Description
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken is a popular street food dish made with crispy, juicy chicken pieces seasoned with five-spice powder, basil, and a hint of chili. It’s a perfect snack or appetizer that’s full of bold, savory flavors.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 500g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine (Shaoxing wine)
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup sweet potato starch (or cornstarch)
- Fresh Thai basil leaves
- Oil for deep frying
- Optional: chili powder for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, marinate the chicken pieces with soy sauce, rice wine, white pepper, five-spice powder, garlic, salt, and sugar. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Beat the egg and mix it into the marinated chicken.
- Coat each piece of chicken evenly with sweet potato starch.
- Heat oil in a deep pan or fryer to 175°C (350°F).
- Fry the basil leaves for a few seconds until crisp and set aside on paper towels.
- Fry the chicken in batches until golden and crispy, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- For extra crispiness, double fry the chicken briefly after the first round.
- Serve the chicken hot, topped with crispy basil and a sprinkle of chili powder if desired.
Notes
- Sweet potato starch gives the chicken its signature crispy texture; substitute with cornstarch if unavailable.
- Double frying ensures maximum crunch.
- Adjust chili powder to taste for spiciness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 110mg