Taiwanese Salt-and-Pepper Fried Chicken Burger

About This Recipe

Yan su ji, salt-and-pepper popcorn chicken, is one of Taiwan's most recognized night market foods — bite-size marinated chicken fried to a shattering crunch and tossed with white pepper, five-spice salt and fried Thai basil leaves. This burger scales that same marinade and fry technique up to a full chicken thigh cutlet, so you get the same craveable crust and seasoning in a sandwich format. The technique that defines yan su ji is a wet marinade heavy on soy sauce, rice wine and five-spice, followed by a light dusting of sweet potato starch, which fries up crispier and more brittle than regular flour or cornstarch. The Thai basil leaves are fried separately for just a few seconds until they turn translucent and impossibly crisp, then scattered over the top — a completely different result from adding fresh basil, and a signature move in the original dish. While burgers aren't part of Taiwanese food tradition, this sandwich captures the exact flavor and crunch of a night-market favorite, dressed simply with cheese and the same fried basil that makes yan su ji instantly recognizable.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4boneless chicken thighs(pounded to even thickness)
• 3 tbspsoy sauce
• 2 tbsprice wine
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 0.5 tspfive-spice powder
• 1 cupsweet potato starch(or cornstarch)
• 1 literneutral oil(for frying)
• 1 cupThai basil leaves(for frying, plus extra fresh for topping)
• 1 tspwhite pepper
• 4 slicescheese(such as American or cheddar)
• 4burger buns(split)

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the chicken

   Combine soy sauce, rice wine, garlic and five-spice in a bowl. Add chicken thighs, turn to coat, and marinate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge.

2. 2

   Coat the chicken

   Remove chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in sweet potato starch, pressing to help it adhere.

   Sweet potato starch fries up noticeably crispier and more shatter-crisp than flour — it's the ingredient that makes this taste authentically like yan su ji.

3. 3

   Fry the chicken

   Heat oil to 175°C (350°F) in a deep pot. Fry chicken pieces 5 to 6 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through. Drain on a wire rack.

4. 4

   Fry the basil

   Carefully fry the Thai basil leaves in the hot oil for 10 to 15 seconds until they turn translucent and crisp. Remove quickly and drain.

5. 5

   Season and melt cheese

   While the chicken is still hot, sprinkle with white pepper and a pinch of five-spice. Top with a cheese slice so it melts from the residual heat.

6. 6

   Assemble

   Toast the buns and build the burger with the crispy chicken, melted cheese and a scattering of the fried basil leaves on top.

Variations

• •

  Classic yan su ji: skip the bun entirely and serve the fried chicken cut into bite-size pieces with fried basil, the traditional night-market presentation.

• •

  Spicy version: add chili flakes to the seasoning salt for extra heat.

• •

  No-cheese version: skip the cheese for a version closer to the traditional street food, which doesn't include it.

Storage

Fried chicken is best eaten fresh, but leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 200°C (400°F) oven for 10 minutes to re-crisp; the microwave will make the coating soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions