Description
Korean Chicken Bao is a flavorful Asian-inspired dish featuring crispy chicken coated in a glazed spicy-sweet sauce, served inside soft, steamed bao buns with fresh cucumber, red onion, and optional coriander. This recipe balances a crunchy texture with creamy sesame sauce and vibrant toppings, perfect for an engaging meal or party snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Creamy Sesame Sauce
- ½ cup (125 g) whole-egg mayonnaise
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp all-purpose soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
Chicken Coating
- 500 g (1 lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces (can substitute with chicken breast)
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp cold water
- ½ cup (75 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- ½ cup (60 g) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp white pepper
Cooking Oil
- Neutral oil of choice for frying (e.g., light olive oil)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (for glaze preparation, e.g., light olive oil)
Glaze
- 2 tsp freshly minced garlic
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp all-purpose soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Bao Assembly
- 12 store-bought bao buns
- 2 small cucumbers, thinly sliced into ribbons
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ bunch coriander (cilantro), finely chopped (optional)
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
- Make the creamy sesame sauce: Whisk together whole-egg mayonnaise, sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar in a small bowl until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare the chicken coating: Place the chicken pieces in a medium bowl, add the egg and cold water, and use tongs to mix until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Prepare the dry coating mix: On a large sheet of parchment paper, combine plain flour, cornflour, garlic powder, sea salt flakes, and white pepper. Spread the mixture flat.
- Coat the chicken: Using tongs, remove each chicken piece from the egg mixture allowing excess to drip off. Place chicken on the flour mix and lift edges of parchment paper to help coat chicken evenly in the flour mixture.
- Cook the chicken: Option a – Frying: Heat neutral oil in a deep, heavy-based pan over medium heat. Fry the chicken in batches for 5–6 minutes until golden, crispy, and cooked through. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
Option b – Air frying: Lightly spray coated chicken with neutral oil. Air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 12–14 minutes, shaking halfway through. The texture is slightly less crispy but still delicious. - Make the glaze: Add 1 tbsp neutral oil and minced garlic to a small saucepan or non-stick frying pan off the heat to prevent burning. Place pan over low heat. Once garlic gently sizzles, stir in ketchup, gochujang, honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and water. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened.
- Coat the chicken in glaze: Add freshly cooked chicken into the glaze and toss well to evenly coat each piece.
- Steam the bao buns: Steam the bao according to package instructions or your preferred steaming method. Keep steamed buns warm by covering with a clean tea towel and loosely tenting with foil; they remain soft for up to 20–25 minutes.
- Assemble the bao: Spread a spoonful of creamy sesame sauce inside each warm bao. Layer with cucumber ribbons, sliced red onion, coriander if using, and glazed chicken pieces.
- Serve: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top and serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- For spice levels, adjust the amount or type of gochujang used to suit your taste.
- Store-bought bao buns can be steamed using a bamboo steamer, metal steamer basket, or microwave-steamed with a moist towel as per instructions.
- Using chicken thighs offers juicier, more flavorful meat, but chicken breast works as a leaner alternative.
- To keep bao buns soft and warm, do not stack them tightly after steaming; cover loosely with a towel and foil tent.
