- Prep the chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk together the Kikkoman Soy sauce, Kikkoman Rice Wine, garlic, sugar, salt, white pepper, and Dynasty Chinese Five-spice. Add the chicken and stir well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24.
- Sprinkle the flour and baking powder over the chicken and stir well to coat.
- To a large, wide bowl, add the thick sweet potato starch. Working in batches, place the chicken in the starch and, using chopsticks or a fork, turn them to coat well. Shake off the excess starch and transfer the battered chicken to a clean plate.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Into a large pot or wok fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, pour the oil to a depth of 1 inch. Turn the heat to medium-high, and when the temperature reads 350ºF, working in batches, gently slide the chicken into the oil and fry, turning occasionally, until lightly golden brown, 2–3 minutes. Using a spider skimmer, transfer to the lined baking sheet. Use the skimmer to remove any burnt bits of batter from the oil.
- Turn the heat to high until the oil reaches 375°F, then turn the heat to medium-high. Working in batches, fry the chicken a second time, turning occasionally, until deeply golden brown, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into one of the larger chunks reads 160°F, 1–2 minutes. Using a spider skimmer, transfer back to the lined baking sheet. Add the Thai basil leaves to the hot oil and immediately cover with a lid (it will crackle and spray). Fry until crisp and glossy, about 10 seconds, then use the skimmer to transfer to the lined baking sheet.
- Season the chicken: To a large bowl, add the chicken and basil and season with Dynasty Chinese Five Spice, white pepper, and salt. Cover the bowl and shake it to coat it thoroughly with the seasoning. Serve immediately.
#dynasty #dynastyfoods #TaiwaneseCuisine #PopcornChicken #AsianFlavors #TaiwaneseRecipe #FiveSpiceChicken #HomeCooking #FoodieDelights
