A source-grounded chicken bao recipe
This recipe is adapted from Nicky Corbishley’s Korean Chicken Bao. It pairs homemade steamed bao buns with buttermilk-marinated crispy chicken, a measured gochujang sauce, and fresh cucumber, red onion, cilantro, and sesame seeds. The method takes several hours because the dough proves twice and the chicken marinates for at least an hour.
Bao bun ingredients
- 450 g (3 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons caster or superfine sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 teaspoons instant dried yeast (one 7 g packet)
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 210 ml (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) warm water
- 3 tablespoons very soft unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for brushing
Chicken, coating, and frying ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 180 g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- At least 1 litre (4 cups) vegetable oil, for deep frying
Sauce and serving ingredients
- 2 tablespoons gochujang paste
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cucumber, chopped into small pieces
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons black and white sesame seeds
Make and prove the bao dough
Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir the milk, warm water, and soft butter together, then add the liquid to the flour mixture. Bring the dough together and knead for about 10 minutes, by hand or with a dough hook, until smooth.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and leave it to prove until doubled in size, about 90 minutes to 2 hours.
Marinate and coat the chicken
While the dough goes through its first proof, combine the chicken with the buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, white pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
In a separate bowl, combine the coating flour, remaining salt and garlic salt, black pepper, celery salt, thyme, paprika, baking powder, and chilli flakes. Keep the raw chicken and its marinade separate from the vegetables and other ready-to-eat toppings. Wash hands, utensils, and work surfaces after contact with raw poultry.
Shape, prove, and steam 20 bao buns
After the first proof, knead the dough briefly and divide it into 20 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an oval about 6 × 9 cm. Brush lightly with olive oil, fold over a chopstick to leave space in the center, then remove the chopstick and set the folded bun on a small parchment square.
Cover the shaped buns without letting the covering touch the dough. Leave them to prove for about 1 hour, until puffed. Steam the buns in batches over gently simmering water for 10 minutes, keeping enough space between them to expand.
Fry the chicken safely
Lift each chicken piece from the buttermilk and let the excess drip away. Coat it completely in the seasoned flour mixture. Work in batches so the pan is not crowded, frying the chicken for about 3 to 5 minutes until golden and crisp.
Check the thickest chicken pieces with a food thermometer and cook them to 165°F (74°C). Transfer cooked chicken to a clean tray; never return it to a plate or utensil that held the raw chicken.
Make the sauce and assemble
Combine the gochujang, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until thickened.
Toss the cooked chicken with the sauce. Carefully open each steamed bao bun and add cucumber, red onion, sauced chicken, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Serve after assembly while the chicken is hot and the vegetables are fresh.