Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (Paleo, Whole30, Gluten-Free)
4 standard portions
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Dietary & allergen details
Based on listed recipe ingredients. No certification is implied.
- Celery: not fully checked
- Gluten-containing cereals: not fully checked
- Wheat: not fully checked
- Crustaceans: not fully checked
- Eggs: not fully checked
- Fish: not fully checked
- Lupin: not fully checked
- Milk: not fully checked
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Check the actual product labels and preparation. Substitutions can change this information.
Ingredients
- 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
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and cut them into 1-inch pieces.
- Place the chicken in a bowl and add the All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce, Chinese five-spice blend, and white pepper.
- Toss 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. Set aside.
- 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. Place the coated chicken pieces on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with all the chicken.
- Pour avocado oil into a large Dutch oven or high-sided pot. It should reach about 2 inches up the sides. Heat 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 transfer the cooked chicken pieces to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Season 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
- Toss 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!)
- Garnish the popcorn chicken with fried basil leaves and eat immediately.