Description
These Korean Chicken Bao Buns are soft, fluffy, and packed with crispy chicken tossed in a sweet spicy sauce that makes every bite taste better than takeout. They are an easy recipe for a fun dinner idea, quick weekend meal, or crowd-pleasing food idea when you want something bold, colorful, and full of texture.
Ingredients
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
Oil for frying
1/4 cup gochujang
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
8 bao buns
1 cup cucumber, sliced into thin strips
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup red cabbage, shredded
2 green onions, sliced
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
1. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl with the buttermilk. Let them marinate for at least 20 minutes.
2. In another bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang, honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and grated ginger to make the sauce.
4. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and coat each piece well in the flour mixture.
5. Heat oil in a deep skillet or pan over medium heat and fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through.
6. Warm the sauce in a clean skillet for 1 to 2 minutes, then toss the fried chicken in the sauce until fully coated.
7. Steam the bao buns according to package directions until soft and fluffy.
8. Fill each bao bun with shredded cabbage, carrots, cucumber, glazed chicken, green onions, sesame seeds, and a light drizzle of mayonnaise.
9. Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
Chicken thighs stay juicier than chicken breast, so they are the best choice for this recipe.
Keep the bao buns covered after steaming so they stay soft until serving.
For extra crunch, add the vegetables just before serving and do not assemble the buns too early.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Frying and Steaming
- Cuisine: Korean-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 bao buns
- Calories: 640
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
Keywords: Korean chicken bao buns, easy dinner, quick dinner, bao bun recipe, chicken bao buns, homemade takeout, food ideas, dinner ideas