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Korean Chicken Bao Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 122 reviews

This Korean Chicken Bao recipe combines fluffy steamed bao buns with crispy buttermilk-marinated chicken coated in a flavorful spicy coating, finished with a sweet and tangy gochujang sauce and fresh vegetable toppings. The bao buns are soft and pillowy, steamed to perfection, while the chicken offers a deliciously crunchy contrast, all brought together with vibrant garnishes like fresh coriander and sesame seeds.

Ingredients

Scale

Bao Buns

  • 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

Korean Chicken

  • 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)

Sauce

  • 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

Toppings

  • 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

  1. Prepare the dough mixture: Place the flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in a bowl and mix together evenly.
  2. Add liquids to dough: In a jug, stir together the whole milk, warm water, and softened butter until the butter melts, then gradually stir this liquid into the flour mixture first with a spoon, then knead with your hands into a dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes, or use a mixer with a dough hook.
  3. Proof the dough: Place the dough ball in an oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm or a damp towel, and leave it to proof in a warm place for 90 minutes to 2 hours until doubled in size.
  4. Marinate chicken: Place sliced chicken breasts in a bowl with buttermilk, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp white pepper, and ¼ tsp garlic salt. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to tenderize and flavor the chicken.
  5. Shape the bao buns: Once risen, turn dough onto a floured surface, knead again briefly, then divide into 20 equal balls. On a piece of baking parchment, roll each ball into approximately 6cm x 9cm oval shapes.
  6. Fold and oil the buns: Brush each oval with olive oil, fold over using a chopstick in the middle to create a space inside the fold, then remove the chopstick and place each bun on a piece of baking parchment to maintain shape.
  7. Second proofing of buns: Arrange buns on trays lined with baking parchment, cover with clingfilm or a carrier bag without touching the dough, and let them prove for another hour until puffed.
  8. Preheat oil and oven: Preheat your oven on low heat to keep cooked chicken warm. Heat at least 1 litre of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or deep fat fryer until it bubbles rapidly when a cube of bread is added.
  9. Prepare chicken coating: In a bowl, combine flour, salt, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, dried thyme, paprika, baking powder, and chili flakes to form the crispy coating mixture.
  10. Coat the chicken: Remove chicken from marinade, allow excess buttermilk to drip off, then dredge each piece thoroughly in the crispy coating mixture and place on a tray.
  11. Fry chicken pieces: Fry 10-12 pieces at a time in the hot oil without overcrowding for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through (no pink inside).
  12. Keep chicken warm: Transfer fried chicken to the low-temperature oven while frying remaining batches.
  13. Steam bao buns: Bring a large steamer pan to boil. Place buns (still on baking parchment) in the steamer and steam for 10 minutes in batches. Remove and keep warm.
  14. Make the sauce: In a saucepan, combine gochujang paste, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
  15. Coat fried chicken in sauce: Place all fried chicken in a bowl, pour the prepared sauce over it, and toss well to coat evenly. Optionally slice chicken chunks if desired.
  16. Assemble the baos: Carefully open each steamed bao bun, stuff with sauced Korean chicken, then top with thinly sliced red onion, chopped cucumber, fresh coriander, and sprinkle with black and white sesame seeds before serving.

Notes

  • Proofing the dough is essential to get fluffy and soft bao buns.
  • Do not overcrowd the oil when frying chicken to ensure even cooking and a crispy crust.
  • Keeping the buns on baking parchment makes transferring and steaming easier without sticking.
  • The buttermilk marinade tenderizes the chicken and enhances flavor.
  • If you prefer less spice, reduce the chili flakes and gochujang in the sauce.
  • Bao buns can be made ahead and stored in the fridge before the second proof.
  • Use a double-layer steamer if available to steam multiple buns at once.

Keywords: Korean chicken bao, steamed bao buns, crispy fried chicken, Korean street food, gochujang chicken, homemade bao

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