Korean Chicken Bao

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You have to try this Korean Chicken Bao recipe with tender, flavourful chicken pieces wrapped in soft, fluffy buns.

This Korean Chicken Bao recipe is fairly simple. It’s the perfect treat when you’re craving something really tasty! Once you have prepared everything, you can cook up these delicious Korean Chicken bao in under 20 minutes. I use this recipe for the Korean Fried Chicken but If you want to save even more time, try using the air fryer Korean fried chicken recipe from the blog instead.

Treat yourself to a premium taste experience with these delicious Korean Chicken Bao.

What are Bao and why Korean Chicken Bao ?

Bao are a type of soft, steamed bun that originated in China and are widely enjoyed across East Asia. They’re a popular street food due to their versatility and ease of preparation. Bao can be served either filled or unfilled, making them incredibly adaptable for various recipes.

The reason bao pair so well with Asian dishes, like Korean Chicken Bao, is due to their delicate, fluffy texture that complements the bold flavours typically found in Asian cuisines. The soft bun provides a perfect counterbalance to the rich and savoury fillings.

Korean Chicken Bao sounded like the perfect starting point. I used the Korean Fried Chicken recipe to make some flavourful chicken, and its tender texture pairs wonderfully with the soft bao, creating a delicious and enjoyable fusion of flavours. 

What’s in the Korean fried chicken sauce?

While there are many variations, the typical seasoning includes soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a mix of spices. This recipe features a sweet and sticky glaze made with gochujang (Korean chili paste), which gives the chicken a spicy and subtly sweet kick.

Step by step photographs…

They’re super easy to make. For the best soft and fluffy results, follow the instructions below. You will need 100ml warm water, 80 ml warm milk, 1 tsp dried yeast, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp rapeseed oil, 290g plain flour, 20g corn flour, ¼ tsp salt, 1/8tsp baking powder, 24 pieces of parchment paper. 

Part 1 – Preparing the dough 

1. Prepare your ingredients before you begin. This will save you time. 
2. In a small bowl, mix the warm water and milk, yeast and sugar until dissolved. Let it sit for 15 minutes until foamy, then stir in the oil.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, corn flour (corn starch), salt and baking powder (baking soda) and mix them together. 
4. Combine the dry and wet ingredients together first with a wooden spoon and then using your hands. 
5. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for roughly 10 minutes. 
6. Place the dough ball back into a large mixing bowl that has been lightly brushed with oil. 
7. Cover and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. 
8. Portion the dough into 12 equal dough balls. 
9. On a lightly floured surface, lightly roll out each dough ball into an oval shape (6cm x 9cm roughly)
10. Brush each oval shape with a little oil to stop them sticking when folded. Place a piece of parchment paper in the middle then fold the bun loosely using a chopstick. Gently pull out the chopstick so that it leaves space in the fold.

Step 2 – Steaming the bao 

Steaming takes just 10 minutes!

Prepare your steamers making sure to not overcrowd.

Place your steamer on high until you start to see steam. Once you see steam, reduce the heat to medium for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Make sure you do not take the lid off until the 5 minutes is up to avoid damaged buns.

1. Place each bao on a small sheet of parchment paper and allow to prove for an extra 20 minutes.
2. Place as many bao as fit comfortably in your steamer. Avoid overcrowding and if your steamer allows for stacking, try not to double-stack, as this can lead to water droplets making the bao soggy.
3. Steam on high until you see steam then reduce the heat to medium for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes without removing the lid. This step is important to ensure the fluffiness of the buns.

For the Korean Fried Chicken…

Start by preparing the ingredients for the Korean Fried Chicken. This will save you time.

Dust the marinated chicken pieces with the flour mixture. Be sure to shake off the excess flour.

Heat the oil to 175c/350f. If you don’t have a thermometer, just stick some wooden skewers or chopstick in. If it bubbles, your oil is ready. Fry in batches for 5-6 minutes. If you add too much chicken, your oil will cool down and you will be left with soggy chicken instead of crispy.

Mix the sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl. Discard or strain the cooking oil into a container for future frying and wipe the wok clean. Bring the sauce to a simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Coat the fried chicken with the sauce. I usually add the chicken to the sauce in batches too as it is easier to ensure that it is all equally coated. Top with sesame seeds.

Place 2-3 chicken pieces inside your bao and top with spring onion (scallions). What a treat!

Continue to Content

Yield: 12 BAO / SERVES 4

Korean Chicken Bao

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Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

• FOR THE BAO
• 80ml (1/4 cup) full fat milk, warm to touch
• 120ml (1/2 cup) warm water
• 1 tsp dried yeast
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 290g plain (all-purpose) flour (2 cups)
• 2tbsp corn flour (corn starch)
• ¾ tbsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 24 small sheets of parchment paper
• KOREAN CHICKEN
• 450g (1 lb) chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 130g (1 cup) cornflour (corn starch)
• FOR THE SAUCE
• 1 ¼ tbsp gochujang
• ½ tbsp dried red chili flakes (optional)
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine or sherry
• 1 ½ tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Instructions

1. Mix the warm water, milk, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl. Let it sit for 15 minutes until foamy, then stir in the rapeseed oil. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornflour, salt, and baking powder. Mix in the wet ingredients, knead for 10 minutes until smooth and place the dough in an oiled bowl to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
2. While the dough rises, prepare the Korean fried chicken. Whisk together half of the salt, pepper, and garlic powder with Chinese rice wine to create a marinade. Coat the chicken pieces evenly with the marinade and let them rest while you prepare the rest of the dish, or ideally overnight. Heat a large wok with rapeseed (canola) or peanut oil to 175°C/350°F over medium-high heat. To test if the oil is hot enough, place a chopstick or wooden skewer in the oil; if bubbles form around it immediately, the oil is ready.
3. On a plate, mix the 2 tsp of both salt and pepper and 1tbsp garlic powder with flour. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Cook the chicken in small batches in the hot oil, frying for about 4 to 5 minutes per batch until crispy and golden. Transfer each batch to a rack to drain excess oil.
4. Once all the chicken is fried, discard or strain the cooking oil and wipe the wok clean. Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl, then stir them into the wok and bring to a simmer. Add the fried chicken to the sauce in batches, ensuring each piece is well-coated and heated through. Finish by adding toasted sesame seeds.
5. Back to the dough: Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it into 12 equal portions and shape each into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into an oval shape, roughly 6 cm x 9 cm. Lightly brush the surface of each oval with oil to prevent sticking. Place a small piece of parchment paper in the middle, then fold the dough loosely over a chopstick to create a gap in the fold. Gently slide the chopstick out, leaving space for the bao to expand while steaming. Place the buns on a piece of parchment paper and let prove for 20 more minutes.
6. When ready to cook the bao, arrange as many as fit comfortably in your steamer, avoiding overcrowding. If your steamer allows for stacking, avoid double-stacking to prevent sogginess from water droplets. Turn the heat to high until steam appears, then lower to medium and steam the buns for 10 minutes. After steaming, turn off the heat and let the buns sit with the lid on for 5 minutes to ensure maximum fluffiness.
7. Prepare the Korean fried chicken in the bao buns, topping each with chopped spring onions (scallions). Enjoy!

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