I am confident that this is the best Taiwanese Chicken popcorn recipe ever; it is JUICY on the inside and Crispy on the outside.

Taiwanese Crispy Chicken is the most well-known Taiwanese Night Market dish that is now available at numerous Bubble Tea shops and eateries.

It might appear daunting to create, but believe me, it is incredibly simple with readily available ingredients.

In numerous eateries, Taiwanese popcorn chicken lacks the desired crispiness, or the chicken ends up being chewy.

After many trials and errors, I am confident that I’ve mastered the recipe that guarantees crispy and juicy chicken every single time.

Here are some of my undisclosed suggestions to create superior AUTHENTIC Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken, surpassing the quality of any restaurant.

BATTER:

Numerous recipes do not utilize a batter; instead, they choose to incorporate flour, egg, and corn starch.

Not only does tapioca starch help in ensuring that the chicken is juicy and provides a protective layer, but it also aids in sticking the batter onto the chicken more effectively.

Skin-on Boneless Chicken Thigh:

To prepare Authentic Taiwanese Popcorn chicken, it is essential to utilize dark meat. Chicken thigh is considerably more flavorful and tender.

When deep-fried, the exterior also becomes exceptionally crunchy and safeguards the poultry. The utmost important hidden advice for DELIGHTFULLY CRUNCHY and MOIST poultry is chicken thighs THAT HAVE the outer layer intact.

I comprehend that extracting the bones from the chicken demands an extra 10 minutes, but trust me, it is definitely worthwhile.

RICE POWDER:

Instead, opt for rice flour; it is also free from gluten! Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken turns out to be golden and crispy. Rice flour is comparatively lighter than traditional flour.

TAPIOCA FLOUR / SWEET POTATO STARCH:

All you require is conventional tapioca starch or sweet potato flour, but what you truly require is to incorporate water to achieve the desired “crunchy” texture on the edges, as numerous recipes have suggested. The brand that I highly recommend can be found here.

In order to avoid any mishaps, the key is to allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before frying as Tapioca starch tends to detach easily as well.

TWICE FRY:

Optional, but HIGHLY suggested, DOUBLE FRY for the EXTRA CRUNCHY Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken!

If you are serving chicken for the guests, you can make it in advance and fry it at high heat for 2-3 minutes before serving.

FLAVORFUL SALT:

You must include the TRADITIONAL Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken seasoning salt to finish the dish.

Depending on your preference for seasonings, you can adjust them as you desire, whether it be garlic, salty, or spicy. I am utilizing a blend of salt, garlic powder, white pepper, garlic powder, and a combination of five-spice and paprika, along with chili powder.

Would you like additional recipes for Taiwanese street food? Here are a few of my favorite family recipes that are sure to delight you!

Ingredients

Spice Blend – chili powder, paprika, five-spice blend, white pepper, garlic powder, and salt.