Taiwanese Fried Chicken Recipe

Today, I will discuss the best Taiwanese fried chicken recipe that I’ve posted on this blog. So, let me briefly state again that it is my absolute favorite kind of fried chicken ever. I have a slightly odd relationship with fried chicken. I don’t actually like it to be too crunchy or crispy.

What do I mean by this? Well, if you take a bite of a piece of fried chicken that’s been sitting out on a plate and has gotten cold, what you will be feeling when you chew through the last layer of batter is not the crispiness of the batter itself but rather the juicy succulence of what’s inside. To me, that is what makes the fried chicken so good.

The secret to making the Taiwanese fried chicken recipes taste so good? This glorious soy and ginger marinade. And at the end of the process, you’ll have some Sichuan peppercorn mix leftover, which is okay. You can store it in an airtight container in your pantry, and then sprinkle it over everything from soups to salads. It goes with just about anything.

How to Make the Taiwanese Fried Chicken Recipe?

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Here’s a recipe for Taiwanese fried chicken that’s really easy to make. You can fry it or bake it through an air-fryer or oven, but I prefer to air-fry because it’s healthier than deep-frying. I used chicken breast here, but feel free to use chicken thigh if you want smaller bites with more flavor!

You will find many types of chicken recipes on our site. Here we will discuss Chinese flavor. If you want, you can also take a look at our Australian flavored; Aussie chicken tacos recipe. But before you start, let’s take a look at the necessary equipment, recipe facts, and ingredients.

Ingredients for Fried Chicken Taiwanese Recipe

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I have divided the ingredients into three parts. These are seasoning ingredients, coating ingredients, and seasoning powder for sprinkling ingredients. Let’s take a look at these.

For the seasoning

• 8 chicken thighs or chicken breasts which are preferred by you
• 4 tablespoons of cornstarch or cornflour, are required for tenderizing
• 4 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder (fennel seed, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon)
• 4 tablespoons paprika powder
• 4 tablespoons garlic powder
• 4 tablespoons ground white pepper
• 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons salt like quantity
• 4 teaspoons chili flakes
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine
• 4 minced cloves of garlic

For the coating

• 280 grams of potato or tapioca flour
• 8 tablespoons cornstarch or cornflour
• 4 tablespoons baking powder

Seasoning powder for sprinkling

• 2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions for Taiwanese crispy fried chicken Recipe

This hot star Taiwanese fried chicken recipe is super easy to make and pretty healthy. I used chicken breast here, but feel free to substitute it with chicken thigh if you prefer smaller bites!

1. Butterfly the chicken breasts, or cut them in half lengthwise, so they are one bigger piece. If you prefer smaller pieces, cut each breast lengthwise into two thinner ones. Dip them in the batter and roll them between your palms to tenderize the chicken.
2. Combine all the seasonings in a bowl, mixing well to make a loose paste. Coat each chicken breast with the paste, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Mix together the baking powder and flour, then cover each chicken breast generously with the mixture. Shake off any excess.

For the Taiwanese Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe

1. To keep your chicken breasts from sticking to the basket of your air fryer, spray the basket with cooking oil and brush each chicken breast on both sides with cooking oil before placing them in the basket.
2. Cook at 5-minute intervals, at 205 degrees Celsius or 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush over oil each time and turn over. Cook for a total of 15 minutes, and if the chicken pieces are thicker or bigger they may need another two to three minutes.
3. After cooking, sprinkle the additional seasoning powders over it and let it sit for a few minutes on a wire rack to crisp up.

For the Taiwanese Oven Fried Chicken Recipe

1. Brush each piece of chicken with oil. Place the chicken on a wire rack set in a roasting pan. Bake in the oven at 220 degrees F (105 degrees C) for around 30 minutes, turning over once halfway through.

For the Taiwanese Deep-Fried Chicken Recipe

1. To make crispy fried chicken, heat oil to 180ºC and fry the chicken until golden brown. And don’t let the temperature drop halfway through or your food will be oilier.

Notes for Taiwanese Fried Chicken Recipe

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Mirin is the most popular of all Japanese rice wines. It’s sweet and savory with a hint of umami, which makes it a great substitute for wine in marinades, glazes, and stir-fries. It’s used as a base for many savory sauces and gravies in Japanese cuisine and can even be used to make your own ketchup. The featured recipe calls for mirin and Thai basil, but if you don’t have either on hand, regular Italian basil will work as well.