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Korean Chicken Bao Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 135 reviews

Delicious Korean Chicken Bao featuring soft, fluffy steamed bao buns filled with crispy, buttermilk-marinated fried chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, topped with fresh vegetables and sesame seeds for an authentic and flavorful Asian-inspired meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Bao Buns:

  • 450 g (3 3/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp (equivalent to one packet or 7g) 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

Chicken and Marinade:

  • 4 chicken breasts, sliced into bite-size chunks
  • 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • ¼ tsp garlic salt

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)

Korean 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

To Serve:

  • 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 buns dough: In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and instant dried yeast together evenly. In a separate jug, combine the whole milk, warm water, and very soft butter until the butter melts completely.
  2. Knead the dough: Gradually stir the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients using a spoon, then knead with your hands on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a mixer with a dough hook attachment for 10 minutes.
  3. Proof the dough: Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm or a damp towel, and leave to rise in a warm place for 90 minutes to 2 hours until doubled in size.
  4. Marinate the chicken: While the dough is proving, place bite-sized chicken pieces in a bowl. Add buttermilk, salt, white pepper, and garlic salt. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour for tender, flavorful chicken.
  5. Shape the buns: Once dough has doubled, tip onto a floured surface, knead briefly, and divide into 20 equal balls. On a piece of baking parchment, roll each ball into an oval about 6cm x 9cm.
  6. Form the bao buns: Brush each oval with olive oil, fold over with a chopstick placed in the middle to create a small gap inside, then remove the chopstick. Place each folded bun on a small piece of baking parchment.
  7. Second proof: Arrange the buns on trays, cover loosely with clingfilm or a carrier bag ensuring it doesn’t touch the dough, and let them prove for another hour until puffed up.
  8. Preheat and prepare oil: Preheat the oven to a low temperature to keep cooked chicken warm. Heat at least 1 litre of vegetable oil in a large deep pan or deep fat fryer until hot enough (test with bread cube which should bubble immediately).
  9. Prepare crispy coating: In a bowl, mix together the crispy coating ingredients: flour, salt, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, dried thyme, paprika, baking powder, and chili flakes.
  10. Coat the chicken: Remove chicken pieces from buttermilk, let excess drip off, then dredge thoroughly in the crispy coating mixture. Place coated chicken on a tray and repeat with all pieces.
  11. Fry the chicken: Fry 10-12 chicken pieces at a time in hot oil (do not overcrowd) for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Check doneness by ensuring no pink remains inside.
  12. Keep chicken warm: Transfer cooked chicken to a tray and place in the preheated oven to stay warm as you fry the remaining pieces.
  13. Steam the bao buns: Bring water to boil in a steamer. Working in batches, place the buns (with baking parchment underneath) in the steamer and steam for 10 minutes until soft and fluffy. Use a double-layer steamer if available.
  14. Prepare the sauce: In a saucepan, combine gochujang paste, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
  15. Toss chicken in sauce: Place all cooked fried chicken in a bowl, pour the thickened Korean sauce over, and toss to coat evenly. Leave chicken chunks whole or slice if desired.
  16. Assemble and serve: Open steamed bao buns carefully and fill with the Korean chicken. Top each bun with thinly sliced red onion, chopped cucumber, fresh coriander, and sprinkle black and white sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Ensure the oil temperature is right before frying; too cool oil leads to greasy chicken and too hot can burn it.
  • You can prepare the dough ahead and refrigerate overnight after first proofing to develop flavor.
  • The chopstick fold method creates the signature pocket in the bao for easy filling.
  • If you don’t have a steamer, use a metal colander over a boiling pot with a lid to steam buns.
  • Adjust spiciness of the sauce by adding more or less gochujang or chili flakes based on preference.
  • Leftover fried chicken can be reheated in the oven to maintain crispiness.
  • Bao buns are best eaten fresh but can be stored in airtight containers for 1-2 days.

Keywords: Korean chicken bao, bao buns recipe, Korean fried chicken bao, steamed buns, asian street food, gochujang chicken bao

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