Steam curls up from the valve and your stomach starts talking back. The smell of that gochujang glaze meeting tender chicken fills up your small kitchen real quick. You recall the drama of getting the bao dough just right, the stretchy softness you gotta work for but makes this all so dang worth it.
When that pressure cooker starts to pressure build you spot how steam clouds your window and you know the tender pull of the chicken's just moments away. You feel the broth depth of the flavors locking in, every spice and sweet note soaking into the meat and smell reaching your nose like a dang invitation.
It kinda reminds you why you keep cooking in this tiny space, how everything comes together quick but still feels comforting like your favorite spot in the city. That’s the kinda joy this Korean Chicken Bao promises every time you fire up your cooker.
What Makes Pressure Cooking Win Every Round
- Quick release gives you control so you avoid overcooking your chicken or crushing your baos.
- Slow release lets the flavors marry deep and makes your chicken super tender without drying out.
- Pressure build happens fast, so you start cooking sooner and enjoy dinner quicker.
- Tender pull of meat straight from the cooker means less mess but loads of flavor.
- Broth depth really gets locked in under pressure, making your sauce rich and sticky.
- You save time and energy, cause unlike a slow simmer, this cooks fast and shuts off with a cozy seal.
All the Pieces for This Meal
- 450 g plain flour for your bao dough to get that soft, fluffy texture.
- Yeast plus caster sugar to help your buns rise and puff up like little pillows.
- Whole milk, warm water, and soft butter to mix into your dough for richness.
- Chicken breasts cut bite-size for quick cooking and coating.
- Buttermilk plus spices like salt, white pepper, and garlic salt to marinate that chicken nice and tender.
- Flour and seasoning mix loaded with paprika, thyme, chilli flakes, and baking powder for your crispy coat.
- Gochujang paste, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce plus fresh garlic and ginger make the signature Korean glaze.
- Veggies and garnishes like red onion slices, cucumber bits, coriander, and sesame seeds to freshen it all up.
How It All Comes Together Step by Step
Step one you mix flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a big bowl. It’s the start of your bao dough that’s gonna rise and get fluffy quick.
Warming milk, water, and butter in a saucepan melts the butter and gets your wet mix ready without killing the yeast. Don't forget to let it cool a bit before adding.
Pour wet mix into your dry ingredients, stirring up dough that’s kinda sticky but holds together. On your floured surface, knead it for 10 minutes. It’s a workout but gets that elastic effect you want.
Oil up a bowl, pop the dough in, cover it, and let it chill out and rise till it doubles. That usually takes about an hour, so you grab a coffee or hustle on your sauce prep.
Meanwhile your chicken gets a bath in buttermilk with salt, white pepper, and garlic salt. Cover that bowl and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This step is crucial for tender pull.
Once your dough is puffed up, punch it down and roll into equal portions then flatten into ovals. Brush some oil and fold 'em in half, place on parchment and let them chill for another 30 minutes to puff again.
Steam these baos over simmering water for 10–12 minutes until they puff nice and soft. Keep an eye so they don’t overcook or sog up.
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Take chicken from buttermilk, coat in seasoned flour mix then fry in batches until golden. Toss that crispy chicken in your gochujang glaze and fill your baos. Top with onion, cucumber, and coriander for freshness.
Easy Tweaks That Make Life Simple
If you’re short on time, grab pre-made bao buns from the store. They steam quick and still taste fresh with your homemade chicken.
You can swap out the frying step for baking your chicken pieces after coating. It’s cleaner and still gives a good crunch.
Use a store-bought Korean BBQ sauce instead of mixing your own glaze. It’s a dang easy shortcut to get that bold flavor fast.
What It Tastes Like Fresh From the Pot
First bite hits you with soft bao warmth wrapping lightly sweet bread that’s fluffier than you expected. The smells you noticed earlier? They show up in every bite.
The fried chicken inside holds a tender pull from that buttermilk soak and quick release, with a crispy spiced coat that’s just a bit sticky from the glaze.
Sweet meets spicy in the gochujang sauce with honey and brown sugar balancing heat. It’s dang satisfying and not overpowering.
Fresh red onion, cucumber, coriander, and sesame seeds add cool crunch and herbal magic that keeps each mouthful exciting and fresh.
Smart Storage That Actually Works
Keep leftover bao buns in an airtight container at room temp for a day or two. Just steam them again before eating to bring softness back.
For longer storage, wrap buns in plastic wrap and freeze. When you wanna eat, defrost and steam straight from frozen for best tender pull.
Chicken leftovers go best in the fridge tightly sealed for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan to keep the crispy coat from getting soggy.
What People Always Ask Me
Can I make the dough ahead? Sure thing, you can mix it and keep it covered in the fridge overnight. Just let it warm and rise before shaping.
Why is my bao dough tough, not soft? You might be kneading too long or using too much flour to roll out. Keep it soft and a bit sticky for that tender pull.
Is quick release always better? Nope. Quick release is great to avoid overcooking, but slow release helps with broth depth in sauces and tenderness in meat.
Can I swap chicken for another meat? Definitely, pork or tofu works well too. Just adjust cooking times for tenderness.
How spicy is this recipe? It packs a nice mild heat from gochujang and chilli flakes but not too hot. You can dial it down kid-friendly or up for spice lovers.
Why does my chicken get soggy? Make sure your oil is hot enough before frying for crispy outsides. Also quick release steam helps avoid sogginess when cooking meat.
Korean Chicken Bao Pressure Cooker Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl Large
- 1 Steamer Double-layer pan or alternative
- 1 Deep fryer or pan with oil for frying chicken
- 1 Saucepan for cooking glaze
Ingredients
Dough
- 450 g Plain flour for bao dough
- 2 tablespoon Caster sugar
- 0.5 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 cut into bite-size chunks
- 240 ml Buttermilk
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
- 0.25 teaspoon White pepper
- 0.25 teaspoon Garlic salt
Crispy Coating
- 180 g Plain flour
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon Garlic salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Celery salt
- 1 teaspoon Dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Chilli flakes
Korean Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Gochujang paste
- 2 tablespoon Honey
- 4 tablespoon Brown sugar
- 4 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 2 cloves Garlic peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoon Minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
To Serve
- 1 small Red onion thinly sliced
- 0.25 Cucumber chopped
- 1 bunch Fresh coriander roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoon Sesame seeds black and white
Instructions
Instructions
- Mix flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl to start your dough.
- Warm milk, water, and butter until melted, cool slightly, then stir into dry ingredients to form a dough.
- Knead dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic then let rise for 1.5–2 hours until doubled in size.
- While dough rises, marinate chicken in buttermilk, salt, white pepper, and garlic salt for 1 hour in the fridge.
- Divide risen dough into 20, shape ovals, brush with oil, fold, and proof again for 1 hour.
- Mix all crispy coating ingredients in a bowl.
- Dredge marinated chicken in coating mix and fry in hot oil in batches until golden and cooked through.
- Steam bao buns over simmering water for 10 minutes until puffed and soft.
- Mix all glaze ingredients in saucepan, boil then simmer for 5 minutes until thick.
- Toss fried chicken in Korean glaze until coated evenly.
- Open each steamed bao, stuff with glazed chicken and top with red onion, cucumber, coriander, and sesame seeds.
- Serve hot and enjoy immediately or reheat later.
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