Name: Korean Chicken Bao Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 450 g (3 3/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour; 2 tbsp caster sugar; ½ tsp salt; 2 tsp (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; 4 chicken breasts (sliced into bite-size chunks); 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp white pepper; ¼ tsp garlic salt; 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); 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

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Introduction

Korean Chicken Bao is a delightful fusion of fluffy steamed buns filled with crispy, flavorful Korean-style fried chicken. This recipe combines a soft, homemade bao with a sweet and spicy sauce, fresh vegetables, and aromatic sesame seeds. It’s perfect for a fun meal or impressive party dish.

A close-up of three soft, white steamed buns shaped like small open pockets, each filled with a spicy, glossy deep orange fried chicken piece that is coated in a sticky sauce. The chicken is topped with small green cucumber strips, thin light purple onion slices, chopped fresh green cilantro, and a sprinkle of white and black sesame seeds. The buns and fillings sit in a brown bowl lined with light brown parchment paper, resting on a white marbled surface, with blurred cucumber slices and more chicken pieces in the background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

450 g (3 3/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp salt
2 tsp (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
4 chicken breasts (sliced into bite-size chunks)
240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp white pepper
¼ tsp garlic salt
180 g (1 ½ 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)
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
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

Step 1: Start by making the bao buns. Place the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a bowl and mix together.
Step 2: Add the milk, warm water, and butter to a jug and stir together until the butter melts.
Step 3: Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture at first with a spoon, then with your hands. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Alternatively, use a mixer with a dough hook.
Step 4: Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Cover with clingfilm or a damp tea towel and leave to prove until doubled in size, about 90 minutes to 2 hours.
Step 5: Meanwhile, prepare the chicken. Place the chicken in a bowl and add buttermilk, salt, white pepper, and garlic salt. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Step 6: After the dough has proved, turn it onto a floured surface. Knead again and divide into 20 balls. Place each ball on a piece of baking parchment and roll into an oval about 6cm x 9cm.
Step 7: Brush each oval with olive oil and fold over using a chopstick in the middle to create a gap inside the fold. Remove the chopstick and place the buns on small pieces of baking parchment.
Step 8: Place the buns on trays with the parchment. Cover loosely with clingfilm or a carrier bag, keeping the wrap off the dough, and leave to prove for another hour until puffed up.
Step 9: Preheat the oven to a low heat to keep the cooked chicken warm. Heat a large pan or deep fryer with at least 1 litre of vegetable oil until hot (test by dropping a cube of bread – it should bubble rapidly and rise quickly).
Step 10: In a small bowl, mix together the coating ingredients: flour, salt, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, thyme, paprika, baking powder, and chilli flakes.
Step 11: Remove the chicken from the fridge. Let excess buttermilk drip off, then dredge each piece in the coating mixture until fully coated. Place on a tray and repeat for all chicken pieces.
Step 12: Carefully add 10-12 chicken pieces to the hot oil without overcrowding. Fry for 3-5 minutes until golden and cooked through (no pink inside).
Step 13: Transfer cooked chicken to a tray and keep warm in the oven while frying the remaining pieces.
Step 14: Bring a large steamer pot to boil. Steam the buns, still on their parchment, in batches for 10 minutes. Once steamed, keep warm on a plate.
Step 15: Meanwhile, make the sauce. Combine gochujang paste, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil in a saucepan and stir well.
Step 16: Bring the sauce to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
Step 17: Place all cooked chicken in a bowl and pour the sauce over. Toss to coat evenly. You can leave the chicken in chunks or slice if preferred.
Step 18: Carefully open each steamed bao bun and stuff with Korean chicken. Top with sliced red onion, cucumber pieces, fresh coriander, and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Tips & Variations

Use a stand mixer with a dough hook to simplify kneading the bao dough.
Substitute buttermilk with regular milk plus 1 tsp lemon juice if buttermilk is unavailable.
For extra heat, increase chili flakes or add a dash of sriracha to the sauce.
Swap chicken breasts for thighs for juicier, more flavorful results.
Make buns ahead and freeze before steaming; steam directly from frozen adding a few extra minutes.

Storage

Store any leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the steamed buns wrapped separately in the fridge for 1-2 days. Reheat chicken in a hot oven or a skillet to retain crispiness, and steam buns again or microwave covered with a damp paper towel to soften.

How to Serve

A small white steamed bun is held by a woman's hand, filled with three bright reddish-brown glazed pieces of fried chicken that have a slightly crispy texture and are sprinkled with white sesame seeds. Inside the bun, there are thin slices of fresh green cucumber and thin purple onion layers on top of the chicken, with small green herb pieces scattered over everything. In the background, more of these buns are visible on a white plate resting on a white marbled surface, creating a soft focus that highlights the front bun. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use store-bought bao buns instead of making my own?

Yes, store-bought buns can save time and work well. Just steam or warm them before stuffing and serving with the chicken and toppings.

How do I know when the oil is hot enough for deep frying?

Drop a small cube of bread or a pinch of coating mixture into the oil. If it quickly rises to the surface and bubbles vigorously, the oil is hot enough, usually around 180°C (350°F).