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Taiwanese popcorn chicken with five spice and crispy basil on a lined tray

Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken

Taiwanese night market popcorn chicken, five spice and white pepper forward, crisped in the air fryer with a handful of crackly basil leaves.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 245
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 600 g chicken breast about 1.3 lb, cut into 2.5 cm bites
  • 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 tsp five spice powder plus 0.5 tsp for dusting
  • 0.5 tsp white pepper plus a pinch for dusting
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 5 tbsp coarse sweet potato starch or cornstarch, see notes
  • 1 handful Thai basil leaves about 20 leaves, fully dry
  • 0.5 tsp fine salt for dusting

Method
 

  1. Marinate the chicken in the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, garlic, five spice, white pepper, and sugar for at least 15 minutes, or up to overnight in the fridge.
  2. Stir the beaten egg into the marinated chicken. Spread the sweet potato starch on a plate and roll the pieces through it a few at a time, pressing so the coarse granules stick. Let the coated pieces rest 5 minutes so the starch hydrates and stops looking dusty.
  3. Spray the air fryer basket with oil, add the chicken in a single layer, and spray the tops generously. Any dry white patches of starch will stay pale and chalky, so hit them all.
  4. Air fry at 200C (400F) for 10 to 12 minutes, turning the pieces halfway and spraying again, until deep golden and crunchy. Work in two batches; a crowded basket steams.
  5. Toss the basil leaves with a tiny spray of oil and air fry them on top of the last batch for the final 2 minutes until translucent and crisp.
  6. Tip everything into a bowl, dust with the extra five spice, white pepper, and salt while hot, and toss with the crispy basil. Eat immediately.