Description
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken is a popular street food snack made with marinated bite-sized chicken pieces, deep-fried to crispy perfection and seasoned with a flavorful mix of spices and Thai basil.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 500g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine (Shaoxing wine)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp five-spice powder
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup sweet potato starch (or cornstarch)
- Fresh Thai basil leaves (a handful)
- Oil for deep frying
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chili powder (optional, for seasoning)
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, five-spice powder, and minced garlic.
- Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- After marinating, mix in the beaten egg with the chicken.
- Dredge each piece of chicken in sweet potato starch until fully coated.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 170°C (340°F).
- Fry chicken in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 4–5 minutes.
- Remove and drain on paper towels.
- In the same oil, quickly fry Thai basil leaves until crisp, about 10–15 seconds. Be cautious of splattering.
- Toss the fried chicken with fried basil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and optional chili powder.
- Serve hot and enjoy.
Notes
- Sweet potato starch gives a more authentic crunch than cornstarch.
- Use chicken thighs for juicier texture.
- Adjust chili powder to your spice preference.
- Make sure oil is hot enough to ensure crispy results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 110mg