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Home Taiwanese popcorn kip

Street food Asian Crispy Quick Snack Frying

At busy night markets in Taiwan you can buy it for a song: a packet of crispy popcorn chicken with fried basil leaves on top. That combination of crunchy, spicy and fresh just works perfectly. You don't need a long story to get it — one bite says it all. Make a big batch, because it disappears fast.

Recipe

Taiwanese popcorn chicken

Taiwanese popcorn chicken is the ultimate street food: small pieces of chicken in an ultra-crisp coating, seasoned with garlic, chili and fresh basil. Make it at home and eat it straight away.

Course	Snack
Kitchen	Taiwanese
Servings	4 servings

Preparation time

Preparation time	15 min
Total	55 min

Equipment

Mixing bowl
Deep pan or deep-fryer
Kitchen thermometer
Slotted spoon
Paper towels
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Deep plate

Ingredients

600 g chicken breast
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine (Shaoxing) or dry sherry
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
150 g sweet potato starch (or cornstarch)
1 tsp five-spice powder
1 tsp white pepper, plus extra to serve
1 generous handful fresh basil leaves
Sunflower oil for frying
Chili flakes to taste

How do you make Taiwanese popcorn chicken?

Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized cubes of about 2 cm.
Mix the soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and sugar in a bowl. Add the chicken and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Mix the sweet potato starch, five-spice powder and white pepper in a deep plate.
Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and toss them generously in the starch mixture until they are fully coated.
Heat the frying oil in a deep pan or deep-fryer to 175 degrees Celsius.
Fry the chicken in small batches for 4 to 5 minutes until the pieces are golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
At the end, fry the fresh basil leaves in the hot oil for 15 to 20 seconds until crisp. Drain these as well.
Toss the popcorn chicken with the fried basil and sprinkle with extra white pepper and chili flakes to taste. Serve immediately.

Cooking mode Prevents your screen from going to sleep

The key to real popcorn chicken lies in two things: the marinade and the oil temperature. Make sure the oil is up to temperature before you add the chicken, otherwise the starch coating will go soggy instead of crisp. A good kitchen thermometer isn't a luxury here but a smart tool that gives you the right result every time.

Serve the popcorn chicken straight from the pan. This is street food at its best: hot, crunchy and made for sharing. Add a small bowl of sweet chili sauce and your evening is complete. Want to vary it? Try it with cauliflower florets as a vegetarian version — it works exactly the same.

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