Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken is one of the most famous street foods and this recipe is the perfect poppable bite for game day snacking or a quick weeknight dinner. Bite-sized pieces of chicken, crispy coating, aromatic basil, and seasoning salt mix!
Print
Pin
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken cut into bite-size pieces (dark or white meat)
Marinade:
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon five-spice powder
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon white pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
For frying:
- A handful of fresh Thai basil leaves
- 1 cup brown rice flour or potato flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 large egg yolk lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon five-spice powder for dusting
- White pepper powder for dusting option
- Oil for deep-frying
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, coat the chicken with marinade ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours
- Add oil into a pot or wok for frying over medium-high heat
- Stir cornstarch and egg into the chicken mixture. Add the brown rice flour to a flat plate
- When the oil is heated, add the chicken to the flour, toss to coat evenly, and then place into the hot oil. Let chicken fry on both sides until medium brown (3-4 minutes). When done, place chicken on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil
- Add fresh basil leaves and fry for a few seconds. Sprinkle basil on top of chicken and toss/coat with the remaining five-spice powder. Serve immediately while the chicken is still crispy