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Korean Chicken Bao Buns Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 136 reviews

Korean Chicken Bao Buns are a delicious fusion dish featuring soft, fluffy steamed bao buns filled with crispy Korean fried chicken tossed in a spicy-sweet gochujang sauce. Paired with fresh julienned vegetables and aromatic garnishes, these bao buns offer a perfect balance of textures and flavors, making them an irresistible treat for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Bao Buns

  • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp instant dry yeast
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) warm milk or water
  • Pinch of salt

Korean Fried Chicken

  • 500 g (1 lb) boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
  • ½ cup (60 g) cornstarch
  • ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup (120 ml) cold water
  • Oil for deep frying

Korean Sauce

  • 3 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey (or brown sugar)
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp water

Garnish & Filling (optional)

  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 small cucumber, julienned
  • 1 small carrot, julienned
  • Fresh cilantro or spring onions

Instructions

  1. Make the Bao Buns: In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder, and salt. Add warm milk or water along with vegetable oil and mix to form a dough. Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size. Punch down the dough and divide into 12–14 small balls. Roll each ball into an oval about 3–4 inches long, lightly brush with oil, fold in half, and place on parchment paper. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Steam the buns in a bamboo or regular steamer for 8–10 minutes until fluffy, taking care not to overcrowd.
  2. Prepare the Chicken: Whisk the egg with cold water in a bowl to create a wet batter. In another bowl, mix cornstarch, flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder as the dry coating. Dip each chicken piece first into the wet batter and then thoroughly coat in the dry mix. Heat oil to 170°C (340°F) in a deep frying pan or pot. Fry the chicken in batches for 5–6 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels. For extra crunchiness, double-fry by frying again for 2–3 minutes at 180°C (350°F).
  3. Make the Korean Sauce: Heat sesame oil in a small pan and sauté minced garlic until fragrant. Add gochujang, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and water. Simmer the sauce for 2–3 minutes until it thickens and becomes sticky. Toss the fried chicken pieces in the sauce until they are evenly coated.
  4. Assemble the Bao Buns: Garnish the steamed buns with toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, and spring onions. Gently open each bun and fill with 2–3 pieces of the Korean fried chicken. Add julienned cucumber and carrot strips for freshness and crunch before serving.

Notes

  • Warm the milk or water (not too hot) to activate yeast effectively in the bao bun dough.
  • Do not overcrowd the steamer to ensure buns cook evenly and become fluffy.
  • Double frying the chicken makes it extra crispy but is optional.
  • Gochujang can be adjusted to taste based on spice preference.
  • These bao buns are best eaten fresh but can be stored and reheated gently before serving.

Keywords: Korean chicken bao buns, Korean fried chicken, steamed bao, gochujang chicken, Asian fusion buns

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