Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (Gà Chiên Lá Quế Đài Loan)
This popular Taiwanese street food is easy to make at home using Argo Corn starch for the crispiest chicken!
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 3 lbs chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp five spice powder
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1/2 inch knob ginger, grated
- 1 bunch Thai basil
- 1 cup Argo corn starch
- Caola oil, or another neutral, high smoke point oil
- 1 tsp pepper
- salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp five spice powder
- 1 tbsp Szechuan peppercorns
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
Instructions
- 1
Cut the chicken thighs into 1 inch cubes and marinate with soy sauce, shaoxing wine, salt, pepper, five spice powder, grated ginger and grated garlic. Let it marinate at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- 2
Heat oil to 350 degrees in a heavy bottomed pot or cast iron pan. Deep fry the thai basil leaves until they turn dark and crispy (about 3-5 min depending on the size of the leaves). Drain the leaves on a paper towel.
- 3
Add Argo corn starch to the marinated chicken and massage it in until every piece is coated. You’ll know the chicken is ready when the moisture from the meat makes the corn starch bead up and form craggles on the surface. This is how you get the crunch!
- 4
Fry the chicken pieces until golden brown and crispy. Work in batches if you need to so you don’t overcrowd the oil, which will cause soggy chicken.
- 5
While the chicken is frying, combine five spice powder, Szechuan peppercorns, salt and pepper in a spice grinder and blend together.
- 6
Sprinkle your spice mixture over the cooked chicken and serve with fried basil leaves.