Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken With Basil 

These full flavor addictive crispy Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken bites are the perfect snack for parties and get-togethers.  The Taiwanese marinade will flavor the chick thighs and the five-spice seasoning powder mix will elevate and will make you want to keep going back for more pieces.

The bite-size fried chicken pieces are coated in sweet potato starch, and doubled fried for maximum crispiness. Every time I make this at home it fills my house up with the smell of delicious deep-fried chicken. I hit up a Hot Star recently and tried the popcorn chicken. This made me to want to make this at home. There is something about deep-fried chicken that is just a true hit with anyone. My kids love it because they get the crispy chicken chunks. I love it because I know it’s made with real chicken and I know what ingredients I am adding. 

Why make this?

Kids will love this. These fried chicken thighs will be a sure hit with the kids. If they enjoy eating nuggets from that famous golden arch fast-food joint, they will devour this and will be asking for more!

Not spicy. This recipe is not spicy and is perfect for all ages. However, it is easy to adjust it if you would like to make it spicy by adding some chili powder. 

Perfect finger food. These small bite-size popcorn chicken bites are the perfect snack or as an appetizer for a party you are hosting or attending. Bring this to any party and they will be gone fast!

Why we love this recipe?

Extra flavorful. Not only is the chicken marinaded in an awesome blend of spices and seasoned with a amazing and full flavor seasoning powder

Juicy and tender. Rather than using chicken breast which will dry out much easier this recipe uses chicken thighs. The dark meat with some of the fat will keep it moist and juicy inside.

What is Taiwanese Fried Chicken?

Taiwanese popcorn chicken is a famous Taiwanese street food. It has risen in popularity in many countries becoming a popular appetizer for many Asian restaurants. I have been to numerous boba tea shops and will see it on the menu as a snack. No doubt this is an essential dish to enjoy with your boba drink.

Usually, the chicken used is chicken thighs cut into small bite-size pieces. Coated with sweet potato starch, there are alternatives like corn starch and tapioca starch. But sweet potato starch will make the crispiest popcorn chicken. Use what you have on hand. 

Ingredients, variations and adjustments

Chicken and marinade

chicken thighs. Chicken thighs will make a juicier and tender popcorn chicken compared to using white meat. However, white meat can still be used but it will dry out if overcooked. If you have chicken breast cut the pieces smaller .75-inches so that it cooks faster in the oil. Reduce the frying time to 3-4 minutes instead of 4-5 minutes. 

five-spice powder. Five spice powder is a mixture of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, pepper and fennel. Commonly used in Chinese cuisine and has a little bit of sour, sweet, bitter, salty and savory flavors. Find this powder at your local supermarket, I have seen this in major grocery stores in the spice aisle. 

light soy sauce. I like to use light soy sauce for this recipe to keep the chicken white. It still adds saltiness to the chicken without making the chicken dark. Substitute with coconut aminos if you cannot use soy sauce. It has the same consistency and color, but will not be as salty

garlic. Minced the garlic and add it gives the chicken a garlicky flavor. If you have garlic powder on hand you can add ½ tsp to marinate.

white pepper. White pepper has a pungent flavor, so a little bit goes a long way. 

black pepper. I only use a little bit of black pepper but it will give off a little bit of spicy heat.

salt. Adds more flavor. Adjust to your preference.

sesame oil. Sesame oil will add a nutty and smokiness flavor to the chicken. 

sugar. Will add sweetness to the chicken. There are quite a bit of salty seasoning so this will help balance the flavor.

shaoxing cooking wine. Shaoxing cooking wine is darker and has a more complex flavor. If you don’t have it on hand you can also use Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry

egg. Only egg white is used and this will help the starch to cling to the chicken.

For frying

cornstarch.  I like to mix the coating with 50% cornstarch. Cornstarch will give the coating a really nice crispiness when fried in oil. If you want to get super crispy popcorn chicken substitute the cornstarch with all sweet potato and add egg whites to the cornstarch.

sweet potato starch or tapioca starch. For the other 50% of the coating, I like to use sweet potato starch or tapioca starch. I like to use it cause when you mix it with wet hands the sweet potato starch or tapioca starch will create beads in the coating. This will create pieces of crunch rather than a smooth coating of crispy outside.

Thai Basil. This is optional and it makes for a very pretty plate of popcorn chicken. The crispy Thai basil does not add much flavour to the actual chicken. The crispy basil does have a refreshing crunch to it. If you are tight on time you can leave the Thai basil out.

Oil. I use canola oil to shallow fry my chicken. Feel free to use any oil you have that is neutral such as vegetable, peanut or grapeseed oil.

Seasoning Powder

five-spice powder. Add this to the seasoning powder to give it a balance of all 5 flavors sour, sweet, bitter, salty and savory. 

salt. Gives a salty flavor to the exterior of the popcorn chicken. The starch used does not have any seasoning so it’s important to not skip the salt.

white pepper. I like adding white pepper to give the seasoning a nice balance.

Kitchen Equipment for this Recipe

strainer Spider. Use this to drain the oil off the chicken if you don’t have a rack. 

splatter. The splatter is a lifesaver when frying Thai basil. When you toss the basil in the hot oil it will immediately splash. To reduce injury make sure to use a splatter and have it semi-on top of the pan.

air Fryer. Air frying is a healthier way to make popcorn chicken. When I want to make a quick Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken on a weeknight I like to use the air fryer to have a quick 30 minute meal ready. If you are looking for other air fryer recipes check out my Vietnamese Air Fryer Chicken Wings recipe.

How to make Taiwanese Fried Chicken – Deep fried

Step 1. Trim fat and cut to size. This is an optional step. Trim some of the fat off the chicken thighs. If you prefer a juicier fried chicken you can leave it on. Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces.

Step 2. Marinade. In a medium bowl combine the chicken thigh pieces, five spice, light soy sauce, minced garlic, white pepper, black pepper, salt, sesame oil, sugar, egg white and Shaoxing cooking wine. Mix until all the chicken thigh pieces are well coated. Let it marinate for at least 1 hour. Overnight is recommended so the flavor is absorbed into the meat.

Step 3. Combine the seasoning powder. Combine the five-spice, salt, white pepper and Sichuan peppercorns. Set aside.

Step 4. Coat the chicken thighs. Combine the cornstarch and tapioca starch in a shallow plate. Dredge the marinaded chicken thighs. Be generous with the coating the pieces so you can get an extra crispy piece when fried.

Step 5. Heat the oil. Take a pan and add the oil and bring it to 350 Degrees F. I leave it at medium-high heat.

Step 6. Deep fry. In small batches add the pieces slowly without splashing the oil. Do not overcrowd or your chicken will not crisp up resulting in limp and super oily popcorn chicken. Fry for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Removed with a slotted spoon and let the oil drip. Either use a paper towel or a rack to let it cool. Repeat this 2-3 times.

Step 7. Double fry (Optional Step). Once all the chicken pieces have been deep fry. Double fry to get a crispier chicken. Toss the chicken in the batch and deep fry for 2 minutes. Do not overcook otherwise it may burn.

Step 8. Deep fry Thai Basil. Take the basil and toss it into the hot oil. Deep fry for 15-20 seconds or until they are crispy and still green. Remove with a slotted spoon and place them on top of a paper towel to absorb most of the oil.

Step 9. Coat with seasoning powder. Toss the fried popcorn chicken in a large bowl and coat them with the seasoning powder. Add as much or as little of the seasoning mix.

Step 10 Plate and top with fried Thai basil. Plate the fried chicken and top it with the fried Thai basil. Enjoy!

How to make Taiwanese Fried Chicken – Air Fryer

Follow all the steps above from Step 1 – Step 4

Preheat the air fryer. Set the air fryer to 400°F and preheat. 

Cook the chicken. In smaller batches add the coated chicken pieces in to the air fryer and spray with oil spray. Make sure to not overcrowd so the chicken will crisp up. Air fry for 5 minutes per side, flip and let it cook. Once all the chicken pieces are cooked add the Thai Bail and let it air fry for 2-3 minutes or until they have crisped up but not burnt.

Follow Step 9 – 10

Success Tips for making the best Taiwanese Fried Chicken

Double fry. To get the extra crispy fried chicken double fry will get the extra crispy popcorn chicken. Once you have finished frying the first round add the chicken back and let it fry for 1-2 minutes. You want a light golden-brown color.

Coat the chicken thighs well. Chicken thighs have many crevices and cracks so get that starch in between so that when it is fried its extra crispy. This is also the trick to get bigger popcorn chicken pieces once they are deep fried. 

Wash and dry the Thai basil. Ensure the basil is dry. I use paper down and really whip it down to reduce the oil splash when tossing the bail in the hot oil. 

Recipe FAQs

Why are the fried chicken pieces not crisping up?

The key is using the correct starch/flour to coat the chicken thigh. If you use anything else except cornstarch, sweet potato flour/starch or tapioca starch the chicken will not crisp up well.

What is the difference between Chinese Vs Korean Vs Taiwanese fried Chicken?

Fried chicken is a popular dish to enjoy all around the world. Commonly the difference would be the seasoning and how Chinese, Korean and Taiwanese fried chicken is marinated with different ingredients and seasonings.

The seasoning powder is also distinct. Taiwanese popcorn chicken is coated with a dry seasoning powder whereas a Korean fried chicken can be coated with a stick wet sauce. Ultimately every type of fried chicken has its own right and will taste amazing

What is the difference between sweet potato flour and sweet potato starch?

The sweet potato flour and starch are the same thing. The term flour and starch are interchangeably used. If you see flour or starch they will both work for this recipe.

How to serve

These are great snack or appetizers for any party or get-together. Enjoy these with a nice cold beer or boba tea.

How to store

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. 

How to reheat

To maintain its crispiness heat it up in the oven at 375°F for at least 8-10 minutes.

If you make this recipe, and like it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

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