Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
Crispy chicken bites are perfect for snacking, Game Day, or a fun family meal.
Servings: 4
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1-½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Marinade
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 Tablespoon grated garlic about 2 garlic cloves
- 1 Tablespoon grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
For dredging
- 2 cups tapioca flour or arrowroot or potato starch
- ½ teaspoon five spice powder
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Etc
- neutral cooking oil
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces, about 1-2" each. Try to cut them to the same size so they will cook evenly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, grated garlic, grated ginger, and ground white pepper.
- Add the chicken to the marinade and lightly toss to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate, chilling for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
- After the chicken has chilled, heat cooking oil in a large Dutch Oven or heavy bottom pan with high sides to 350°F.
- Prepare two cooling racks placed over two baking sheets. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the five spice powder, ground white pepper, granulated sugar, and kosher salt.
- Dredge the chicken pieces in the ts off before transferring to one of the prepared cooling racks. Continue until all of the chicken has been dredged. Discard extra seasoning mixture.
- Working in batches, Fry chicken in the hot oil, taking care not to overcrowd the pot. Fry until each piece is fully cooked, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Chicken will be done when a thermometer shows an internal temperature of 165°F.
- As the chicken is cooked, transfer each piece to the second prepared cooling rack fitted over a baking sheet to catch the excess oil.
- Continue working in batches until all of the chicken is cooked.
- Then, lower the heat until the oil is about 320°F. Once the lower temp is reached, working quickly and carefully, place the basil leaves into a kitchen spider and lower into the oil. As soon as the basil is released into the oil, cover the pot immediately to avoid oil splatter. Fry only for about 30 seconds, then carefully remove the lid and use the kitchen spider to transfer fried basil to the cooling rack.
- Serve the Taiwanese popcorn chicken with fried basil sprinkled on top, with your favorite dipping sauce (see Notes).
Notes
Makes approximately 4 servings.
Dipping sauce: I like to serve these with either Sweet Chili Sauce, or Honey-Mayo Dipping Sauce. To make the honey-mayo dipping sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise with 2 Tablespoons honey.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer to retain crispness.
Nutrition
Calories: 442kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 203mg | Sodium: 1269mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg