• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Bun Bo Bae

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Life
    • Travel
    • Reviews
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Life
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Chicken » Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (Gà Chiên Lá Quế Đài Loan)

    Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (Gà Chiên Lá Quế Đài Loan)

    Published: Oct 6, 2022 Modified: Oct 6, 2022 by Suzanne Nuyen This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

    Tweet
    Share
    Pin7
    Share
    7 Shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Crispy Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken and basil leaves on the blueplate

    Thank you Argo Corn Starch for sponsoring this post! Celebrate sweet moments together with Argo.

    Taiwanese Popcorn chicken is a beloved street food that’s a staple at night markets and boba shops alike. There’s something so satisfying about getting handed a bag of this crispy, spiced, bite-sized chicken on a little wooden skewer to eat it with. Luckily, the dish isn’t that hard to make at home, thanks to Argo Corn Starch!

    Pin Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (Gà Chiên Lá Quế Đài Loan) to try later!

    a straight on shot of a plate of taiwanese popcorn chicken with fried thai basil in front of a box of Argo corn starch

    Argo Corn Starch is the secret ingredient to getting that delicate crispy crust on the chicken. In Taiwan, potato starch is used, but I don’t usually keep any in the house, and corn starch has so many more uses. It’s also celiac-friendly, unlike flour dredges, because Argo Corn Starch is gluten free!

    Jump to:
    • 🍗 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 💭 Substitutions
    • 📚 Variations
    • 🍳 Equipment
    • 🍚 Serving Suggestions
    • 🥡 How to store or make in advance
    • 👪 Serving Size
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 🦺 Food safety

    🍗 Ingredients

    a container of raw chicken thighs, a few garlic cloves, a knob of ginger, a bottle of soy sauce, a bottle of xiaoxing wine, and a box of Argo corn starch on a wooden board.
    You'll need chicken thighs, corn starch and a few more seasonings.

    You will need:

    For the chicken:

    • Skinless, boneless chicken thigh
    • Soy sauce
    • Shaoxing wine
    • Salt
    • Pepper
    • Five Spice Powder
    • Grated garlic
    • Grated Ginger
    • Thai Basil
    • Argo Corn Starch
    • Canola oil or another neutral, high smoke point oil

    For the optional spice sprinkle:

    • Five spice powder
    • Szechuan peppercorns
    • Salt
    • Pepper

    See recipe card for quantities.

    🔪 Instructions

    chicken thigh pieces in a ceramic bowl. The chicken is sprinkled with spices and fresh garlic and ginger

    Cut the chicken thighs into 1 inch cubes and marinate with soy sauce, shaoxing wine, salt, pepper, five spice powder, grated ginger and grated garlic. Let it marinate at least 30 minutes or overnight.

    fresh thai basil leaves are deep frying in a cast iron skillet

    Heat oil to 350 degrees in a heavy bottomed pot or cast iron pan. Deep fry the thai basil leaves until they turn dark and crispy (about 3-5 min depending on the size of the leaves).

    a close up of a pile of deep fried thai basil leaves

    Drain the leaves on a paper towel.

    chicken thigh pieces are bubbling in a cast iron skillet filled with oil

    Fry the chicken pieces until golden brown and crispy. Work in batches if you need to so you don’t overcrowd the oil, which will cause soggy chicken.

    A closeup of a pile of taiwanese fried chicken

    Sprinkle your spice mixture over the cooked chicken and serve with fried basil leaves.

    breaded taiwanese chicken thigh pieces in a hot pink bowl

    Add Argo corn starch to the marinated chicken and massage it in until every piece is coated. You’ll know the chicken is ready when the moisture from the meat makes the corn starch bead up and form craggles on the surface. This is how you get the crunch!

    An open nutribullet container with a ground spice mix on the inside

    While the chicken is frying, combine five spice powder, Szechuan peppercorns, salt and pepper in a spice grinder and blend together.

    Tips:

    • The basil leaves will continue to cook slightly when you take them out, so remove them from the oil earlier than you’d think or else they’ll burn. 
    • If you want extra crispy chicken, fry the cooked chicken one more time after it’s been taken out of the oil to cool. 
    • You want the cornstarch to be a little bit moist and resemble sand or little beads on the surface of the meat.

    💭 Substitutions

    • I have not personally tried to make this recipe vegetarian, but I would recommend using oyster mushroom, seitan, or a similar food that won't fall apart when you massage the corn starch into it.
    • You can use boneless chicken breast if you don’t like thighs, but the chicken will be a little bit drier. Thighs are much harder to overcook and will stay succulent.
    a pair of chopsticks holds up a piece of taiwanese popcorn chicken in front of a blurry image of a box of argo corn starch

    📚 Variations

    You can make various flavors of popcorn chicken by playing around with the marinade and spice sprinkle:

    • Spicy: Add a little sriracha to the marinade, and chili flakes to the spice sprinkle
    • Curry: Add your favorite curry powder to the marinade and spice sprinkle, omit the Szechuan peppercorns
    • Garlic Parmesan: Omit the five spice and Szechuan peppercorns, add extra garlic to the marinade and use garlic powder and Parmesan cheese to the spice sprinkle.
    a pile of crispy taiwanese popcorn chicken pieces with deep fried basil leaves

    🍳 Equipment

    I use a cast iron skillet to fry my chicken. Make sure there’s enough oil in the pan so that the chicken is fully submerged when it’s added. A dutch oven will work as well. 

    🍚 Serving Suggestions

    Taiwanese popcorn chicken is usually served as-is, with little bamboo skewers to skewer the chicken with. If you’d like to round out the meal with a vegetable, I recommend some seaweed salad or kimchi.

    Many boba or bubble tea shops have Taiwanese popcorn chicken on the menu. Serve this up with some boba for an authentic treat.

    a piece of taiwanese popcorn chicken is skewered with a fried basil leaf and held above a plate of the same chicken

    🥡 How to store or make in advance

    Once the chicken is fried it should be served immediately. Marinated chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking, or frozen after marinating. To cook it from the freezer, let the chicken completely defrost before mixing in the Argo Corn Starch. 

    Leftover chicken can be reheated in the oven on a wire rack or in an air fryer to preserve the crispiness, but it might dry out a bit. 

    a blue plate piled with crispy Taiwanese popcorn chicken pieces and thai basil. The plate is cut off on the left side and on a wooden board

    👪 Serving Size

    As an entree, 3 lbs of chicken should serve 4-5 people. It will serve double that if served as an appetizer.

    📋 Recipe

    a birdseye view of a blue plate filled with taiwanese popcorn chicken and fried basil leaves
    Print Pin
    No ratings yet

    Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (Gà Chiên Lá Quế Đài Loan)

    This popular Taiwanese street food is easy to make at home using Argo Corn starch for the crispiest chicken!
    Course Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine Asian, Taiwanese
    Keyword Chicken, Fried, Street Food
    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour
    Servings 4
    Calories 719kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed pot

    Ingredients

    For the chicken

    • 3 lbs chicken thighs
    • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
    • shaoxing wine
    • 1 teaspoon five spice powder
    • 1 clove garlic, grated
    • ½ inch knob ginger, grated
    • 1 bunch Thai basil
    • 1 cup Argo corn starch
    • Caola oil, or another neutral, high smoke point oil
    • 1 teaspoon pepper
    • salt, to taste

    For the optional spice sprinkle

    • 1 tablespoon five spice powder
    • 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • 1 teaspoon Pepper

    Instructions

    • Cut the chicken thighs into 1 inch cubes and marinate with soy sauce, shaoxing wine, salt, pepper, five spice powder, grated ginger and grated garlic. Let it marinate at least 30 minutes or overnight.
    • Heat oil to 350 degrees in a heavy bottomed pot or cast iron pan. Deep fry the thai basil leaves until they turn dark and crispy (about 3-5 min depending on the size of the leaves). Drain the leaves on a paper towel.
    • Add Argo corn starch to the marinated chicken and massage it in until every piece is coated. You’ll know the chicken is ready when the moisture from the meat makes the corn starch bead up and form craggles on the surface. This is how you get the crunch!
    • Fry the chicken pieces until golden brown and crispy. Work in batches if you need to so you don’t overcrowd the oil, which will cause soggy chicken.
    • While the chicken is frying, combine five spice powder, Szechuan peppercorns, salt and pepper in a spice grinder and blend together.
    • Sprinkle your spice mixture over the cooked chicken and serve with fried basil leaves.

    Notes

    Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are an estimate based on an automatic calculation. Actual information may vary.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 719kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 174mg | Sodium: 1250mg | Potassium: 518mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 454IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 4mg
    Nutrition Facts
    Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (Gà Chiên Lá Quế Đài Loan)
    Amount Per Serving (1 g)
    Calories 719 Calories from Fat 378
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 42g65%
    Saturated Fat 11g69%
    Trans Fat 0.3g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 10g
    Monounsaturated Fat 19g
    Cholesterol 174mg58%
    Sodium 1250mg54%
    Potassium 518mg15%
    Carbohydrates 35g12%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 0.3g0%
    Protein 45g90%
    Vitamin A 454IU9%
    Vitamin C 8mg10%
    Calcium 61mg6%
    Iron 4mg22%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    🦺 Food safety

    Whenever cooking meat, follow these best practices:

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point when deep frying.
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    Did you make this recipe? Please tag @BunBoBaeBlog on Instagram or leave a rating or comment on the blog!

    Loved this recipe? You might also like:

    • Fried Fish with Curry and Lemongrass (Cá Chiên Cà Ri Sả)
    • Vietnamese Roasted Chicken (Gà Roti)
    • Vietnamese Fish Sauce Glazed Chicken Wings (Cánh Gà Chiên Nước Mắm)
    • Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Gà Bóp)
    Tweet
    Share
    Pin7
    Share
    7 Shares
    « Vietnamese Red Rice (Cơm Đỏ)
    Vietnamese Coconut Pandan Waffles (Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa) »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I'm Suzanne, your Bun Bo Bae. I'm a journalist, professional amateur baker, noodle enthusiast and food photographer living in Washington, DC. My immigrant parents taught me everything I know about Vietnamese home cooking, and now I want to share it with you!

    More about me →

    Newest Recipes

    • Hainanese Chicken Rice (Cơm Gà Hải Nam)
    • Vietnamese Coconut Pandan Waffles (Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa)
    • Vietnamese Red Rice (Cơm Đỏ)
    • Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bò Lúc Lắc)

    Sign up for my newsletter here!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
    • Contact
    • Media Kit

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    As Seen On

    Copyright © 2019 - 2020 Bun Bo Bae

    Copyright © 2023 Bun Bo Bae on the Foodie Pro Theme