x 9cm. Brush each oval with olive oil.
  5. Fold the buns: Using a chopstick, fold each oval in half to create a bun while leaving space in the fold for expansion. Remove the chopstick gently, then place each bun on a small piece of baking parchment to prevent sticking.
  6. Second proof: Arrange the buns on trays still on the parchment, cover loosely with clingfilm or a carrier bag ensuring no contact with dough, and allow to prove for another hour until puffed up.
  7. Prepare the frying oil: Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or fryer to a temperature of about 180°C (350°F). Test the oil by dropping a small cube of bread into it; if it bubbles and floats quickly, the oil is ready.
  8. Make the crispy coating: In a small bowl, combine the plain flour, salt, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, dried thyme, paprika, baking powder, and chilli flakes.
  9. Coat the chicken: Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade one at a time, letting excess buttermilk drip off. Dredge thoroughly in the crispy coating mixture and place on a tray. Repeat until all chicken is coated.
  10. Fry the chicken: Carefully add 10-12 pieces of coated chicken to the hot oil without overcrowding. Fry for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through (check by cutting to ensure no pink remains). Remove and place in a warm oven to keep heat while frying remaining pieces.
  11. Steam the bao buns: Bring water to a boil in a large steamer. Place buns (on parchment) in the steamer in batches and steam for 10 minutes until fluffy and cooked through. Keep warm on a plate.
  12. Make the sauce: In a saucepan, combine gochujang paste, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
  13. Toss chicken in sauce: Place all fried chicken pieces in a bowl and pour the prepared sauce over them. Toss well to coat evenly. Optionally slice chicken pieces if preferred.
  14. Assemble the bao: Gently open each steamed bao bun and fill with the sauced Korean chicken. Top with thinly sliced red onion, chopped cucumber, fresh coriander, and sprinkle with black and white sesame seeds before serving.

Notes

  • Allow sufficient time for both proofs and marinating the chicken to develop flavor and texture.
  • Don’t overcrowd the oil when frying to maintain temperature and ensure crispy chicken.
  • Using parchment paper inside the steamer prevents buns from sticking and makes handling easier.
  • Adjust the amount of chilli flakes or gochujang for your preferred spice level.
  • The buns can be made ahead and frozen before steaming – steam from frozen adding a few extra minutes to cooking time.
  • Ensure chicken is fully cooked through to safe internal temperature of 75°C (165°F).

Nutrition

Keywords: Korean Chicken Bao, Bao Buns, Korean Fried Chicken, Steamed Buns, Gochujang Chicken, Asian Snack

Find it online: https://yumwithmia.com/korean-chicken-bao-recipe/