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Korean Chicken Bao Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 67 reviews

This Korean Chicken Bao recipe combines soft, fluffy steamed buns with crispy, flavorful fried chicken coated in a spicy, sweet gochujang sauce. The bao buns are handmade and steamed to perfection, while the chicken is marinated in buttermilk and fried to a golden crisp. Topped with fresh cucumber, red onion, coriander, and sesame seeds, these bao sliders are a delicious fusion of Korean and Asian-inspired flavors perfect for a comforting meal or a fun party snack.

Ingredients

Scale

Bao Buns

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

Korean Fried Chicken

  • 4 chicken breasts (sliced into bite-size chunks)
  • 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • ¼ tsp garlic salt
  • 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 chili flakes
  • Vegetable oil for deep frying (at least 1 litre/4 cups)

Sauce and Toppings

  • 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
  • 1 small red onion (thinly sliced)
  • ¼ 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 bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. In a separate jug, mix whole milk, warm water, and softened butter until the butter melts. Gradually stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture first with a spoon, then knead by hand on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a mixer with a dough hook for kneading.
  2. First Proving: Place the dough ball in an oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm or a damp tea towel, and leave in a warm place to prove until it doubles in size, roughly 90 minutes to 2 hours.
  3. Marinate Chicken: While the dough is proving, place chicken pieces in a bowl with buttermilk, salt, white pepper, and garlic salt. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  4. Shape Bao Buns: After proving, turn the dough onto a floured surface, knead briefly, then divide into 20 equal balls. On baking parchment, roll each ball into an oval approximately 6cm x 9cm. Brush with olive oil, fold each oval over with a chopstick placed in the center to create a cavity inside the fold, then remove the chopstick and place each bun on individual parchment squares.
  5. Second Proving: Arrange buns on trays with parchment, cover loosely with clingfilm or a carrier bag ensuring no contact with dough, and let them prove again for about an hour until puffed.
  6. Prepare Frying Oil: Preheat vegetable oil in a large deep pan or deep fryer to hot (test with bread cube – it should bubble and rise quickly). Use at least 1 litre (4 cups) of oil for frying.
  7. Mix Coating for Chicken: In a bowl, combine flour, salt, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, dried thyme, paprika, baking powder, and chili flakes to create the crispy coating mixture.
  8. Coat Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade in batches, letting excess buttermilk drip off, then dredge pieces fully in the crispy coating mixture. Place coated pieces on a tray and repeat until all chicken is coated.
  9. Fry Chicken: Fry 10-12 pieces of coated chicken at a time, avoiding overcrowding, for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through (no pink inside). Drain and place cooked chicken on a tray in a low heat oven to keep warm.
  10. Steam Bao Buns: While frying chicken, bring a large steamer pan to a boil. Steam buns in batches (on parchment) for 10 minutes until puffed and cooked through. Remove and keep warm.
  11. Prepare Sauce: In a saucepan, combine gochujang, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
  12. Toss Chicken in Sauce: Place all cooked chicken pieces in a bowl, pour over the sauce, and toss to coat thoroughly. Optionally slice chicken pieces if preferred.
  13. Assemble Bao: Carefully open steamed bao buns and fill each with the Korean sauced chicken. Top with thinly sliced red onion, chopped cucumber, fresh coriander, and sprinkle with black and white sesame seeds before serving.

Notes

  • Use a dough hook in a stand mixer as a time-saving alternative for kneading the bao dough.
  • Ensure the frying oil is hot enough to achieve a crispy coating without absorbing excess oil.
  • Do not overcrowd the fryer to ensure even cooking and maintain oil temperature.
  • The chopstick method in folding buns helps create a pocket for the filling without sticking.
  • Keep steamed buns covered and warm to maintain softness until serving.
  • The spicy gochujang sauce can be adjusted in heat by varying the amount of chili flakes used in the coating or sauce.
  • Double steaming trays help cook more buns simultaneously and efficiently.

Keywords: Korean chicken bao, steamed bao buns, fried chicken bao, gochujang chicken, Asian fusion, homemade bao, Korean recipe

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