Harissa Honey Popcorn Chicken (Gluten Free)
I love sports…especially football. I spend a lot of time talking football and watching football, specifically the Philadelphia Eagles. Having awesome snacks while watching the games is key to enjoying the overall experience. Serving something other than, or in addition to, wings, dips, and chips is welcomed by all. Harissa Honey Popcorn Chicken is my new fav. It’s crispy, saucy, slightly spicy, bite-sized pieces of goodness that can be deep fried or air fried.
Jump to RecipeIngredients
Organize the ingredients – cut-up chicken thighs, brown (or white) rice flour, cornstarch, buttermilk, egg, lemon zest and juice, garlic, harissa paste, honey, and butter.
Making the Batter
Add egg, garlic, lemon zest, buttermilk, cornstarch, and kosher salt to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add chicken and mix well to make sure each piece is coated in marinade. Cover and chill at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
Coating the Battered Chicken
Whisk together rice flour, cornstarch, and kosher salt in a large shallow dish to combine. Remove one third of chicken from bowl, letting some of the marinade drip back into bowl, and arrange chicken in a single layer on rice flour mixture. Gently toss chicken to coat, pressing down into mixture and turning to make sure every nook and cranny is covered. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with remaining chicken in 2 batches but not until the prior batch is cooked.
Frying the Chicken
Pour oil into a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot to come 3-4″ up the sides. Fit pot with thermometer and heat oil over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°. Working in approx. 3 batches, fry chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through and golden brown, 7–10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or parchment and let drain. Place baking sheet in the preheated 250 degree oven to keep the chicken warm while working on the next batch(es). Repeat.
Making the Harissa Honey Sauce
While the chicken is frying, heat unsalted butter and honey in a small saucepan over medium until butter is melted. Scrape honey butter into a large bowl and add harissa paste, lemon juice, and kosher salt, and whisk until smooth and emulsified. Place fried chicken in sauce and toss until each piece is well coated.
Harissa Honey Popcorn Chicken (Gluten Free)
Transfer chicken to a platter. If desired, garnish with oranges or serve with crunchy raw or pickled vegetables such as radishes, cucumber spears, and carrot sticks, etc.
Harissa Honey Popcorn Chicken (Gluten Free)
Equipment
- Dutch Oven/Thermometer or Air Fryer
Ingredients
MARINADE/BATTER
- 2 lemons zested
- 1 large egg white or brown
- 4 garlic cloves grated, pressed or minced
- 1 cup buttermilk lowfat can be used or create your own by adding 1 tablespoon of either white vinegar or lemon juice to whole or 2% milk
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/4 lbs. chicken thighs skinless, boneless, trimmed as best as possible, cut into smallish pieces (approx 1”)
FLOUR/CORNSTARCH DREDGE
- 1 1/2 cups rice flour brown or white
- 3/4 cups cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
OIL FOR FRYING
- Vegetable oil about 11 cups or 3-4" up the sides of the pot
SAUCE AND ASSEMBLY
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 6 tablespoons harissa paste mild, medium, or, spicy depending on the level of heat you prefer
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed (not bottled!)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; plus more optional
Instructions
MARINADE/BATTER
- In a large bowl whisk together the egg, garlic, lemon zest, buttermilk, cornstarch, and kosher salt. Add chicken and mix well to make sure each piece is coated in marinade. Cover and chill at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
FLOUR/CORNSTARCH DREDGE
- Whisk together rice flour, cornstarch, and kosher salt in a large shallow dish to combine.
- Remove one third of chicken from bowl, letting some of the marinade drip back into bowl, and arrange chicken in a single layer on rice flour mixture. Gently toss chicken to coat, pressing down into mixture and turning to make sure every nook and cranny is covered. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with remaining chicken in 2 batches but not until the prior batch is cooked.
Frying the Chicken
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
- Pour oil into a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot to come 3-4" up the sides. Fit pot with thermometer and heat oil over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°.
- Working in approx. 3 batches, fry chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through and golden brown, 7–10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and let drain.
- Place baking sheet in the oven to keep the chicken warm while working on the next batch(es). Repeat.
(AIR FRYER OPTION)
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees. Once heated, place chicken on the air fryer tray lined with foil in a single layer and cook for 10 minutes total, turning chicken pieces over halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or parchment and place baking sheet in the oven to keep the chicken warm while working on the next batch(es). Repeat.
SAUCE AND ASSEMBLY
- While the chicken is frying, heat unsalted butter and honey in a small saucepan over medium until butter is melted. Scrape honey butter into a large bowl and add harissa paste, lemon juice, and kosher salt, and whisk until smooth and emulsified.
- Place fried chicken in sauce and toss until each piece is well coated.
- Transfer chicken to a platter. If desired, garnish with oranges or serve with crunchy raw or pickled vegetables such as radishes, cucumber spears, and carrot sticks, etc.
Notes
Recipe from Epicurious.com.
If you like this GFchow recipe, you may also like these other recipes. Crispy Harissa Chicken Thighs, Harissa Maple Roasted Carrots, and Crispy Korean Fried Chicken Nuggets.
Gluten Free Disclaimer
The recipes you find here are considered by me to be gluten free. However, it is up to you to make sure the ingredients you use are gluten free. Whenever possible, I will list specific brands of ingredients that I use, but always be sure to check the labels yourself to verify the item is gluten free.
