Welcome to The Storied Recipe Podcast, a podcast about food, culture, and love.
This recipe for Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken with Fried Basil comes from my podcast guest, Yone, with permission from Hanna Huawai. Listen to Yone's episode, Taiwan Is Not Chinese Taipei while you make you try the most flavorful, juicy, and crispy Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken recipe you'll ever find!
I'll forever be grateful to Yone for introducing me to this popular street food found in the famous night markets of Taiwan - and thankful to Hanna Huang for sharing her perfect Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken Recipe with us!
Every step of the process adds another layer of flavor to the popcorn chicken. First, you'll marinate bite-sized pieces of tender chicken in a well-seasoned mixture of Chinese wines and Asian spices. Second, mix up a batter based on sweet potato starch. whic makes for the most light and golden brown crispy chicken bites. Third, you'll combine a sprinkling powder of more spices.
Finally, don't forget the magical fried basil!
Yone calls this dish Chicken Crack and I'd have to agree!! My family went crazy for this recipe and I'm thrilled to share it with you!!
(P.S. If you're looking for more fried chicken recipes - Try this authentic Puerto Rican Pollo Frito. And, if you're making a whole meal, make sure you visit our list for inspiration: 59 Side Dishes to Serve with Fried Chicken)
Look, Flavor, and Texture
Look
- Popcorn chicken with tempting crispy golden pieces all around
- Tempting - the basil and the dripping crispy parts
Flavor
- Truly difficult to find the words. Both the chicken and the coating are absolutely brimming with flavor
- Don't miss the basil - it adds a bit of a peppery flavor with a touch of sweetness
Texture
- Perfect combination: Juicy interior, irresistible crispiness outside
Ingredients and Substitutions
Key/Foundational Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs - chicken breast
- Thai Holy Basil - see the section I created below on the differences between Thai Holy Basil and Thai Basil
- Frying oil (Vegetable oil) - choose an oil with a high smoke point
Marinade Ingredients
The difference between good fried chicken and great fried chicken is a flavorful marinade! This one tops the charts!
- Yellow onion OR shallot
- Fresh ginger
- Garlic cloves
- Star anise - can use fennel seeds as a substitute
- Soy Sauce
- Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine)
- Shaoxing Wine - can use white rice wine as a substitute
- Sugar
Batter Ingredients
A light and crispy batter is key to Taiwanese Spicy Popcorn Chicken - read on for the key ingredient!
- Sweet Potato Starch/Powder/Flour (it’s all the same) - This was a brand new ingredient for me. From now on, I'll use it a lot more often in frying. The starch easily clings to the moist chicken, so no fancy breading techniques are necessary. And the texture? Amazing. Light and crispy. It's perfection.
- White Pepper Powder
- Chili Powder - double or triple depending on how spicy you want it
- Salt
- Five-Spice powder
- Black Pepper - freshly ground peppercorns or Sichuan Peppercorns
- Lemongrass Powder
- Garlic Powder
- White Plum Powder
Instructions
- Marinate bite-sized chicken pieces with ingredients (except Basil and Sweet Potato Flour) for 30-60 minutes.
- Heat hot oil to 375°F in a deep pot, ensuring oil is 2-3 inches deep.
- Coat chicken in sweet potato flour.
- Deep fry the marinated chicken in batches for 5-7 minutes until golden.
- Fry Basil leaves until crisp.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove chicken and basil, draining on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Toss fried chicken with basil leaves.
- Mix the Pepper Powder Spice blend and sprinkle generously over fried foods.
FAQ
What is Used for Coating Taiwanese Fried Chicken?
Coarse sweet potato starch. This is more coarse than corn starch or potato starch and will result in your chicken having an extra crispy coating!
Tapioca Starch vs. Sweet Potato Starch
If you can't find sweet potato starch you can also use tapioca starch or tapioca flour as an alternative. This recipe from Kwokspots says that they use both interchangeably but you must get the coarse sweet potato flour or course tapioca starch so you will have a crunchy coating and the look of traditional Taiwanese Fried Chicken.
What Makes This Taiwanese Spicy Popcorn Chicken So Spicy?
The spiciness comes from a combination of spices that get tossed on right at the end - including white pepper, black pepper, and chili powder.
How do I Marinate Taiwanese Fried Chicken?
This one might surprise you. The recipe is specific that you should not marinate for more than 3 hours. Ideally, Yone says you'd only marinate the chicken for 30 minutes to an hour in a mixture of soy sauce, Mirin, Shaoxing wine, garlic, ginger, and plenty more spices. I followed Yone's directions and carefully limited the marinating time. The chicken's flavor was amazing.
What is Shaoxing Wine and Where to Find it?
Shaoxing wine is a spicy cooking wine made from rice. I had no trouble finding it at my local Asian grocery store. There's a very well-stocked H Mart near me.
What is White Plum Powder and Where to Find it?
White plum powder, otherwise known as Li Hing Mui powder, is made from the skin of plums. I was a little confused about the red color (more like coral) and it turns out - that comes from red food coloring. I asked a couple of people at my local Asian market about it, and they all said they didn't carry it. However, I was asking using the term "white plum powder". It's possible if I asked for Li Hing Mui powder, they may have known what I was talking about. Either way, you can find Li Hing Mui on Amazon.
Differences Between Thai Basil and Thai Holy Basil
Thai Holy Basil
- Ocimum tenuiflorum species
- Has a peppery, clove flavor
- Leaves are slightly larger than Thai basil leaves and are more oval-shaped with a green stem
Thai Basil
- Ocimum basilicum species
- Stronger licorice, anise flavor
source: All Recipes
What is the Taiwanese Name for This Dish?
台灣鹽酥雞 – táiwān yán sū jī
Best Oil Temperature for Frying the Chicken?
375°F/190°C
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Deep fat fryer OR large pot
- Slotted spoon
- Colander (optional)
- Meat thermometer (optional)
Food Safety
From the USDA
- Never use plastic utensils to get the chicken out of the hot oil because they may melt. Use metal instead.
- Use a meat thermometer to check if the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F/73°C.
- Do not test the internal temperature of the meat while it is in the hot oil because you will get an inaccurate reading.
More Recipes from Southeast Asia
More Chicken Recipes
Listen: Yone's Memories of Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken and Fried Basil
I reached out to Yone because she shares such interesting stories about the flavors and ingredients she finds in the markets of Taipei… and because she’s willing to speak openly about the current pressures and threats on the Taiwanese, which is something I wanted to learn more about.
It wasn’t until after I started to research for this interview that I learned she also identifies as a Latin American woman, because she was born, raised, and educated in São Paulo, Brazil, where it turns out there is a vibrant and resilient Taiwanese community. Yone is funny, matter–of–fact, and her story is every bit as fascinating as it sounds. I am excited to share and just thrilled that you are all here today, thank you!!
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Recipe
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken with Fried Basil Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Dark Meat Chicken cut into bite-sized chunks
Marinade
Topping
- 8-10 Thai Holy Basil Leaves
Breading
- 1 bag Sweet Potato Starch/Powder/Flour it’s all the same, *See note 4
The Pepper Powder Spice Mix
- 1 1/2 teaspoon White Pepper Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Chili Powder double or triple depending on how spicy you want it
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Five Spice Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper finely ground
- 1/4 teaspoon Lemongrass Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/3 teaspoon White Plum Powder Substitute: Castor or Fine Sugar
Instructions
Cue Up The Episode!
- Make sure you listen to Episode 125 Why Taiwan Is Not "Chinese Taipei" with Yone as you make her Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken!
Make The Recipe
- Marinate the chicken with all other ingredients (except for the basil and Sweet Potato Flour) for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (Note: Do not marinate overnight or in excess of 3 hours.)
- To fry, heat the oil to 375 degrees F in a deep fat fryer or on a stovetop. Make sure you are using a deep pot and oil is at least 2-3 inches deep.
- Coat chicken pieces in Sweet Potato Flour thoroughly and fry in 2-3 batches (depending on your frying vessel) for about 5-7 minutes or until chicken is golden.
- Fry Basil leaves in the oil until slightly crisp.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove chicken and basil, draining on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Use a big bowl or colander to toss fried chicken with the basil leaves.
- Mix the Pepper Powder Spice blend (adjusting to your own spice level) and sprinkle generously over fried foods.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure you listen to Episode 125 Why Taiwan Is Not "Chinese Taipei" with Yone as you make your dish!
- (1) Can substitute with a shallot.
- (2) Can substitute with fennel seeds.
- (3) Can substitute with white rice wine.
- (4) Can substitute with tapioca starch, but make sure it is coarse.
Nutrition
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Ben says
What do you mean by pieces of dried anise? Star anise?
admin says
Hi Ben! Yes, that's how I interpreted Yone's recipe and it turned out great. Honestly, I didn't consider another kind or ask her about it in the interview because I wasn't aware of another interpretation - is there a different type of anise? Hope you love the recipe as much as we did!
Hannah Neeper says
This is delicious!! I love that it’s gluten-free but still fries up just as crispy as if the chicken were battered with flour.