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Korean Chicken Bao Recipe

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4 from 4 reviews

Delight in these fluffy Korean Chicken Bao buns featuring tender, buttermilk-marinated fried chicken coated in a crispy, flavorful crust and drenched in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce. Steamed bao buns cradle the succulent chicken, topped with fresh cucumber, red onion, coriander, and sesame seeds for a perfect balance of textures and flavors.

  • Total Time: 4 hours
  • Yield: 20 servings

Ingredients

Bao Buns

  • 450 g (3 3/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp (7 g) 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 (for brushing)

Korean Chicken Marinade & Coating

  • 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 chili flakes
  • Vegetable oil for deep frying (at least 1 litre / 4 cups)

Gochujang Sauce & Toppings

  • 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

  1. Make the Bao Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, caster sugar, salt, and instant dried yeast. In a separate jug, mix the whole milk, warm water, and very soft unsalted butter until the butter melts. Gradually stir the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients first with a spoon, then use your hands to form a dough. Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes or use a mixer fitted with a dough hook until smooth.
  2. First Proof: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm or a damp tea towel. Leave to proof for about 90 minutes to 2 hours, until doubled in size.
  3. Marinate the Chicken: In a bowl, combine the chicken chunks with buttermilk, salt, white pepper, and garlic salt. Mix well to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to tenderize and flavor the chicken.
  4. Shape the Buns: After the dough has risen, tip it onto a floured surface and knead briefly. Divide into 20 equal balls. Place each ball on baking parchment and roll into an oval approximately 6 cm by 9 cm. Brush each oval lightly with olive oil, then fold them over with a chopstick placed in the middle to create a gap inside the fold. Remove the chopstick and place each bun on a small piece of baking parchment.
  5. Second Proof: Arrange the buns on trays with baking parchment, cover carefully with clingfilm or a carrier bag (avoid film touching the dough), and let them rise again for 1 hour until puffed.
  6. Prepare Oil for Frying: Preheat a deep pan or deep fryer with at least 1 litre of vegetable oil to a hot temperature. Test by dropping a small cube of bread—if it rises quickly and bubbles, the oil is ready.
  7. Make the Crispy Coating: Mix together the flour, salt, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, dried thyme, paprika, baking powder, and chili flakes in a bowl for the chicken coating.
  8. Coat the Chicken: Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge. Lift pieces one at a time, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off. Dredge thoroughly in the crispy coating mixture to fully cover. Place coated pieces on a tray and repeat for all chicken.
  9. Fry the Chicken: Working in batches, fry 10-12 pieces of coated chicken in the hot oil. Avoid overcrowding. Cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through (no pink inside). Remove and place on a tray in a low-heat oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken.
  10. Steam the Bao Buns: Bring a large steamer pot to a boil. Place the buns (still on their parchment) into the steamer in batches of 4 per layer. Steam for 10 minutes until cooked and fluffy. Remove and keep warm on a plate.
  11. Prepare Gochujang 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 reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
  12. Toss Chicken in Sauce: Place all cooked chicken pieces in a bowl and pour the hot sauce over them. Toss gently to coat the chicken well. Optionally, slice some chicken into smaller pieces if desired.
  13. Assemble the Bao: Carefully open each steamed bao bun and fill with the coated Korean chicken. Top with sliced red onion, chopped cucumber, fresh coriander, and sprinkle black and white sesame seeds for garnish. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • You can use a mixer with a dough hook to make kneading easier and more consistent.
  • Keep the buns separated by baking parchment to prevent sticking during steaming and storage.
  • Test the frying oil temperature carefully to ensure crispy coating without greasy chicken.
  • Use fresh ingredients for the toppings and sauce to maximize flavor.
  • These baos are best eaten fresh but can be reheated gently in a steamer to regain softness.
  • Author: Monica
  • Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Deep Frying (for chicken) and Steaming (for bao buns)
  • Cuisine: Korean

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