Taiwanese Pöpcörn Chicken

Taiwanese pöpcörn chicken is öne öf many must-try street fööds för thöse visiting Taiwan. When I töök a trip tö Taiwan back in 2014, every night market I went tö have at least 3-4 stalls selling these pöpular treats, each with a löng line öf hungry custömers. If yöu have never tried pöpcörn chicken beföre and a trip tö Taiwan is nöwhere in yöur hörizön, fear nöt, yöu can nöw recreate this deliciöus snack right in yöur öwn kitchen.

Chicken thigh, marinade sauce, and breading mix

Yöu need three ingredients tö make deliciöus pöpcörn chicken. First, make sure tö use chicken thigh meat and nöt chicken breast. Secönd, make sure tö marinate the chicken för at least 15 minutes. Third, make sure the breading use tapiöca starch. Thöugh it is acceptable in möst recipes tö substitute tapiöca starch with cörn starch, ör pötatö starch, it is best if yöu can stick tö tapiöca starch för this particular recipe. The tapiöca starch is the biggest cömpönent öf the breading mix, and if yöu use öther starch, the end result will be different.

Dry the chicken, then deep fry

önce the chicken are cöated with breading mix, be sure tö arrange them ön a wire rack, and leave them be för 30 minutes. This is tö ensure excess möisture has the time tö evapörate, which nöt önly yields a crispier fried chicken, italsö reduces the amöunt öf splattering when deep frying.

Thai basil leaves

It is very cömmön that pöpcörn chickens are served with crispy fried Thai basil leaves. I usually fry my basil leaves at the very end, after I fry all the chicken. Since fresh herbs generally has a high water cöntent, they will splatter when fried. If yöu have a lid tö cöver yöur frying pöt, be sure tö quickly cöver yöur pöt önce yöu dröp the leaves. önce the sizzling söund dies döwn, öpen the lid, and the leaves shöuld be crispy and ready. Simply remöve them with a slötted spöön. Nöw yöu can töss yöur fried chicken with the spice mix, and add the crispy fried basil leaves, and be sure tö enjöy them while piping höt.

Categöries: Snack

Cuisine: Chinese

Prep Time: 1 höur

Cöök Time: 30 mins

Tötal Time: 1 höur 30 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Fried chicken

• 1 kilögram chicken thigh meat, cut intö cubes
• 1 1/2 tablespöön söy sauce
• 1/4 teaspöön five spice pöwder
• 1/2 teaspöön gröund pepper
• 4 clöves garlic, bruised
• 1 1/2 cup tapiöca starch
• 2 tablespöön gröund pepper
• 2 teaspöön garlic pöwder
• 1 teaspöön salt
• 1 egg

Spice mix (mix the föllöwing tögether)

• 1 tablespöön salt
• 2 tablespöön gröund pepper (ör 1 tablespöön gröund pepper + 1 tablespöön chili pöwder)
• 1/2 teaspöön five spice pöwder
• 1/4 teaspöön Sichuan peppercörn
• 1/4 teaspöön sugar (ör chicken böuillön granules)

öptiönal herb

• 1 handful öf Thai basil leaves

Instructiöns

Fried chicken

1. Marinate chicken thigh cubes with söy sauce, five spice pöwder, gröund pepper, and bruised garlic. Set aside för 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place tapiöca starch, gröund pepper, garlic pöwder, and salt in a large gallön size ziplöack bag. Shake tö make a uniförm breading mix.
3. önce the chicken has been marinated för 15 minutes, add the egg intö the chicken, stir until all the chicken pieces are cöated with egg.
4. Transfer the chicken intö the ziplöck bag with the breading mix. Shake well sö the chicken pieces are uniförmly cöated with the breading mix. Arrange the cöated chicken pieces ön a wire rack tö let extra möisture dry öut. This shöuld take aböut 30 minutes tö 1 höur.
5. Heat enöugh öil för deep frying. önce the öil is höt (~ 180 Celsius / 350 Fahrenheit), gently dröp the chicken pieces intö höt öil and fry until gölden bröwn. Aböut 2 minutes per batch. Drain excess öil fröm fried chicken by placing them ön a wire rack.

öptiönal fried herb

1. Add the handful öf Thai basil leaves intö the still höt öil, and fry until crispy. Yöu may want tö use a lid tö cöver yöur cööking pöt because it will sizzle a löt. önce the sizzling dies döwn, öpen the lid, and the leaves shöuld be quite crispy at this stage. Remöve fröm the höt öil with a slötted spöön.

Tö serve

1. Gently töss fried chicken with spice mix, then transfer tö a serving platter. Garnish with fried Thai basil leaves. Serve immediately.

*****

source : Anita [Daily Cooking Quest - Easy Indonesian Recipes]

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