Easy Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
Taiwanese popcorn chicken is a mouthwatering street food made with fun bite-sized chicken thighs seasoned to perfection with a blend of Chinese five spice powder and flavorful seasoning. The aromatic Thai basil adds a refreshing twist to this addictive dish!
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 5 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 1 lb skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 cup tapioca starch
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp five-spice powder
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 1+1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1+1/2 tbsp chicken powder
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves
- Oil. 2-3 cups for deep frying
Instructions
- 1
*We will be using the same dry seasoning in the tapioca starch mixture. Save 1/4 of the five spice powders: salt, sugar, chicken powder, and white peppercorn.* Cut the chicken pieces into 1 1/2-inch bite-sized pieces and combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, five-spice powder, salt, garlic powder, egg, sugar, and chicken powder soup base. Mix well and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes. 2-3 hours, if possible, to allow absorption of the aromatic flavor profile.
- 2
Add the remaining five spices: powder, sugar, salt, white pepper, and chicken powder to the tapioca starch. Mix well. A medium-sized bowl is handy for this mixture.
- 3
Coat the marinated chicken pieces with a tapioca starch mixture. Make sure each bite-sized delight is well-coated and ready for frying. No need to shake off the excess starch as all of that will add to the texture.
- 4
Heat neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point in a medium pot or a small Dutch oven. Deep fry the chicken until it turns golden brown and attains an irresistible crispiness. It takes about 3-5 minutes. Don't over-crown the pot of oil, or your chicken will be soggy. Fry them in batches. Place the cooked chicken over a lined paper towel or a rack to allow excess oil to drip off.
- 5
Get the Thai basil leaves ready for a quick deep frying. They cook fast, so be ready with a wire-mesh skimmer to scoop the leaves out. Fry them for only 20-30 seconds, and remove them to a paper towel-lined plate. Allow the chicken to cool, and add crispy Thai basil leaves to the fried chicken. Sprinkle the leaves on the chicken, and your Taiwanese chicken is ready to enjoy!