A ubiquitous fast food sold by street vendors and/or in night markets throughout Taiwan, these fried chicken tenders are soooo amazingly crisp and flavorful! Mom likes to use pork or squid instead of chicken, and I believe there are even some vegetarian versions using mushrooms or potatoes. But the essential ingredients are typically a marinade of soy, garlic, rice wine, sugar and 5-spice powder for the meat, seafood, or veggies, potato starch for dredging, a salt-pepper seasoning, and fried basil leaves for garnish. I myself prefer using boneless, skinless chicken thighs and, instead of frying the basil leaves, I actually briefly stir fry them along with some sliced fresh red chiles and the crispy chicken just before serving. Great with steamed white rice on the side and some ice cold Taiwan beer.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat & cut into 1/2" x 2" slices.
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. rice wine
1/4 tsp. 5 spice powder
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 cups potato starch or potato flour
4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups fresh Taiwan or Thai basil leaves
3-4 red Jalapeno or Fresno chiles, seeded & sliced
1 tsp. roasted Szechuan pepper-salt
1. Trim the fat from the chicken thighs and slice into 1/2" x 2" pieces. Place in a bowl and marinate with the minced garlic, rice wine, 5-spice powder, sugar, and soy sauce. Cover & refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Heat 4 cups of oil in a wok or deep saute pan over medium high heat.
3. Place 2 cups of potato starch/flour in a shallow bowl or plate; dredge the chicken pieces in flour until well coated.
4. Add the chicken to the hot oil and fry for about 5 minutes or until lightly golden (do not overcrowd - fry in 2 or 3 batches at a time). Remove the cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined platter.
5. After all the chicken pieces have been fried, pour out all but 2 tsp. of oil from the pan. Heat over medium high heat, then add the sliced chiles and cook for 20-30 seconds. Add the fried chicken slices & basil and toss for another 20-30 seconds until well-combined. Season with 1 tsp. of pepper-salt and then remove the chicken to a serving dish.
6. Garnish with additional fresh basil and serve with steamed white rice.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat & cut into 1/2" x 2" slices.
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. rice wine
1/4 tsp. 5 spice powder
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 cups potato starch or potato flour
4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups fresh Taiwan or Thai basil leaves
3-4 red Jalapeno or Fresno chiles, seeded & sliced
1 tsp. roasted Szechuan pepper-salt
1. Trim the fat from the chicken thighs and slice into 1/2" x 2" pieces. Place in a bowl and marinate with the minced garlic, rice wine, 5-spice powder, sugar, and soy sauce. Cover & refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Heat 4 cups of oil in a wok or deep saute pan over medium high heat.
3. Place 2 cups of potato starch/flour in a shallow bowl or plate; dredge the chicken pieces in flour until well coated.
4. Add the chicken to the hot oil and fry for about 5 minutes or until lightly golden (do not overcrowd - fry in 2 or 3 batches at a time). Remove the cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined platter.
5. After all the chicken pieces have been fried, pour out all but 2 tsp. of oil from the pan. Heat over medium high heat, then add the sliced chiles and cook for 20-30 seconds. Add the fried chicken slices & basil and toss for another 20-30 seconds until well-combined. Season with 1 tsp. of pepper-salt and then remove the chicken to a serving dish.
6. Garnish with additional fresh basil and serve with steamed white rice.
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Marinate chicken slices with minced garlic, soy sauce, sugar, 5-spice powder, and rice wine.
Roasted Szechuan peppercorn-salt (from Penzey's), Shaohsing rice wine, soy sauce, and 5-spice powder.
Dredge the marinated chicken slices in the potato starch.
Fry the chicken in batches over medium high heat (about 5 minutes, or until slightly golden-brown).
Drain the chicken on paper towels.
Remove all but about 2 tsp. of oil from the pan. Saute the chiles about 20-30 seconds.
Add the chicken.
Stir in the basil and saute briefly until well-combined. Season with 1 tsp. of pepper-salt.
You don't need a dipping sauce for these tenders - just serve with some steamed white rice.
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