Taiwanese Air-Fryer Popcorn Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs (Raw; dice into small 1-inch pieces)
• 0.5 tsp white pepper (For the marinade)
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder (For the marinade)
• 1.5 tbsp garlic (Minced)
• 1 tbsp ginger (Minced)
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 egg white (Use the white only; discard the yolk)
• 0.75 cup coarse potato starch (For coating the chicken)
• 1 second cooking oil spray (Spray the air-fryer tray and lightly spray the coated chicken)
• 0.5 tsp salt (For the finishing seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp five-spice powder (For the finishing seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp brown sugar (For the finishing seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp white pepper (For the finishing seasoning)
• 1 cup Thai basil (Add on top of the cooked chicken before the final air-frying)

Steps

1. 1

   Dice the raw chicken thighs into small pieces about 1 inch in size.

2. 2

   In a bowl, combine the marinade ingredients: white pepper, Chinese five-spice powder, minced garlic, minced ginger, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and the egg white. Mix until combined.

3. 3

   Add the diced chicken to the marinade and toss thoroughly so all pieces are coated. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. 4

   Pour the coarse potato starch onto a plate. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and fully coat each piece in the potato starch.

5. 5

   Spray the air-fryer tray with cooking oil. Arrange the potato-starch-coated chicken pieces on the tray, then lightly spray the tops of the chicken with additional cooking oil.

6. 6

   Air-fry the chicken at 390°F for 13–15 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through, until they are crispy and golden brown.

7. 7

   Scatter the Thai basil over the cooked chicken, then air-fry for an additional 2–3 minutes.

8. 8

   In a small bowl, mix the salt, five-spice powder, brown sugar, and white pepper to make the finishing seasoning.

9. 9

   Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the cooked chicken and serve.

Notes

The listed quantities make 2 servings. The creator reports approximately 531 calories, 49 g protein, 53 g carbohydrates, and 10 g fat per serving. Marinating can be done for 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Taiwanese
• East Asian
• air-fried
• high-protein
• low-calorie
• crispy
• chicken