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Taiwanese popcorn chicken is a fun and easy way to experience the bold night market flavors of Taiwan at home! Super crispy and savory from the inside out, this recipe can be made in an air fryer, oven, or stovetop—perfect for a party, BBQ, or family dinner!
I’ll show you how to season the chicken for a bold flavor and get that signature craggy crunch using gluten-free sweet potato starch—no deep fryer required. For another Asian market favorite, try my Taiwanese fried chicken cutlets!
Table of Contents
What is Taiwan popcorn chicken
In Taiwan, this dish is called yan su ji—“yan” means salt, “su” means crispy or crunchy, and “ji” means chicken. It’s a popular street food that comes from Taiwan’s vibrant night markets.
The chicken is cut into bite-sized pieces, just like popcorn, so you can pop them right into your mouth. Night market food is often served in paper containers with toothpicks, making it easy to snack on while walking through the crowds.
What makes this dish special is its bold seasoning—a fragrant mix of cinnamon, star anise, and white pepper—plus the aromatic fried basil leaves, which give it that signature Taiwanese flavor.
You’ll often see popcorn chicken sold alongside boba tea in Taiwanese shops and night markets!
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The secret to that craggy, ultra-crispy coating
This dish gets its signature crunch from coarse sweet potato starch—not regular flour or cornstarch. The thick granules puff up when cooked, giving you that bumpy, golden shell you see in real Taiwan night markets.
You can find it at Asian grocery stores or online. If you don’t have it, don’t worry—I’ve included a simple water trick in the recipe card to recreate the texture with regular starch.
How to make Taiwanese popcorn chicken
For the recipe measurements and details, please see my recipe card below.
Step 1: Dice the chicken into bite-sized chunks so they cook evenly and stay juicy
Cut the chicken thighs into 1.5-inch pieces. This size is perfect for even cooking and gives you that signature popcorn-like bite. Thighs work best here—they’re naturally more flavorful and stay moist after frying.
Step 2: Marinate the chicken to build layers of bold Taiwanese flavor
The marinade adds that classic salty, garlicky, five-spice flavor straight into the meat. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, or even better, overnight. This also helps tenderize the chicken and keeps it juicy in the center after cooking
Step 3: Pat the basil dry so it fries up light and crispy (not soggy or oily)
Wet basil will splatter in the pan or air fryer. Give the leaves a gentle rinse and then pat them completely dry with a clean kitchen towel. This step makes a huge difference in getting that shatter-crisp basil finish.
Step 4: Press the starch onto the chicken for a craggy, crunchy coating
Use your hands to press the coarse sweet potato starch onto the chicken pieces. This helps the coating stick.
Step 5: Air Fryer: Spray well so the coating crisps up without turning powdery
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Lay the chicken in a single layer and spray generously with oil until you no longer see any white starch spots. This step is key to getting a golden crust. Add basil halfway through—just make sure to coat it with oil so it crisps, not burns.
Stovetop: Shallow-fry in hot oil for a super crispy finish
Heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat until bubbles form around a chopstick. Fry the chicken in batches so the oil stays hot and the crust sets. Only fry the basil for a few seconds at the end—it burns fast but adds so much aroma.
Oven: Bake hot and flip for even crisp on all sides
Crank your oven to 450°F and space the chicken out on a lined sheet pan. Spray with oil and bake, flip, spray again, and finish baking with the basil. This double-bake method helps crisp the coating without drying it out.
Step 6: Toss the chicken while hot with the seasoning mix and crushed basil
As soon as the chicken’s done, toss it with the seasoning mix while it’s still hot. This helps the spices stick. Don’t forget to crush the fried basil and scatter it on top—it brings everything together with that savory, herbal crunch.
What to serve it with
These crispy chicken bites are perfect for parties, summer BBQs, and fun family meals! Here are some tasty pairing ideas for an authentic night market experience.
- Chilled Taiwanese Sides: Perfect for outdoor parties, try my Asian cucumber salad, savory soy sauce eggs, or this creamy no-cook silken tofu recipe—ready in 5 minutes!
- Noodle Dishes: You can’t get more authentic than Taiwanese cold sesame noodles or Taiwanese cold peanut noodles. A perfect street food pairing.
- Drinks: Wash it all down with this dairy-free Japanese royal milk tea—served hot or cold—or this sweet and creamy strawberry almond milk drink.
FAQ
Salt, five-spice, white pepper, garlic powder, and a pinch of Sichuan peppercorn (optional)—this final sprinkle is key for authentic Taiwan chicken flavor.
Yes! Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–15 minutes or in the air fryer at 360°F (182°C) for 5–6 minutes until hot and crispy again.
Try these Taiwanese recipes next!
If you loved this air fryer Taiwanese popcorn chicken, don’t miss out on my other Taiwanese recipes! They’re authentic and flavorful, just like the dishes I grew up with.
- Dan bing (Taiwanese egg pancake)
- Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese braised pork rice)
- Taiwanese beef noodle soup
Taiwanese popcorn chicken recipe
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1.25 lb chicken thighs skinless and boneless
- 0.85 oz garlic cloves grated
- 0.3 oz ginger grated
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos or 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp untoasted sesame oil or olive oil
- ½ tbsp mirin optional
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves or Italian basil
Coating and oil:
- 8 tbsp coarse sweet potato starch labels with "THICK" on packaging (See notes)
- Avocado oil
For serving – Taiwanese popcorn chicken seasoning mix:
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- ¼ tsp five spice powder
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder optional
Instructions
To prepare:
- Dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces (about 1.5-inch | 3.8 cm chunks).
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken with garlic, ginger, soy sauce (or coconut aminos), five-spice, salt, peppers, sesame oil, and mirin (if using). Mix well. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or best overnight in the fridge.
- Rinse and pat dry the basil leaves. Set aside.
- Place the sweet potato starch in a large bowl. One by one, dip the chicken into the starch, coating it on all sides. Use your hands to gently press it in to help adhere. Transfer to a large plate and repeat until all the chicken is coated.
Air fry method:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C). Spray the basket with avocado oil. Add the chicken in a single layer, leaving space between each piece.
- Spray a generous amount of oil on top—make sure to coat the chicken until you don’t see any dry white spots of starch. This helps the coating crisp up evenly and prevents a powdery texture. Air fry for 6 minutes. Open the basket, flip the chicken, and add the basil leaves.
- Spray more oil over everything, especially the basil leaves—they need a good coating so they turn crispy, not dry or papery. Air fry for another 4 minutes. Remove the basil and set aside. Let the chicken rest on a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining chicken if needed.
Stovetop method:
- In a 4 qt. Dutch oven, heat ½ cup avocado oil over medium to medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes. Test the oil with a wooden chopstick—if bubbles form around it, it’s hot enough.
- Add the chicken and pan-fry for 3 minutes on one side, then 2–3 minutes on the other, until golden and cooked through. Drain on a paper towel.
- Lower heat to medium-low. Add the basil (use a splatter guard!) and fry for 5 seconds. Remove and drain.
Oven method:
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment and spray lightly with oil. Place the chicken on the sheet with space between pieces.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken, add basil, and spray everything with more oil.
- Bake for another 10 minutes, until the chicken is golden and the basil crispy.
To serve:
- Transfer the chicken onto a serving plate, while hot, sprinkle the chicken generously with the popcorn chicken seasoning mix. Crush the fried basil and scatter it on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chicken thighs are best for this recipe—they have more crevices to hold the coating and crisp up nicely.
- Using chicken breasts? Add 1 tsp baking soda to the marinade to tenderize the meat. Cook 1–2 minutes less since white meat cooks faster.
- Cooling rack = extra crunch. Let the chicken rest on a rack after cooking to keep it crispy.
- Dry basil is key to avoiding oil splatters and getting that light crisp. You’ll find the exact cooking steps in each method section above.
- If you can’t find coarse sweet potato starch: Use tapioca starch or regular (fine) sweet potato starch instead. To mimic the crumbly texture, gradually drizzle in ½ to 1 teaspoon of water for every 8 tablespoons of starch. Stir the starch constantly with chopsticks or a fork as you add the water. You’ll start to see tiny clumps form—like coarse grains or small pebbles—which help the coating stick and crisp up better when cooked. Go slow! Adding too much water will turn the starch gummy.
- Storage, Meal Prep, Reheat: Taiwanese popcorn chicken will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. For meal prep, marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance for even deeper flavor. To reheat, use a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–15 minutes or an air fryer at 360°F (182°C) for 5–6 minutes until hot and crispy again.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made a dish and loved it? Please rate the recipe and leave a comment in the section below! It helps my blog grow organically, allowing me to continue sharing free and awesome content with you. Thank you!
This is my absolute favorite air fryer chicken recipe! Love the spices. The crispy basil is nice but I’ve done it without to save time and have loved it just as much.
Thank you! That sounds wonderful!
Every since we came back from a visit to Taipei, my partner and I have been looking for ways to remake these Taiwanese style popcorn chickens at home. I’m so glad we gave this recipe a try. It’s easy to make with accessible ingredients and the flavor tastes just like the ones we had at Taiwan night markets. SO GOOD! Thank you so much. Now I know how to make them!
These chicken bites were so crunchy! We made it for the family this past weekend and everyone LOVED the dish. They were GONE in minutes! Next time, I’ll try making them in air fryer, too! So good!
These Taiwanese popcorn chicken reminded me of what I had at Shilin night market! Absolutely crunchy with authentic flavor. Also appreciate the ingredient links and substitute suggestions. Easy to make. Highly recommend it!