Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
Taiwanese popcorn chicken is an incredibly flavorful and crispy street food. Cut into bite-sized pieces and tossed with a seasoned spice mix, you won't be able to just have one bite!
- Prep time
- 14 min
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 500 g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (dark or white meat is fine)
- 1-2 cups<em> sweet</em> potato starch (can substitute with potato starch or tapioca starch), as much as needed to coat the chicken
- 1 egg white
- 2-3 tbsp potato starch (can substitute with corn starch or tapioca starch)
- 1 large handful of Thai basil leaves
- Oil, for frying
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp five spice
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp chili powder (optional)
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp five spice
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- 1
Cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces. Marinate this in a bowl with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, five spice, and Chinese cooking wine. Cover, and let marinate for 30 minutes or overnight.
- 2
After marinating, add in the egg white and potato starch. Gently mix this with the chicken until a slightly thick, wet batter forms.
- 3
Toss the battered chicken with the sweet potato starch until fully coated.
- 4
Fry the chicken in batches (try not to over crowd the pan!) for about 5-7 minutes or until fully cooked-through. Immediately toss with the prepared seasoning mix (to taste) and set aside.
- 5
Fry the Thai basil leaves in the hot oil for around 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until they've become crispy and translucent. Drain and set aside.
- 6
To serve, top the fried chicken with the fried basil. Enjoy!