Mix the milk and lemon juice together in a small bowl and set the bowl aside for about 10 minutes so the milk can curdle. Meanwhile, cut the chicken breasts into half-inch sized cubes.

Add the curdled milk and cubed chicken breasts to a gallon sized ziplock bag. Also add the sea salt, garlic powder, thyme, turmeric, and the bay leaf. Seal the bag and shake-massage it to mix the ingredients together. Let the chicken marinate for at least an hour, up to overnight.

After the chicken is done marinating, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two large baking sheets with foil.

Mix the flour, sea salt, dried thyme, and dried sage together in a large bowl. Remove about 6-8 pieces of chicken from the bag, shake to rid them of excess buttermilk, and add them to the flour mixture. Toss the chicken until the pieces are evenly coated with flour and no wet spots remain. Add the breaded chicken pieces to the baking sheet, with plenty of space in between each piece. Repeat with the remaining chicken, only breading about 6-8 pieces of chicken at a time, until all of the chicken has been added to the baking sheets. Bake the chicken for 15 minutes.

In the last 5 minutes of baking, heat the tallow or lard in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat until it is melted and very hot.

When the chicken has finished baking, remove the baking sheets from the oven. Add the chicken pieces in batches to the hot oil. Make sure there is plenty of space in between each popcorn chicken bite in the skillet. DO NOT overcrowd the pan. Fry the popcorn chicken pieces for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove to a layer of paper towels and repeat with the remaining bites until all pieces have been fried.

Serve with pesto, honey mustard, or AIP hummus for dipping. Enjoy!