Chipotle Popcorn Chicken

  • 5MINS
  • 30MINS
  • Serves 4
  • 212KCAL

You don’t want to miss these smoky, crispy chicken bites! Our Chipotle Popcorn Chicken will soon sort out your fast food cravings, especially when you plate them up with some Homemade Oven Chips. You’ll want to make a bigger batch than you need, these freeze and reheat like a treat, so you can stash some away for busier days.

  • Bakes and Roasts pinchofnom.com
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Easy Peasy Chipotle Popcorn Chicken pinchofnom.com

NutritionPer Serving

  • Calories212
  • Carbs20g
  • Protein25g
  • Fat2.8g
  • Saturates0.6g
  • Sugars6.2g

The ingredients for Pinch of Nom's Chipotle Popcorn Chicken are laid out on a kitchen counter. There are 3 chicken breasts, slices of wholemeal bread, honey, chipotle paste and other herbs and seasonings.

For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!

We never get bored of chicken nuggets, but it’s always fun to find a new twist to put on the fast food favourite. For this slimming-friendly recipe, we’ve combined honey with chipotle paste, and it’s oh-so-good! 

Chipotle paste is made from puréed chipotle chillies – these are jalapeño chillies that have been smoked and dried. This gives the paste a distinctive, smoky, spicy taste that adds bags of flavour wherever you use it. 

We’ve added a couple of tablespoons into the marinade for our chicken, along with sticky-sweet honey, paprika and garlic granules. Leave those flavours to mingle for at least an hour before you crack on with coating and cooking your popcorn chicken (and let it sit overnight if you want big flavour in every bite!). 

When the chicken’s had time to soak up the marinade, give it a quick coating of homemade breadcrumbs, then get it into the oven to crisp up. Once the outside is crunchy and golden, and the inside is cooked-through and juicy, it’s time for a fakeaway feast!

Psst…you can also make this recipe in your air fryer! Find the full method for Air Fryer Chipotle Popcorn Chicken here

What diets is this Chipotle Popcorn Chicken suitable for?

Our Chipotle Popcorn Chicken can be enjoyed on a dairy-free diet. It can also be made gluten free, as long as you substitute the wholemeal bread for a gluten-free alternative.  

If you’re cooking for people with allergies, be extra careful when checking ingredients and preparing food!

Do you need any special ingredients to make Chipotle Popcorn Chicken?

This recipe uses so few ingredients! Chipotle paste is readily available in most supermarkets, so you should easily find it alongside the other jars of seasonings. 

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How many calories are in this Chipotle Popcorn Chicken?

This Chipotle Popcorn Chicken is included in our Everyday Light category because it contains just 212 calories per portion. For more delicious dishes all under 400 calories, take a look at other Everyday Light recipes!

This Chipotle Popcorn Chicken recipe is ideal when following any of the larger diet plans such as Weight Watchers or counting calories.

The average woman needs around 2000kcal per day to maintain a healthy body weight, and men typically need slightly more at 2,500kcals, but you may want to reduce these if you are aiming to lose weight. You can find more information on the NHS website.

Step 1

In a mixing bowl combine the chipotle paste, honey, paprika and garlic granules and stir together.

Step 1 pinchofnom.com

Step 2

Add the chicken and stir until fully coated. Cover the bowl with cling film and pop in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour. For a more intense flavour leave overnight.

Step 2 pinchofnom.com

Step 3

Place the bread into a food processor and blitz into fine breadcrumbs. Pour out onto a plate.

Step 3 pinchofnom.com

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

Step 5

Remove the chicken from the fridge and dip each chicken piece into the breadcrumbs, completely coating on all sides.

Step 5 pinchofnom.com

Step 6

Place the coated nuggets on the baking tray and pop them into the oven. Cook for 15 minutes, turn the nuggets over, then cook for a further 15 minutes until the nuggets are crispy and golden. To test that the chicken is cooked, cut a piece in half. The juices should run clear and there should be no pinkness.

Step 6 pinchofnom.com

Step 7

Serve with your choice of accompaniment.

A close-up shot of the golden brown Chipotle Popcorn Chicken in a basket lined with red and white chequered paper.

What could I serve with this Chipotle Popcorn Chicken?

Our favourite way to serve this recipe is with a side of chips or fries. You could also add just about any vegetables or a salad!

Homemade Oven Chips pinchofnom.com
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  • 96KCal
Sweet Potato Fries pinchofnom.com
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Crispy Green Beans pinchofnom.com
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Greek Salad pinchofnom.com
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How do you know when Chipotle Popcorn Chicken is cooked?

You should cook this Chipotle Popcorn Chicken until the chicken is golden on the outside, white in the middle and the juices run clear. This will take around 30 minutes.

To keep your family safe, the advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes.

How long can you keep Chipotle Popcorn Chicken in the fridge?

Once you’ve served this dish, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours.

If you have any leftovers, allow them to cool before storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can keep leftover Chipotle Popcorn Chicken in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Can I freeze Chipotle Popcorn Chicken?

This recipe absolutely can be frozen, but please do remember to do the following:

  • Make sure that you freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
  • Choose a container or a bag that is suitable for freezing.
  • Label your dish with the name of the recipe and the date that you froze it on.

How do I reheat Chipotle Popcorn Chicken?

From chilled: Place in a microwavable container with a loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot. Alternatively, reheat in a moderate oven until piping hot throughout. 

From frozen: Allow to defrost overnight  in the fridge and reheat from chilled. 

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Chipotle Popcorn Chicken

You don’t want to miss these smoky, crispy chicken bites! Our Chipotle Popcorn Chicken will soon sort out your fast food cravings, especially when you plate them up with some Homemade Oven Chips. You’ll want to make a bigger batch than you need, these freeze and reheat like a treat, so you can stash some away for busier days.
  • Prep Time
    5 MINS
  • Cook Time
    30 MINS
  • KCals 212
  • Carbs 20G

Ingredients

  • 3 chicken breasts, approx. 500g total, cut into chunks
  • 4 slices wholemeal bread, approx. 148g total
  • 2 tbsp chipotle paste
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • ½ tsp smoked sweet paprika
  • ½ tsp garlic granules
  • low-calorie cooking spray

Mixing bowl

Baking tray

We use a fan assisted oven for all of our recipes. Check out our oven temperature conversion guide.

Please do not screenshot this. Recipes are updated often

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl combine the chipotle paste, honey, paprika and garlic granules and stir together.
  2. Add the chicken and stir until fully coated. Cover the bowl with cling film and pop in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour. For a more intense flavour leave overnight.
  3. Place the bread into a food processor and blitz into fine breadcrumbs. Pour out onto a plate.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
  5. Remove the chicken from the fridge and dip each chicken piece into the breadcrumbs, completely coating on all sides.
  6. Place the coated nuggets on the baking tray and pop them into the oven. Cook for 15 minutes, turn the nuggets over, then cook for a further 15 minutes until the nuggets are crispy and golden. To test that the chicken is cooked, cut a piece in half. The juices should run clear and there should be no pinkness.
  7. Serve with your choice of accompaniment.

Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?

With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.



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