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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

    Last Modified: November 14, 2022 - Published by: christieathome

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (aka Táiwān Yán Sū Jī). Super crispy, flavorful bite-size pieces of chicken seasoned with Chinese five spice and fried basil.

    Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

    This authentic Taiwanese popcorn chicken recipe is one of my all time favourite Asian chicken recipes on the blog! You will not be able to stop at one bite. I almost finished the entire plate to myself as they are so additive!

    What is Taiwanese popcorn chicken?

    A delicious and popular deep-fried chicken dish that originates from Taiwan in Southeast Asia. This is one of the most popular street food sold at Taiwanese night markets for its tasty flavors and crunchy texture!

    You can also find this Taiwanese fried chicken dish sold as a snack at many bubble tea shops or boba shops. It has become incredibly popular through social media for its satisfying crunchy texture.

    Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

    Easy Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken Recipe

    My Taiwanese style popcorn chicken is simple to make. You’re marinating your cubed chicken thighs for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Then dredging and massaging the starch into the chicken until the starch begins to bead on the chicken. Next, mix your three-ingredient spice mix. Finally, deep frying your chicken and basil, sprinkling the spice mix over top for flavor.

    Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

    Ingredients

    For this recipe you’ll need the below Taiwanese popcorn chicken ingredients. *Please scroll down to the recipe card below to find full measurements*

    • Chicken thighs: boneless skinless chicken thighs work best for this recipe, but you can also use chicken breast for a leaner alternative. Quality chicken thighs will make a difference as this is the essential ingredient to this dish!
    • Potato starch or tapioca starch: This is the key ingredient to making Taiwanese fried chicken. I prefer potato starch as its authentic to the dish. In fact, they use coarse sweet potato starch to create a very crispy coating. However, the coarse starch can be difficult to find so feel free to use the normal kind.
      • If you can't find potato starch you can instead use tapioca starch or tapioca flour, or corn starch. Most Asian grocery stores or online retailers like Amazon will carry sweet potato flour.
      • Note: Some brands call their starch "potato flour" but please make sure the texture is starchy and not grainy like "sand" for lack of better words. The grainy kind won't stick well to the chicken and has a different texture
    • Fresh Thai basil leaves: This is traditional to the recipe and most Asian markets will carry this ingredient. But if you can't find Thai basil you can use normal basil.
    • Avocado oil or any neutral oil like vegetable oil will work. You can also use peanut oil, grapeseed oil or any oil that can withstand a high smoke point as a frying oil. The oil temperature will reach a high of 350 C. I wouldn't suggest using olive oil as it has a slight scent and taste.

    Marinade:

    • Egg white: This will help coat the chicken so that the potato starch can stick to it.
    • Garlic: Garlic is a great aromatic to marinate your chicken pieces and give it more flavor. You could also use garlic powder if you wish.
    • Regular soy sauce, not light or dark: Just your regular all purpose soy sauce. The label will simply say "Soy Sauce". You can also sub with low sodium soy sauce or just less light soy sauce since it's much saltier than the regular kind. Dark soy sauce will be too thick and is meant for coloring a dish.
    • Shaoxing wine or Dry Sherry Wine: Any Chinese rice wine should work. For a non-alcoholic version, sub with a broth of your choice like chicken broth. Most Asian, Wester grocers or online retailers like Amazon will carry this ingredient.
    • White granulated sugar: This balances the salty taste of the chicken marinade.
    • Chinese five spice: A seasoning powder made of Chinese cinnamon, cloves, star anise and fennel seed. The fifth spice can range between ginger, white pepper or Sichuan peppercorns (aka Szechuan peppercorns) when it comes to this five-spice powder. Most Asian, Wester grocers or online retailers like Amazon will carry this ingredient.
    • Salt: To season your chicken. Some recipes use Taiwanese salt, but we'll use normal table salt or sea salt could work!
    • White pepper: The floral fragrant sister to black pepper. It offers a distinct grassy like taste and it's milder than black pepper. Most Asian, Wester grocers or online retailers like Amazon will carry this ingredient.

    Spice mix:

    • Chinese five spice
    • Salt
    • White pepper

    How to make Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

    Below are brief steps with visuals in how to make Taiwanese style popcorn chicken. Please scroll down to the recipe card below to find full instructions and details.

    taiwanese popcorn chicken
    1. Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces, about 6-8 pieces per thigh. Transfer chicken to a large bowl.
    2. Marinate chicken with Marinade ingredients as listed above. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
    3. In a separate small bowl, mix Spice mix ingredients as listed above.
    4. Spread potato starch on a large baking sheet or plate. With wet hands, generously dredge marinated chicken into the starch. Massage the starch into the chicken until beads of starch form on the chicken (see video). Note: The beads give the chicken that extra crispy exterior. The moisture from your hands and from the marinade will also create "beading".
    5. Into a wok or medium pot, add enough oil. Bring to 350 degrees F or medium heat to medium-high heat depending on your stove top.
    6. Deep fry chicken in small batches 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Do not overcrowd or it will result in non-crispy chicken.
    7. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer to wire rack or plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Quickly season with seasoning while chicken is hot.
    8. Next with fresh basil in one hand and a lid/oil guard in the other, drop the basil into the wok of oil and quickly cover to prevent splash back. Deep fry for 10-20 seconds. Remove and sprinkle fried basil over chicken. Enjoy!

    Cooking Tips

    Below are tips on making Taiwanese basil fried chicken:

    Dice your chicken into even cubes

    This allows for an even cooking time as your chicken bites are the same size.

    Use chicken thighs for best taste

    Chicken thigh is fattier and will result in a more delicious texture over chicken breast. However, if you do decide to use chicken breast, please reduce the cooking time by a minute or so, as breast tends to dry out faster than thigh

    Marinate the chicken at least 30 minutes or overnight for best results

    If you want delicious flavourful chicken, then it will take time. Marinating for at least 30 minutes or overnight will help you achieve a tastier result.

    Thoroughly dry washed basil

    You really want to make sure every leaf is dried to prevent a large amount of oil splash back when you deep fry the basil. I use a clean paper towel to do the job.

    Generously dredge and massage starch into chicken with wet hands

    When you generously dredge and massage the starch into the chicken with wet hands, this will create starch beads on your chicken. These starch beads are the essence to extra crunchy Taiwanese popcorn chicken.

    Deep fry at 350 F until golden and crispy

    Using a cooking thermometer is the best way to know the temperature of your oil. I link to one in the recipe card below. If you do not have one, set your heat to medium high but more towards the medium level.

    Season chicken while hot

    Once you remove the chicken from the hot oil, immediately season it with the seasoning mix. The heat will allow for the seasoning to adhere onto the chicken.

    Have an oil guard ready!

    Before you drop that fresh basil into the hot oil, first make sure it is dried thoroughly and secondly, have an oil shield, guard, or lid ready in the other hand. The moisture from the basil will create for oil splash back! But it will die down in 10 seconds.

    FAQ

    Below are frequently asked questions about this Taiwan fried chicken recipe:

    How do you reheat Taiwanese popcorn chicken?

    I reheat mine in the air fryer, but I remove all the basil first or it can catch fire in the air fryer as it is very light weight and will fly around in the air fryer. You can also bake it at 350 F until warmed.

    Other recipes you may like!

    If you enjoyed this Taiwanese crispy fried chicken, you may enjoy these other fried chicken recipes:

    • Japanese Chicken Katsu
    • Korean Fried Chicken
    • Chinese Lemon Chicken
    • Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken
    • Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)
    • General Tso Chicken
    • Orange Chicken
    • Vietnamese Garlic Butter Chicken Wings
    • Sweet Spicy Gochujang Chicken
    taiwanese popcorn chicken

    Easy Crispy Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

    christieathome
    Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (aka Táiwān Yán Sū Jī). Crispy, flavorful bite-size pieces of chicken seasoned with Chinese five spice. This is super easy to make at home!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course dinner, lunch, Side Dish
    Cuisine asian, Taiwanese
    Servings 4 as a side
    Calories per serving 494 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1.25 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs sliced into bite size pieces
    • 1 ¼ cup potato starch or tapioca starch
    • ¼ cup Thai basil or normal basil, washed and thoroughly dried
    • 2 cups avocado oil (or any neutral oil like vegetable oil)

    Marinade:

    • 1 egg white
    • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce not light or dark or low sodium soy sauce!
    • 2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or Dry Sherry Wine
    • 2 teaspoon white granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon white pepper

    Spice Mix:

    • ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ white pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces about 1 inch cubes. Transfer chicken to a large bowl.
    • Marinate chicken with Marinade ingredients as listed above. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
    • In a separate small bowl, mix Spice mix ingredients as listed above.
    • Spread potato starch on a large baking sheet or plate. With wet hands, generously dredge marinated chicken into the starch. Massage the starch into the chicken until beads of starch form on the chicken (see video). Note: The beads give the chicken that extra crispy exterior. The moisture from your hands and from the marinade will also create "beading".
    • To Deep Fry: Into a wok or medium pot, add oil. Bring to 350 degrees F or medium heat depending on your stove top. (To Air Fry: see notes section below)
    • Deep fry chicken in small batches for 3-4 minutes until crispy golden brown. Do not overcrowd or it will result in non-crispy chicken.
    • Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer to wire rack or plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Quickly season with spicy mix while chicken is hot.
    • Next with fresh basil in one hand and a lid/oil guard in the other, drop the basil into the wok of oil and quickly cover to prevent splash back. Deep fry for 10-20 seconds. Remove and sprinkle fried basil over chicken. Enjoy!

    Notes

    To Air Fry:

    1. Lightly spray basket with a neutral oil, like avocado oil or vegetable oil. 
    2. Place coated chicken pieces into the air fryer basket in a single layer (do not overlap) with enough space in between. You may need to air fry in batches. 
    3. Lightly spray more oil over the chicken. 
    4. Air Fry at 400 F for 5 minutes.
    5. Flip each piece over and air fry for another 5 minutes. 
    6. Reduce temperature to 375F giving the air fryer basket a shake. Air fry for another 4-6  minutes until golden crispy. If they're not golden or crispy enough, air fry for another few more minutes. Cook until you reach an internal temperature of 165 F or until juices run clear. Note: Depending on your air fryer, the air frying time can range between models so please keep this in mind. Mine was done at 15 minutes. It's best to monitor the process. 
    Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
    Copyright PolicyPlease do not copy and paste my recipes or use my photos in your own site/blog or social media. If you use my recipe for adaptation, please provide a link back to my recipe and re-write in your own words. Thank you.

    Suggested Equipment & Products

    Wok
    Cooking thermometer
    Kitchen Scale
    Cutting Board
    Santoku Knife
    Mixing bowl
    Slotted Spoon
    Kitchen Tweezers
    Cooling rack
    Nutrition
    Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 1000mg | Potassium: 905mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 118IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 3mg
    Course dinner, lunch, Side Dish
    Cuisine asian, Taiwanese
    Keyword authentic taiwanese popcorn chicken recipe, best taiwanese popcorn chicken recipe, easy taiwanese popcorn chicken recipe, how to make taiwanese popcorn chicken, taiwanese basil popcorn chicken recipe, taiwanese popcorn basil chicken, taiwanese popcorn chicken, taiwanese popcorn chicken potato starch, taiwanese popcorn chicken recipe, taiwanese popcorn chicken seasoning, taiwanese popcorn chicken tapioca starch, taiwanese style popcorn chicken

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Michelle | Sift & Simmer

      August 20, 2020 at 11:47 am

      5 stars
      Love Taiwanese popcorn chicken and the fact that this is shallow-fried. Totally craving this now... my mouth is watering! Thanks for sharing, Christie 🙂

      Reply
    2. Heidi | The Frugal Girls

      September 14, 2020 at 4:31 pm

      5 stars
      You've made preparing popcorn chicken at home so easy. This recipe really adds all of the flavors I expect and you made the process of breading & frying the chicken so easy to follow!

      Reply
    3. Carin

      November 17, 2022 at 12:52 pm

      Can I make this in the air fryer

      Reply
      • christieathome

        November 17, 2022 at 4:29 pm

        Yes, I share air frying instructions in the Notes section of the Recipe card. It's just been updated.

        Reply

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    Christie

    Christie is an Asian Recipe Blogger sharing delicious recipes that you can make at home! Her goal is to make Asian cooking approachable and less intimidating. With a social media following of over 500k, she has been featured on Buzz Feed Tasty, Food52, The Kitchn and more! Christie's recipes have been made over and over again by her loyal readers.

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