Crispy marinated chicken pieces fried with basil leaves and chilli — Taiwan's most addictive street food from night markets.
Taiwanese popcorn chicken (鹽酥雞, yan su ji) is Taiwan's most iconic night market food — small pieces of chicken marinated in soy, garlic and five spice, coated in sweet potato starch and deep-fried until shatteringly crispy, then tossed with flash-fried Thai basil leaves and seasoned with salt and white pepper. The basil leaves fry in seconds and become paper-crisp, adding a herbaceous crunch that is unlike anything else. It is eaten from a paper bag while walking through the night market, too hot, too quickly.
Serves 4
Mix soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, five spice, garlic and sugar. Add chicken pieces and coat thoroughly. Marinate minimum 30 minutes.
Add sweet potato starch to the chicken. Toss to coat — each piece should be evenly covered. The coating should be thick enough to see but not paste-like.
Heat oil to 170°C. Fry chicken in batches for 4–5 minutes until cooked through and lightly golden. Remove and drain.
Increase oil to 190°C. Return chicken batches for 1 minute until very crispy. Add basil leaves to the oil for the final 20 seconds — they will crisp immediately.
Drain everything. Immediately toss with sea salt, white pepper and sliced chilli. Serve in a paper bag or bowl. Eat immediately.
Sweet potato starch gives a uniquely craggy, bubbly crust — cornstarch is the substitute but gives a smoother result.
Double frying (first at 170°C, then at 190°C) is the technique that makes the chicken exceptionally crispy.
Add the basil to the oil for only 15–20 seconds — overcooked basil is bitter rather than aromatic.
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
Add oyster mushrooms alongside the chicken — they fry beautifully and absorb the seasoning.
Use tofu instead of chicken for a vegetarian version — press tofu dry before marinating.
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.
Cannot be stored — the crunch is lost within 20 minutes.
Yan su ji emerged in Taiwan's night market culture in the 1970s and became one of the defining foods of Taiwanese street food. The use of sweet potato starch for coating reflects Taiwanese cooking's influence from both mainland Chinese and Japanese cuisines — Japanese tempura technique adapted to Taiwanese flavours. It has spread worldwide as Taiwanese night market culture has become increasingly celebrated.
Sweet potato starch (or tapioca starch) creates a uniquely craggy, bubbly, extremely crispy coating that remains crispier for longer than wheat flour coatings. The texture is what defines authentic Taiwanese popcorn chicken — worth seeking out at Asian grocery stores.
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
Authenticity sits on a spectrum — what matters more is honoring the technique and balance of flavors. If the dish tastes harmonious and respects how cooks in its home region would build it, you're on solid ground.
Per serving · 4 servings total
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