Try This Juicy Korean Chicken Bao Recipe Today

Korean chicken bao blends vibrant street food traditions with mouthwatering culinary innovation.

Soft, pillowy steamed buns cradle savory, succulent meat marinated in bold flavors that dance across your palate.

The delicate dough provides a perfect canvas for tangy, spicy chicken nestled within its tender embrace.

Each bite promises a harmonious balance between crisp textures and intense seasonings that awaken your senses.

Cultural influences merge seamlessly in this remarkable fusion dish, crafting simple ingredients into a gastronomic adventure.

Unexpected flavor combinations elevate this recipe beyond traditional expectations, creating a delightful experience that challenges conventional cooking boundaries.

You’ll find yourself captivated by the intricate layers of taste and remarkable culinary craftsmanship.

Korean Chicken Bao That Brings Heat and Sweetness

• Craft Irresistible Flavor Fusion: Korean-inspired chicken nestled in soft, pillowy bao buns creates an explosion of sweet, spicy, and tangy tastes that dance across your palate.
• Master Easy Gourmet Technique: Transform simple ingredients into restaurant-quality street food with straightforward steps that make you feel like a professional chef without complex cooking skills.
• Experience Textural Wonderland: Crispy fried chicken contrasts beautifully with steamed, cloud-like bao buns, delivering a mouthwatering combination of crunchy exterior and tender interior that keeps every bite exciting.
• Celebrate Quick Crowd-Pleasing Meal: Perfect for casual gatherings, game nights, or weekend cooking adventures, these bao buns bring people together with minimal preparation time and maximum deliciousness.

Ingredients for Korean Chicken Bao Perfection

• All-Purpose Flour: The base for soft, fluffy bao buns with a delicate texture..
• Sugar: Helps activate yeast and adds subtle sweetness to the dough..
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and controls yeast activity..
• Active Dry Yeast: Essential for dough rising and creating light, airy texture..
• Milk: Provides richness and helps develop soft dough..
• Warm Water: Activates yeast and helps bind ingredients..
• Butter: Adds richness and contributes to tender bao bun texture..
• Olive Oil: Used for brushing buns to prevent sticking and add shine..
• Parchment Paper: Prevents buns from sticking during rising and steaming..

• Chicken Chunks: Main protein for the Korean-style bao filling..
• Buttermilk: Tenderizes chicken and adds tangy flavor..
• Garlic Salt: Provides seasoning and enhances chicken taste..
• Salt and Pepper: Basic seasonings for chicken marinade..
• Vegetable Oil: Used for deep-frying chicken to crispy golden perfection..
• Crispy Coating Ingredients: Provides crunchy exterior for fried chicken..

• Gochujang: Korean chili paste that adds spicy, complex flavor..
• Honey: Balances heat and adds natural sweetness to sauce..
• Brown Sugar: Provides depth and caramel-like notes..
• Soy Sauce: Adds umami and saltiness to the sauce..
• Garlic and Ginger: Aromatic ingredients.

Cooking Korean Chicken Bao at Home Made Simple

Step 1: Prepare Dough Base

Gather flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a mixing bowl. In a separate container, blend milk, warm water, and melted butter. Combine wet and dry ingredients, kneading thoroughly for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

• Flour
• Sugar
• Salt
• Yeast
• Milk
• Warm Water
• Butter

Step 2: Allow Dough Fermentation

Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, cover with clean kitchen towel. Let rise in warm space for 90-120 minutes until volume doubles.

Step 3: Marinate Chicken Chunks

• Buttermilk
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Salt

Refrigerate for minimum 1 hour to enhance flavor penetration.

Step 4: Shape Soft Buns

Roll risen dough into 20 even balls. Flatten each into oval shape approximately 6cm x 9cm. Brush with olive oil, fold using chopstick technique, remove chopstick. Place on parchment paper.

Step 5: Second Bun Proofing

Allow shaped buns to rest and rise for additional hour in draft-free area.

Step 6: Prepare Crispy Coating

Mix dry ingredients for chicken coating. Ensure even distribution of seasonings.

Step 7: Fry Golden Chicken

Heat vegetable oil to 350°F. Dredge marinated chicken in coating. Fry in batches until golden brown and thoroughly cooked.

Step 8: Create Spicy Korean Sauce

• Gochujang
• Honey
• Brown Sugar
• Soy Sauce
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Vegetable Oil
• Sesame Oil

Simmer until sauce thickens.

Step 9: Steam Soft Buns

Place buns in steamer, cook for 10 minutes. Transfer to warm plate.

Step 10: Assemble Delectable Bao

• Red Onion Slices
• Cucumber
• Fresh Coriander
• Sesame Seeds

Step 11: Serve Warm

Plate Korean Chicken Bao immediately. Enjoy while hot and fresh!

Tips for Flavorful Korean Chicken Bao Fillings

• Knead with Confidence: Work the dough thoroughly to develop gluten, ensuring soft and fluffy bao buns that melt in your mouth.
• Temperature Matters: Keep yeast-based dough in a warm, draft-free area for optimal rising and perfect texture.
• Oil Brushing Technique: Lightly brush bao buns with olive oil to prevent sticking and create a smooth, silky surface.
• Crispy Chicken Perfection: Maintain consistent oil temperature at 350°F while frying to achieve golden, crunchy chicken without burning.
• Sauce Coating Trick: Toss chicken in sauce just before serving to keep the crispy coating intact and maximize flavor intensity.

Keep Korean Chicken Bao Tasting Fresh After Cooking

• Refrigeration: Store leftover Korean Chicken Bao in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, separating bao buns and chicken to maintain their texture.
• Reheating Bao Buns: Steam buns in a bamboo steamer for 2-3 minutes to restore their soft, fluffy texture and prevent them from drying out.
• Reheating Chicken: Warm chicken in a preheated oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, ensuring it remains crispy and heated through without becoming tough or soggy.

Best Pairings for Korean Chicken Bao

• Sizzle with Refreshing Kombucha: Pair the spicy and sweet Korean Chicken Bao with a chilled, tangy kombucha to balance the rich flavors and cut through the crispy chicken's intensity.
• Cool Down with Cucumber Kimchi Salad: Complement the bao's heat with a crisp cucumber kimchi salad, adding a refreshing crunch and extra Korean-inspired zesty notes that enhance the overall dining experience.
• Match with Light Asian Lager: Choose a crisp, clean Korean or Japanese beer like Sapporo or Hite to wash down the sauce-coated chicken, its light profile perfectly offsetting the bao's bold flavors and providing a smooth, palate-cleansing effect.
• Finish with Ginger Sorbet: End the meal with a zesty ginger sorbet that echoes the sauce's ginger notes, offering a clean, cooling finale that refreshes the palate after the rich, spicy chicken bao.

Creative Variations of Korean Chicken Bao

• Spicy Gochugaru Kick: Replace gochujang with gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes for a more intense, smoky heat that builds gradually across each bite.
• Crispy Vegetarian Alternative: Swap chicken with firm tofu or king oyster mushrooms, marinating and coating them identically to maintain the original recipe's texture and flavor profile.
• Tangy Kimchi Fusion: Add chopped kimchi inside the bao buns before adding the chicken, introducing a zesty fermented complexity that complements the sweet and spicy sauce.
• Lighter Baked Version: Instead of deep-frying, bake the marinated chicken pieces at 425°F for 20-25 minutes, reducing oil content while maintaining a crisp exterior.

Korean Chicken Bao Recipe

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4.6 from 16 reviews

• Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Korean chicken bao blends crispy, spicy poultry nestled in pillowy steamed buns with tangy kimchi slaw. Delicate dough cradles succulent chicken, inviting palates to savor Seoul’s street-inspired flavors that promise a delicious culinary adventure.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Bao Buns:

• 450 g (3 ¾ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons (1 packet or 7 g) instant dried yeast
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 210 ml (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) warm water
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Main Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, sliced into bite-size chunks
• 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk

Seasoning and Coating:

• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
• 180 g (1 ½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• Vegetable oil for deep frying (at least 1 litre/4 cups)

Sauce and Garnish:

• 2 tablespoons gochujang paste
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2

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Instructions

1. Prepare the dough base by combining dry ingredients – flour, sugar, salt, and yeast – in a mixing vessel.
2. Create a liquid mixture by blending milk, warm water, and melted butter until uniformly incorporated.
3. Merge the liquid and dry ingredients, transitioning from stirring with a utensil to kneading by hand on a dusted work surface.
4. Continue kneading the dough until smooth and elastic, approximately 10 minutes, then transfer to an oiled container.
5. Allow dough to proof in a warm environment, expanding until volume doubles, roughly 90-120 minutes.
6. Marinate chicken chunks in buttermilk, seasoning with salt, pepper, and garlic salt, then refrigerate for minimum one hour.
7. Deflate proofed dough and portion into 20 equal segments, rolling each into oval shapes approximately 6cm x 9cm.
8. Brush oval dough pieces with olive oil, fold using a chopstick technique, then arrange on parchment paper for secondary fermentation.
9. Prepare crispy coating mixture for chicken in a separate bowl.
10. Heat vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep fryer or wide pan.
11. Coat marinated chicken pieces in crispy mixture, removing excess breading.
12. Fry chicken in batches until golden brown and thoroughly cooked, maintaining warmth in the oven.
13. Steam prepared bao bun ovals in batches for 10 minutes.
14. Construct korean sauce by combining gochujang, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil in a saucepan.
15. Simmer sauce until thickened, approximately 5 minutes.
16. Coat fried chicken pieces completely in prepared korean sauce.
17. Assemble bao by filling steamed buns with sauced chicken.
18. Garnish with thinly sliced red onion, cucumber rounds, fresh coriander, and sprinkle of sesame seeds.
19. Serve immediately while warm for optimal flavor and texture.

Notes

• Make dough in advance to allow ample rising time, ensuring soft and fluffy bao buns.
• Marinate chicken for at least an hour to enhance flavor and tenderness.
• Use a thermometer to maintain precise oil temperature when frying chicken for perfect crispy coating.
• Prepare Korean sauce separately and adjust sweetness or spiciness according to personal preference.
• Steam bao buns just before serving to keep them warm and maintain their delicate texture.
• Keep extra sesame seeds and fresh herbs for garnishing and adding extra crunch and freshness.

• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Steaming
• Cuisine: Korean

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 540
• Sugar: 18 g
• Sodium: 800 mg
• Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 60 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 25 g
• Cholesterol: 75 mg