Taiwanese deep fried chicken is juicy and tender inside, with golden crispy skin and so much flavor!
Fried chicken is one of the most popular street snacks in Taiwan. I inherited this deep fried chicken recipe from my grandmother. It uses garlic, ginger, and five-spice powder to flavor the marinade and breading.
It makes the chicken full of earthly flavor. I think you’ll love it when you eat it and can’t stop. It’s better than Kentucky and TKK fried chicken.
the best fried chicken
Fried chicken is one of the most popular, AND most ordered chicken recipes in the world. BUT often chicken becomes too dry or doesn’t have enough flavor or seasoning.
Here comes our recipe: simple, quick, and easy. Just pour a good marinade over our chicken, dip the chicken in the breading and fry.
marinade chicken
All you need for this is a handful of spice ingredients: Ginger, garlic, sugar, five-spice powder, soy sauce, white pepper, water (or beer), and cornstarch.
Adding all of these ingredients to your chicken will give you MAGIC and the perfect balance.
The ginger, garlic, and five-spice powder give the chicken a special Asian flavor.
how to make homemade fried chicken:
Compared to all the other chicken recipes on this blog, this one may have more steps BUT they’re all worth it:
- marinade chicken
- mix all fried chicken breading
- heat the oil to 320F/160C
- fried chicken
- deep fry chicken 2nd time
Each step guarantees to give you the best possible outcome and one chicken dinner you will never forget.
fried chicken breading
For the best flavor combination, the breading is made up of a combination of five ingredients!
- Flour – plain, white all-purpose flour.
- Cornstarch or Tapioca Starch – makes chicken crispier and crunchier.
- Five-spice powder, white pepper, salt – the secret spices of Taiwanese fried chicken flavor.
how long to fry chicken
Size of the chicken. Generally, a chicken needs to cook about 12-15 minutes for dark brown meat and 8-10 minutes for golden brown meat.
Frying time for each cut of chicken:
- Whole chicken wings: 6-8 minutes
- Drumettes and flats/wingettes: 4-6 minutes
- Drumsticks: 9-11 minutes
- Whole bone-in chicken thighs: 9-11 minutes
Check out my other post for tips and tricks on how to make fried chicken with tips. As long as you know these little secret recipes, you can make fried chicken easier and tastier.
fried chicken temperature
The best temperature is 320F/160C.
But how can you tell if it’s the right temperature if you don’t have a thermometer? Chinese restaurants do it this way: they sprinkle some flour in the pan. When the pan bubbles, the chicken is ready to fry. Then you can fry the chicken.
what oil to use for deep frying
You should use an oil with a high smoke point, that’s, it can reach high temperatures without turning into smoke.
For example, sunflower oil, corn oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oils. Don’t use olive oil.
PRO TIP:
- After you’ve dipped the breading, you should let it sit for 5 minutes before frying. This way, the powder will adhere to the meat better and it’ll be crispier and not come off during frying.
- When you fry the chicken, make sure you add the same parts (in that order – thighs, drums, wings) at the same time so they cook evenly.
- When you are frying the chicken, after 5 minutes, add another bowl of oil to prevent it from overheating and keep the temperature at about 320F/160C. Since the meat is thicker, it’ll take a little longer to fry.
what do you eat fried chicken with
In Taiwan, people drink beer and soft drinks instead. Bubble tea, matcha tea, tea drinks, or healthier drinks such as fresh fruit drinks or taro milk are very popular to eat with fried chicken.
If the fried chicken is a side dish, add egg-fried rice, potstickers, or dumplings as a main course.
other chicken recipes.
Moo Goo Gai Pan
Korean Fried Chicken
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Mongolian Chicken
Chicken and Broccoli
Moo Shu Chicken
If you want to try TKK fried chicken or learn about it, you can go to TKKUSA.
Ingredients
MARINADE CHICKEN:
- 1 Whole chicken
- 500cc water or beer
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon each: sugar, five-spice powder
soy sauce, cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
FRIED CHICKEN BREADING:
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- 1/2 cup cornstarch or Tapioca starch (150g)
- 1 tablespoon each: five-spice powder, white pepper, salt
- 5 cups (1.2 liter) Vegetable oil, or as needed for deep frying
Instructions
- Marinade chicken- Cut the whole chicken into 4 breasts, 4 thighs, 4 legs, and 4 wings. Prepare a large bowl, add the chicken and marinade ingredients, mix well, and set aside for 20 minutes, but the longer the better (up to 24 hours). (Note 1)
- Mix all fried chicken breading- you can do this in a tray or shallow dish. Dip a piece of your chicken into the mixture and cover it completely. (Note 2)If you want thick breading, you need to dip the breading twice. After the first dip, you dip the egg then dip the breading again.
- Heat the oil to 320F/160C – in a heavy pan on the stove or in a deep fryer. (Note 3)
- Fried chicken- Carefully place your chicken in the oil in groups of 3 (max 4), making sure to add the same parts (in that order – thighs, drums, wings) at the same time so they cook evenly. (Note 4)After 5 minutes, add another bowl of oil and continue frying them until they're golden brown. Pick up the fried chicken and set it aside. (Note 5)
- Deep fry chicken 2nd time: heat the oil to 356F/180C and deep fry the chicken again for 1~2 minutes. The main purpose is to remove the excess oil so that it won't be greasy and will be more crispy.
- Take the chicken out of the oil and drain it on a rack with paper towels when it's done. Sprinkle salt on top to draw out the last bit of moisture and bring out the seasoning.
Tips & Notes:
- Marinade chicken- For thicker chicken, like chicken breasts and legs, poke a few holes in it with a fork to allow the marinade to soak in well.
- Chicken breading– After you’ve dipped the breading, you should let it sit for 5 minutes before frying. This way, the powder will adhere to the meat better and it’ll be crispier and not come off during frying.
- Oil temperature- Sprinkle some flour into the pan. If the pan is bubbling, it means the chicken is ready to fry. Then you can fry the chicken. This way you can tell the right temperature without a thermometer.
- Fry the chicken, make sure you add the same parts (in that order – thighs, drums, wings) at the same time so they cook evenly.
- Add another bowl of oil– When you are frying the chicken, after 5 minutes, add another bowl of oil to prevent it from overheating and keep the temperature at about 320F/160C. Since the meat is thicker, it’ll take a little longer to fry.
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