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Korean Chicken Bao

Korean Chicken Bao

These Korean Chicken Bao are soft steamed buns filled with crispy chicken and a savory sauce, perfect for a flavorful meal.
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating Time 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Korean
Servings 4 bao

Equipment

  • steamer
  • mixing bowl
  • Rolling Pin
  • Fryer

Ingredients
  

Bao Buns

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

Chicken and marinade

  • 4 pieces chicken breasts sliced into bite-size chunks
  • 240 ml buttermilk 1 cup
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic salt

Crispy Coating

  • 180 g 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 chilli flakes
  • 1 l vegetable oil for deep frying

Korean Sauce

  • 2 tablespoon gochujang paste
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • 4 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
  • 2 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil

To Serve

  • 1 small red onion thinly sliced
  • ¼ piece cucumber chopped into small pieces
  • small bunch fresh coriander cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 2 teaspoon black and white sesame seeds

Instructions
 

Bao Buns

  • Start by making the bao buns, Place the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a bowl and mix together.
  • Add the milk, warm water, and butter to a jug and stir together until the butter melts.
  • Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture at first with a spoon, and then with your hands. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can do this in a mixer fitted with a dough hook.
  • Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Cover and leave to prove until doubled in size - about 90 minutes - 2 hours.
  • Meanwhile, start on the Korean Chicken. Place the chicken in a bowl. Add the buttermilk, salt, pepper and garlic salt. Mix together, cover and place in the fridge to marinade for at least 1 hour.
  • After the dough has proved, tip it out of the bowl onto a floured surface. Knead the dough again and split it into 20 balls. Place a piece of baking parchment on your work surface and roll each ball into an oval 6cm x 9cm.
  • Brush the ovals with the olive oil and fold each oval over, using a chopstick in the middle to fold over. Remove the chopstick and place each bun onto a small piece of baking parchment.
  • Place the buns on the trays still on the baking parchment. Cover each tray and leave to prove for a further hour, until puffed up.
  • Preheat the oven to a low heat. Heat a large pan of vegetable oil until hot. You’ll need at least 1 litre (4 cups) of oil.

Crispy Coating and Chicken Cooking

  • Mix together the crispy coating ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Take the chicken out of the fridge. Lift a piece from the buttermilk and dredge it in the crispy coating mixture.
  • Once the oil is hot enough, add in 10-12 of the chicken pieces. Cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked in the middle.
  • Place on a tray in the oven to keep warm whilst you cook the rest of the chicken.
  • Put a large steamer pan on to boil. Place the buns in the steamer and steam for 10 minutes.
  • Make the sauce by placing the gochujang, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil in a saucepan. Stir together.
  • Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
  • Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat.
  • Carefully open the steamed bao buns and stuff with the Korean chicken. Top with slices of red onion, cucumber, fresh coriander, and sesame seeds before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1baoCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 20gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 800mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 500IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1.5mg
Keyword Asian Cuisine, Bao, chicken, comfort food, Korean Chicken Bao, Steamed Buns
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