This popcorn chicken is made with plantain chips coating and it is super tasty and crunchy

Popcorn chicken is one of my favourite junk food whenever I order food in. Asides chicken being my favourite meat, I like popcorn chicken because of the crunchiness and the size which makes it a perfect appetizer or snack. I have always searched for ideas and ways to make more meals with plantain; this gluten free plantain popcorn chicken recipe is perfect because of how the plantain chips absorb the flavours of the chicken to form a perfect inviting aroma.

Traditionally flour is one of the main ingredients used in making popcorn chicken, but plantain chips is a perfect substitute and it’s gluten free. As you may know, plantain makes a good side meal for Jollof rice and Nigerian honey beans, but I never thought it could be used as a coating in place of flour until is saw this recipe by Kelvin.

Ingredients for making plantain popcorn chicken                          

If you’re looking for a quick chicken dinner, plantain popcorn chicken is perfect and it can be served with salad or with dips. Another good thing about this recipe is that you only need three major ingredients with some herbs and spices of choice. For my recipe, I used boneless chicken breast, free range egg and plantain chips. For chicken seasoning, I used Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic granules, stock cube (optional) and salt to taste. You can season the chicken with your choice herbs and spices and still get the same result.

How to make plantain popcorn chicken

First thing is to crush the plantain chips, slice the chicken and make the egg batter.

1. To crush the plantain chips (85grams, unsalted), toss it into a sealable bag and use a rolling pin, skillet or pestle to press it until it turns to crumbs. I didn’t have sealable bags left when I made mine so I just crushed the plantain chips in the bags that it came in. Place the plantain chip crumbs in a bowl and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven at 210C or air-fryer at 200C.
3. Slice the chicken breast into nuggets and season with 2 teaspoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon of garlic granules, 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, ½ a cube of stock cube and a pinch of salt. Mix all together with your hands.
4. Break two free range eggs into a bowl and whisk it with a fork. You can season it with pepper and a pinch of salt.
5. Dip the chicken in the egg using a tong, then into the plantain crumbs and then place in the baking tray or oven basket. If you want to get your hands dirty, you can use your hands for this step.
6. Spray the chicken with olive oil or avocado oil (you can use any other high smoke point oil) before baking. Bake for 15-20mins or until the outside is golden brown and the centre is cooked through.
7. Sprinkle a pinch of salt pepper to taste on it before serving. 

What can you serve plantain popcorn chicken with?

You can serve plantain popcorn chicken with salads for dinner or you can have it as an appetizer with dips. It tastes so good with mayonnaise and paprika dip. To make the dip, add 1teaspoon of paprika into 50grams of mayonnaise and stir it together.

Can you make plantain popcorn chicken ahead?

You can make the plantain popcorn chicken ahead and preserve it in the fridge. Let the popcorn chicken cool down place it into a lidded plastic bowl. Store for up to 3days in the coolest part of the fridge. To serve, preheat the oven for 5mins at 200C and heat the chicken at 180C for 5-7mins.

Gluten free plantain popcorn chicken recipe

Recipe by Oluwaseyi O’shea

5.0 from 4 votes

Course: Dinner, AppetizerCuisine: AfroCaribbeanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

3

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

247

kcal

Total time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• 85g Plantain chips

• 3 Boneless chicken breast

• 2 Free range eggs

• 2 teaspoons pPaprika

• 1 teaspoon Garlic granules

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• ½ a cube Stock cube (optional)

• ½ teaspoon Salt and pepper to taste

• Sprayable oil

Directions

• Crush 85grams of unsalted plantain chips in a sealable bag and use a rolling pin, skillet or pestle to press it until it turns to crumbs. I didn’t have sealable bags left when I made mine so I just crushed the plantain chips in the bags that they came in. Place the plantain chip crumbs in a bowl and set aside.
• Preheat the oven at 210C or air-fryer at 200C.
• Slice the chicken breast into nuggets and season with 2 teaspoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon of garlic granules, 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, ½ a cube of stock cube and a pinch of salt. Mix all together with your hands.
• Break two free range eggs into a bowl and whisk it with a fork (You can season it with pepper and a pinch of salt).
• Dip the chicken in the egg using a tong, then into the plantain crumbs and then place in the baking tray or oven basket. If you want to get your hands dirty, you can use your hands for this step.
• Spray the chicken with olive oil or avocado oil (you can use any other high smoke point oil) before baking. Bake for 15-20mins or until the outside is golden brown and the centre is cooked through.
• Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper to taste on it before serving. 

Notes

• Please note that the baking time will increase or decrease depending on the size of chicken you use.
• PS: Nutrition information is estimated using an online nutrition calculator and based on ingredients used.

Other chicken recipes

• Baked garlic butter chicken recipe
• Delicious baked honey mustard chicken
• Stuffed chicken breast
• Delicious and juicy chicken broccoli fritters recipe

Utensils and tools in this recipe

Mixing bowl, chopping board and knife (You can buy any of the items on Amazon by clicking the link. This opens a new tab on your browser so you will still remain on this page).

Let me know if yours came out well in the comment box below. Connect with me on my social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Pinterest @Daddysnom.