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longhorn spicy chicken bites recipe

Longhorn Spicy Chicken Bites Recipe

Longhorn Steakhouse's spicy chicken bites are a popular, savory, sweet, and crunchy appetizer that's easy to make. They're perfect for gatherings or weeknight dinners.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American, Asian Fusion
Servings 4 people
Calories 740 kcal
Equipment
  • dutch oven
  • kitchen thermometer
  • kitchen spider
  • cooling rack
Ingredients
  
For the chicken:
  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken tender strips cut into 1-inch cubes 
  • 1 quart buttermilk 
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour 
  • 1.5 cups panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tsp black pepper 
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper (more or less depending on spice preference)
  • 2 quarts peanut oil or other neutral oil for frying
  • crushed peanuts for garnish optional
  • fresh cilantro for garnish optional
For the sauce:
  • ½ cup rice vinegar 
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp sambal oelek hot sauce (more or less depending on spice preference)
  • 2 cloves finely minced garlic
  • 1.5 inches fresh ginger peeled and finely minced 
  • 1.5 tsp light soy sauce 
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water 
Instructions
 
  • Whisk buttermilk and salt in a large bowl. Toss chicken in the mixture. Cover tightly, refrigerate, and marinate for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
  • After marinating, remove chicken from buttermilk, wipe off excess. Keep thin buttermilk coating. Refrigerate until use. Line baking sheet with foil, add cooling rack on top. Set aside.
  • Heat oil in Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F. If it exceeds 375°F, lower heat to avoid burning. Without thermometer, test after 10 mins with a chicken piece. If it bubbles, it's ready; if not, wait.
  • As oil heats, mix flour, panko, pepper, cayenne in a bowl. Coat chicken with the mixture evenly.
  • Fry chicken bites in batches. Shake off excess flour, carefully lower into hot oil using a kitchen spider. Fry until golden brown and cooked (about 5 mins). Drain on prepared rack. Repeat.
  • As chicken cools, make sauce. In a saucepan, mix vinegar, water, sugar, sambal, garlic, ginger, soy sauce. Bring to low boil, dissolve sugar. Add cornstarch slurry, stir till thickened. Cool 5 mins.
  • Coat chicken bites with sauce in a bowl. Shake off excess and place on serving plate. Optionally, garnish with crushed peanuts and cilantro.
Nutrition
Calories: 740kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 43gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 1420mgSugar: 17g
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