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Korean Chicken Bao Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 148 reviews

This Korean Chicken Bao recipe combines soft, fluffy steamed bao buns with crispy, flavorful fried chicken marinated in buttermilk and coated with a spicy, aromatic seasoning. The chicken is tossed in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, then stuffed inside warm bao buns and garnished with fresh vegetables and sesame seeds for a delicious fusion meal that balances textures and bold Korean flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Bao Buns

  • 450 g (3 3/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp (7 g) 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 (for brushing)

For the Korean 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

For the 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)

For the 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

For Garnish

  • 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: Place flour, caster sugar, salt, and instant yeast in a mixing bowl and mix to combine.
  2. Prepare Wet Ingredients: In a jug, combine whole milk, warm water, and very soft unsalted butter; stir until the butter melts.
  3. Combine and Knead Dough: Gradually add the wet mixture into the flour mixture, mixing first with a spoon then your hands. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook for 10 minutes.
  4. First Proof: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm or a damp towel, and leave to prove until doubled in size, about 90 minutes to 2 hours.
  5. Marinate Chicken: In a bowl, combine chicken pieces with buttermilk, salt, white pepper, and garlic salt. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  6. Shape Bao Buns: After dough has risen, turn onto a floured surface and knead briefly. Divide into 20 equal balls. Place parchment on the work surface and roll each ball into an oval about 6cm x 9cm.
  7. Form Bao Buns: Brush the dough ovals lightly with olive oil, fold each over using a chopstick in the middle to create a gap inside the fold, then remove the chopstick. Place each bun on a small piece of parchment.
  8. Second Proof: Arrange the buns on trays with parchment, cover carefully with clingfilm or a carrier bag ensuring it does not touch the dough, and let them rise for an additional hour until puffed up.
  9. Preheat Oil and Oven: Heat vegetable oil (minimum 1 litre) in a large pan or deep fryer until hot (about 180°C/350°F), testing readiness with a cube of bread. Preheat the oven to low heat to keep cooked chicken warm.
  10. Mix Crispy Coating: In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, dried thyme, paprika, baking powder, and chili flakes thoroughly.
  11. Coat Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Dredge chicken pieces in the crispy coating mixture until fully coated. Place coated pieces on a tray.
  12. Deep Fry Chicken: Fry chicken in batches of 10-12 pieces without overcrowding the pan, cooking for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Check doneness by cutting a piece to ensure no pink remains.
  13. Keep Chicken Warm: Transfer cooked chicken to a tray and place in the low-heated oven while frying remaining pieces.
  14. Steam Bao Buns: Bring water to boil in a steamer setup. Working in batches, steam the buns on their parchment for 10 minutes until soft and fluffy. Remove and keep warm.
  15. Prepare Sauce: Combine gochujang, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
  16. Toss Chicken in Sauce: Place all cooked chicken in a bowl and pour sauce over it. Toss to coat evenly. Optionally slice chicken pieces if desired.
  17. Assemble Bao: Carefully open each steamed bao bun and fill with coated Korean chicken. Top with thinly sliced red onion, cucumber pieces, fresh coriander, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Notes

  • Ensure the oil for frying is hot enough to achieve crispy chicken without absorbing excess oil; 180°C (350°F) is ideal.
  • The bao buns can be steamed in batches to avoid overcrowding, ensuring they remain pillowy soft.
  • Use fresh ingredients for garnish to add crunch and freshness balancing the rich fried chicken.
  • Adjust the spice level in the crispy coating and sauce according to your preference by varying chili flakes and gochujang.
  • If a stand mixer is available, it simplifies dough kneading and helps develop gluten for the soft bun texture.

Keywords: Korean Chicken Bao, bao buns, Korean fried chicken, gochujang, steamed buns, Asian fusion, crispy fried chicken, homemade bao

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