Skillet Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
- Yield 4 servings
- Prep 15 minutes
- Cook 15 minutes
- Total 1 hour
Skillet Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken sits in the Snacks section of Regbie. The card serves 4 servings. Plan on 1 hour from the first measure to the plate. The amounts and the method are both written on this page.
Ingredients
Yield: 4 servings
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce
- 1½ teaspoons Chinese five spice blend
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
- 1 cup potato starch, or tapioca starch
- 6 cups avocado oil, or avocado oil spray if using an air fryer
- ½ cup Thai basil leaves, or basil leaves
Method
Blot the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and cut them into 1-inch pieces.
Set the chicken in a bowl and add the All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce, Chinese five-spice blend, and white pepper.
Turn the chicken in the seasoning and marinate for at least 30 minutes or covered, in the fridge, for up to a day.
While the chicken is marinating, make the tingly seasoning salt. Crush the Sichuan peppercorns in a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or with a heavy pot. In a small bowl, mix the crushed peppercorns and flaky sea salt. Keep nearby.
When you’re ready to fry the chicken, add the potato starch to a large, shallow bowl. Take a few pieces of marinated chicken and toss them into the potato starch.
Coat the pieces well, and shake off any excess. Set the coated chicken pieces on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with all the chicken.
Tip avocado oil into a large Dutch oven or high-sided pot. It should reach about 2 inches up the sides. Warm the oil on medium high until it reaches 350°F.
Carefully add about a quarter of the chicken pieces to the oil, making sure they’re not overcrowded. Fry the chicken until the pieces are golden brown and cooked through, about 2 to 4 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon or spider to move the cooked chicken pieces to a paper towel-lined plate.
Salt the hot popcorn chicken with the reserved Sichuan pepper and flaky salt blend. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces, adjusting the heat to maintain a cooking oil temperature of 350°F
Turn in the basil leaves and fry until crispy, about 1 to 2 minutes. (Make sure the basil leaves are very dry or the oil will splatter!)
Finish the popcorn chicken with fried basil leaves and eat immediately.
Kitchen notes
- Air fryer instructions (Whole30-compatible version): Follow steps 1 through 6.
- Spray the battered nuggets all over with avocado spray.
- The cook spray the battered nuggets on the wire rack and then place them sprayed-side down on the air fryer basket.
