Air Frying Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken thighs or breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine or cooking wine
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1 cup potato starch or cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Fresh basil leaves (for frying)
• Salt (to taste)

Instructions

1. Marinate the Chicken: In a bowl, combine minced garlic, soy sauce, rice wine, five-spice powder, and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces and mix well. Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.
2. Coat the Chicken: After marination, sprinkle the potato starch or cornstarch over the chicken pieces and toss until well coated.
3. Preheat the Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 200°C (400°F) for about 5 minutes.
4. Air Fry the Chicken: Arrange the coated chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray a little oil over the chicken for extra crispiness. Cook for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to ensure even cooking.
5. Fry the Basil (optional): In the last few minutes of cooking the chicken, you can add fresh basil leaves to the air fryer basket. They will fry quickly and become crispy.
6. Serve: Once the chicken is golden and crispy, remove it from the air fryer. Adjust seasoning with a bit of salt if needed. Serve hot with the fried basil on top.