Foodily

May 21, 2021
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Saucy and glossy with a crispy-gone-slightly-soggy bite, this glazed popcorn chicken is a great excuse to start watching sports. First, the chicken is marinated overnight in a buttermilk mixture that’s supercharged with finely chopped preserved lemon (if you don’t have preserved lemon, just double the lemon zest and add an extra pinch of salt). Then it’s dredged in a mixture of rice flour and cornstarch, which results in a shatteringly crisp exterior that stays audibly crunchy for hours. You could substitute all-purpose flour for rice flour if needed, but it won’t be as crunchy—or gluten-free. (Read more about why rice flour makes the best dredge here!) Finally, the chicken is tossed in a sweet, spicy, and sticky harissa-honey sauce.

Ingredients

6–8 servings

chicken

preserved lemon, seeds removed

large egg

garlic cloves, finely grated

Zest of 1 lemon

cup low-fat buttermilk

⅓

cup plus ¾ cup cornstarch, divided

1½

tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided

2¼

lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1″ pieces

1½

cups rice flour

Vegetable oil (for frying; about 11 cups)

sauce and assembly

cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

Tbsp. medium-bodied honey (such as orange blossom)

Tbsp. harissa paste

Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; plus more (optional)

Crunchy raw vegetables (such as radishes, cucumber spears, and carrot sticks; for serving)

special equipment

A deep-fry thermometer

Preparation

chicken

Step 1

Place ½ preserved lemon, seeds removed, on a cutting board and finely chop. Using the back of your knife, mash into a coarse paste and transfer to a large bowl. Add 1 large egg, 4 garlic cloves, finely grated, zest of 1 lemon, 1 cup low-fat buttermilk, ⅓ cup cornstarch, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt to bowl and whisk to combine. Add 2¼ lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1″ pieces. Mix well to make sure each piece is coated in marinade; cover and chill at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.

Step 2

Whisk 1½ cups rice flour, remaining ¾ cup cornstarch, and remaining ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton 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 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.

Step 3

Pour vegetable oil into a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot to come 2″ up the sides. Fit pot with thermometer and heat oil over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°. Working in 3–4 batches, fry chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through and golden brown, 7–10 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet and let drain.
sauce and assembly

Step 4

While the chicken is frying, heat ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter and 3 Tbsp. medium-bodied honey (such as orange blossom) in a small saucepan over medium until butter is melted.

Step 5

Scrape honey butter into a large bowl, add 6 Tbsp. harissa paste, 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and whisk until smooth and emulsified. Taste sauce and season with more salt if needed.

Step 6

Place fried chicken in sauce and toss until every piece is well coated.

Step 7

Arrange chicken on a platter and serve with crunchy raw vegetables (such as radishes, cucumber spears, and carrot sticks) alongside.