Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

Name: Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
Total time: 760
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 (2.54 cm); 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon black vinegar; 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine; 1 tablespoon ground white pepper; 1 tablespoon ground chinese five spice; 2 tablespoons garlic, minced; 2 tablespoons ginger, minced; 2 teaspoons brown sugar; 8 cups neutral oil, for frying; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; 2 teaspoons coarsely ground Szechuan peppercorns; 1 tablespoon sea salt; 2 cups tapioca starch; 1 cup fresh thai basil; taiwanese bubble tea; sweet chili sauce

Recipe by Aleya Zenieris from tasty.co

Meal 13 Hr. 40 Mins.

Ingredients

4 servings

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1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 (2.54 cm)
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2 tablespoons soy sauce
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1 tablespoon black vinegar
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1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
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1 tablespoon ground white pepper
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1 tablespoon ground chinese five spice
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2 tablespoons garlic, minced
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2 tablespoons ginger, minced
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2 teaspoons brown sugar

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8 cups neutral oil, for frying
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1 tablespoon smoked paprika
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2 teaspoons coarsely ground Szechuan peppercorns
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1 tablespoon sea salt
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2 cups tapioca starch
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1 cup fresh thai basil
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taiwanese bubble tea
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sweet chili sauce

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine chicken thighs, soy sauce, black vinegar, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, five spice, garlic, ginger, and brown sugar until the chicken is well coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to marinate overnight.
When ready to fry, heat the oil in a medium pot over high heat until the temperature reaches 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, Szechuan peppercorns, and salt.
When the oil is nearly at temperature, add the tapioca starch to the bowl with the chicken and its marinade and toss to coat, pressing firmly so the tapioca starch sticks to the chicken.
Add the Thai basil to the hot oil and fry for 1–2 minutes, until crispy. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to the paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
Working in batches, add the chicken to the hot oil and fry for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to the paper towel-lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle the peppercorn-salt mixture generously over the fried chicken and basil. Serve with your favorite boba drink and sweet chili sauce.
Enjoy!