Popcorn chicken has been popular in the South for centuries. The small "chicken bites" were easy to pack in lunch boxes and made for more genteel dining with a fork.
Poorer Southerners and slaves often had to "make do" or use every bit of a chicken. Smaller pieces of chicken were often fried together, thus creating the chicken bite dishes.
The term "popcorn chicken" is a more modern moniker, used because the small cubes of chicken resemble popcorn after being fried.
Fast Food
Industry giant KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) introduced popcorn chicken in the early 1990s. The menu item has remained a staple, but the company periodically pulls it off the menu and then reintroduces the popular snack. Other fast food chains sell similar products.