Best Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
Taiwanese popcorn chicken is perfect for game nights. Bite-sized chicken is marinated with five spice and peppercorn, then double fried with basil. Crispy, crunchy chicken heaven!
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) chicken thigh, boneless and skinless diced into 1-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp white pepper or ground Sichuan pepper
- 1 tsp five spice powder
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg white beaten
- 4 tbsp + 1 cup sweet potato starch or cornstarch
- 20-25 Thai basil leaves
For spice seasoning mix
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp white pepper or Sichuan pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a mixing bowl, combine chicken pieces, garlic, white pepper (or ground Sichuan pepper), five spice powder, sugar, soy sauce, shaoxing wine, salt, egg white, and 4 tablespoons of sweet potato starch. Mix thoroughly and marinate for at least 30 minutes to enhance the flavor.
- Coat the Chicken with Starch: Place 1 cup of sweet potato starch in a large bowl. Add a batch of marinated chicken pieces and coat them with the starch. Let the chicken sit for 5 minutes, allowing the starch to form small beads on the surface as it clings to the chicken.
- Deep-Fry the Thai Basil: Heat a wok of oil over medium heat and carefully deep-fry the Thai basil leaves. Be cautious of oil splashes. Fry for approximately 10-15 seconds until the leaves become crisp while retaining their green color. Transfer the basil to a wire rack.
- First Deep-Fry: Drop pieces of chicken into the hot oil in small batches at a time and fry until they turn lightly golden, approximately 3-4 minutes.Remove the pieces from frying oil and place them on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Second Deep-Fry: Increase the heat to medium-high. Add a batch of fried chicken pieces back into the hot oil and fry until they become deep golden brown and crispy, around 2-3 minutes. Remove and return them to the wire rack. Repeat this process with the remaining chicken.
- Prepare the Spice Seasoning Mix: Combine salt, paprika, chili powder, white pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl.
- Season the Popcorn Chicken: Place the popcorn chicken in a large bowl along with the fried Thai basil. Sprinkle as much of the spice mixture as desired and toss to coat. Serve your Taiwanese popcorn chicken immediately for a crunchy, flavorful experience.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 1101mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg