Night Market Favourite Yan Su Ji - Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
Crispy, fragrant,and full of flavour — this is a street food classic you can now make at home!
Ingredients
- 300 g chicken breast or thigh, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Sweet potato starch for coating
- Vegetable oil for frying
- A generous handful of basil leaves
FOR THE MARINADE
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 egg
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice cooking wine
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp five-spice powder
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
FOR SEASONING
- Five-spice powder
- White pepper
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken : In a bowl, mix chicken with garlic, egg, soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, five-spice powder, and peppers. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (overnight for best results).
- Coat with Starch : After marinating, coat chicken evenly with sweet potato starch. Let it rest for 5–10 minutes to help the starch stick.
- Heat the Oil : In a deep pan or wok, heat oil to around 170°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, use the wooden chopstick trick — bubbles mean it’s ready.
- Fry the Chicken : Fry chicken in small batches for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden. Drain on a wire rack (keeps them crispier than paper towels)
- Double Fry (optional) : Increase the heat and return all chicken to the oil and fry for 60-90 seconds until deep golden brown and ultra-crispy. Drain again and set aside.
- Fry the Basil : Make sure basil is completely dry. Fry briefly until crisp and aromatic — be careful of splattering!
- Season and Serve : Toss fried chicken with a mixture of five-spice powder and white pepper. Top with crispy basil and serve hot.
Video
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