Korean Chicken Bao Buns – Spicy, Sticky & Seriously Soft!

Steam curls up from the valve and your stomach starts talking back. You can just sense that good things are coming your way. That kinda smell that floats through your kitchen and fills you with instant craving? That's exactly what you get here.

Pin

The broth depth in this recipe is unreal. You get that savory, kinda sweet flavor swimming in the sauce that clings to the tender pull of chicken. Y'all, when your pressure cooker hits pressure build, you know the real flavors locking in.

The bao buns? Oh man, so soft and pillowy you wanna stretch 'em out before stuffing 'em. The quick release when steaming is perfect so you end up with buns that are just right, not too wet or soggy. You gotta try this, it works real good.

Why This Recipe Works Every Single Time

• Yeast proofin' with warm milk and water gives perfect rise to fluffy buns.
• Chicken marinating in buttermilk keeps it super tender and juicy.
• Pressure cooker locks in flavors fast during pressure build, no drying out here.
• Quick release steam helps buns rise perfectly light and airy.
• Using both sesame and vegetable oils balances a nice toasty plus crisp bite.
• The seasoning blend hits all the right notes with paprika, thyme, and chilli flakes.
• The sticky Korean sauce with gochujang and honey adds that sweet-spicy punch.

All the Pieces for This Meal

• 450 g plain all-purpose flour for the dough.
• 2 tablespoon caster sugar and ½ teaspoon salt to keep the dough balanced.
• 2 teaspoon instant dried yeast for that vital rise and fluffiness.
• 3 tablespoon whole milk and 210 ml warm water for activating the yeast right.
• Softened unsalted butter and olive oil to enrich the dough and keep buns moist.
• 4 chicken breasts sliced bite-size, marinated with buttermilk, salt, white pepper, garlic salt.
• Chicken seasoning mix with plain flour, salt, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, thyme, paprika, baking powder, chilli flakes for a crispy coating.
• A combo of gochujang paste, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, and ginger creates the sticky Korean sauce.

The Full Pressure Cooker Journey

Pin

Step 1. You start by mixing flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a big bowl. Warm milk and water come next, with softened butter added in. This turns into a sticky dough that you'll knead a solid 10 minutes. Then cover it and let it rise until it doubles. Patience pays off here.

Step 2. While the dough chillin', marinate your chicken chunks in buttermilk and spices. Cover it up and pop it in the fridge for at least half an hour. That buttermilk soak really does wonders with tender pull when cooked.

Step 3. After the dough's puffed up, punch it down and split into 12 balls. Roll each out ovals, brush with oil, then fold and set 'em on parchment paper. Let 'em rise again for 30 mins to get fluffy and soft.

Step 4. Set your pressure cooker on steam with sealing ring in place, buns go in batches steaming 8 to 10 mins. You gotta make sure they puff perfectly without being soggy. Quick release the steam and get buns cooled a bit.

Step 5. Heat oil in a pan and fry your marinated chicken till golden crispy. Toss in that Korean sticky sauce you made with gochujang, honey, and soy. Coat every piece beautifully for that full flavor blast.

Step 6. Open your bao buns carefully. Stuff 'em with your sticky chicken, top with sliced cucumber, onion, fresh cilantro, and sprinkle black & white sesame seeds. Serve immediately and watch folks swoon.

Valve Hacks You Need to Know

• Make sure your sealing ring is correctly seated; this avoids any steam leaks during pressure build which messes up the cooking.
• Use quick release right after steaming your bao buns to keep that perfect tender texture without sogginess.
• If your pressure cooker valve sticks, just wiggle it gently instead of forcing. Damage to the valve means you can’t trust the seal.
• To speed up cooking, you can pour a bit extra warm water in your cooker’s base; this helps pressure build faster but don’t flood it.

Your First Taste After the Wait

That first bite hits you with this warm and fluffy bao bun hugging a crispy yet tender chunk of chicken. You catch the sweetness from the honey and the kick from the gochujang right away.

The softness of each bun contrasts with the crunchy coating on the chicken. Every mouthful kinda melts in your mouth with the fresh cool crunch from sliced cucumber and onion inside.

You also notice the ginger and garlic coming through strong but balanced nicely with the soy sauce depth. Y'all, it’s a flavor party on your tongue with a slightly spicy edge that makes you wanna take another bite right away.

This Korean Chicken Bao ain’t just a meal, it’s a little celebration you make at home. You feel the pride in how simple stuff can turn into something so memorable.

Pin

Making It Last All Week Long

• Store leftover bao buns in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days. Reheat by steaming again or in a microwave covered with a damp paper towel.
• Chicken pieces keep best in the fridge sealed up tight for 3 to 4 days. Warm gently in a pan or the microwave so you don’t dry ‘em out.
• For longer storage, freeze buns and chicken separately in freezer-safe bags. Defrost in fridge overnight before reheating.
• If you wanna do meal prep, keep sauce separate until you’re ready to eat to stop buns from getting soggy. Just toss chicken in sauce when serving fresh.

The FAQ Section You Actually Need

• Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? Yep, thighs work great and stay tender. Just watch the cook time cause they might get done a bit faster.
• How do I know when dough has risen enough? It should double in size and look puffy and soft. A good poke test is the dough springs back slowly but still keeps an indent.
• What if I don’t have a pressure cooker with a steam function? You can steam buns on the stovetop with a bamboo steamer over boiling water, but timing might take a bit longer.
• Can I make the sauce spicier? For sure, add more chilli flakes or a dash extra gochujang to amp it up.
• Is it okay to freeze assembled bao buns? It’s better not to freeze them fully assembled ‘cause buns get soggy fast. Freeze parts separately and assemble fresh.
• What’s the best way to reheat these without ruining texture? Steaming buns fresh or microwaving with a damp paper towel keeps them soft. Chicken reheats well in a pan to keep crisp.

Pin

Korean Chicken Bao For Your Pressure Cooker Fix

Soft and fluffy bao buns filled with crispy, tender Korean-style chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce — a party-perfect treat made right in your pressure cooker.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 20 pieces

Calories 289 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Mixing bowl large
• 1 Pressure cooker with steam function
• 1 Steamer pan or bamboo steamer
• 1 Deep fryer or large pan for frying chicken

Ingredients

  

Bao Bun Dough

• 450 g Plain flour all-purpose
• 2 tablespoon Caster sugar
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 2 teaspoon Instant dried yeast
• 3 tablespoon Whole milk
• 210 ml Warm water
• 3 tablespoon Unsalted butter very soft
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil

Chicken Marinade

• 4 Chicken breasts sliced bite-size
• 240 ml Buttermilk
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• ¼ teaspoon White pepper
• ¼ teaspoon Garlic salt

Crispy Coating

• 180 g Plain flour for coating
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon Garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon Celery salt
• 1 teaspoon Dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Chilli flakes
• 1000 ml Vegetable oil for deep frying

Korean Sauce

• 2 tablespoon Gochujang paste
• 2 tablespoon Honey
• 4 tablespoon Brown sugar
• 4 tablespoon Soy sauce
• 2 cloves Garlic minced
• 2 teaspoon Minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon Sesame oil

To Serve

• 1 small Red onion thinly sliced
• ¼ Cucumber chopped small
• 1 bunch Fresh coriander roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoon Sesame seeds black and white mix

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Mix flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add warm milk, water, and butter. Mix and knead dough 10 minutes. Let rise until doubled (90-120 minutes).
• Marinate chicken in buttermilk with salt, white pepper, garlic salt. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Punch down dough, divide into 20 balls, roll ovals, fold with chopstick, proof another hour.
• Heat oil to deep fry. Mix crispy coating in bowl. Toss marinated chicken in flour mix. Fry until golden.
• Steam buns in batches for 10 minutes. Set aside to slightly cool.
• Combine all sauce ingredients in pan, bring to boil then simmer 5 mins until thickened.
• Toss cooked chicken in sticky Korean sauce until fully coated.
• Open buns gently, stuff with chicken, top with onion, cucumber, coriander, and sesame seeds.
• Serve immediately. Best eaten warm.
• Store leftovers separately and reheat gently to maintain texture.

Notes

Store buns and chicken separately. Reheat gently by steaming or baking to retain texture. Freeze if needed with care.