The Best Popcorn Chicken with Sweet Basil Popular Taiwanese Str
Crispy, golden, and bursting with bold flavors, **The Best Popcorn Chicken with Sweet Basil** brings the delightful essence of Taiwan’s street food directly to your kitchen. Made with tender, marinated chicken thighs coated in a perfectly seasoned blend of flour and sweet potato starch, this iconic dish achieves a light, airy crunch with each bite. Infused with aromatic five-spice powder and finished with a topping of flash-fried Thai basil leaves, it captures the irresistible combination of savory, fragrant, and slightly spicy notes that make Taiwanese style popcorn chicken so popular. Perfect as a snack, appetizer, or savory crowd-pleaser, this recipe comes together in under 40 minutes and pairs wonderfully with dipping sauces like garlic mayo or spicy chili sauce for an authentic street food experience.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 500 grams boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine (or dry sherry)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 0.5 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sweet potato starch (or cornstarch)
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
- 4 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon optional chili powder or paprika
Instructions
Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces (approximately 1-inch cubes).
In a mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, minced garlic, five-spice powder, and white pepper. Add the diced chicken to the marinade and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.
Prepare the coating: In one shallow bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, sweet potato starch (or cornstarch), and baking powder. In another bowl, beat the egg.
Dip each piece of the marinated chicken into the beaten egg, then coat it thoroughly with the flour and starch mixture. Shake off any excess coating.
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pan or wok to 175°C (350°F). Test the oil by dropping a small piece of batter into it; it should sizzle immediately and float to the surface.
Carefully fry the chicken in small batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Cook each batch for 3-4 minutes until the chicken turns golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
Increase the oil temperature to 190°C (375°F). Quickly fry the fresh Thai basil leaves for about 10 seconds until crispy. Be cautious, as the basil may cause the oil to splatter. Remove the basil and drain on paper towels.
Season the fried chicken with a sprinkle of salt, sugar, and optional chili powder or paprika for heat.
Serve the popcorn chicken immediately, topped with the crispy basil leaves. Enjoy hot with dipping sauces like garlic mayo or spicy chili sauce!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
2579 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 252.9 g | 324% | |
| Saturated Fat | 38.3 g | 192% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 178 mg | 59% | |
| Sodium | 712 mg | 31% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 58.9 g | 21% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.4 g | 5% | |
| Total Sugars | 0.5 g | ||
| Protein | 38.8 g | 78% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.3 mcg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 60 mg | 5% | |
| Iron | 3.7 mg | 21% | |
| Potassium | 432 mg | 9% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
