Taiwanese Fried Chicken (XXL)

Ingredients for Taiwanese Fried Chicken (XXL)

• CHICKEN – Taiwanese Fried Chicken (XXL) is traditionally made with chicken breast but if you prefer dark meat, you can substitute with chicken thigh! I like to make it both ways, depending on what I have in my refrigerator.
• COARSE SWEET POTATO FLOUR – This is a KEY ingredient in making Taiwanese Fried Chicken (XXL), as it is what makes for the unique crunch! I get mine from 99 Ranch but I’ve also seen it sold on Amazon. The bag may be labeled ‘sweet potato starch’ – it’ll be labeled as ‘thick’ for the coarse kind. If you cannot find this, you can sub with tapioca flour or cornstarch – you can drizzle a little bit of marinade into the flour or starch to create some craggily bits.
• WHITE PEPPER – I get asked all the time if you can sub black pepper for white pepper – and my answer is, it depends BUT you need to watch the ratio. White pepper has a milder flavor profile than black pepper, so it’s a 1-1 substitute. I would start with less black pepper and add as you go. (But really, you should have white pepper in your pantry! It’s a staple in mine!)
• FIVE SPICE POWDER – Five Spice Powder is a commonly used spice blend in Chinese cooking – you can make your own at home but it’s also easily obtained at most grocery stores. It’s comprised of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds.

Recipe Tips for Taiwanese Fried Chicken (XXL)

MARINATE YOUR CHICKEN

• I highly recommend you marinate your chicken for at least 1 hour but up to 24 hours in the fridge. Marinating your protein is an easy way to build flavor in your dishes. You also need the moisture from the marinade for the dredge to stick properly!

NO BALD SPOTS

• Make sure to pack in the sweet potato flour – you want to avoid any bald spots on your Taiwanese Fried Chicken (XXL)!

OIL TEMPERATURE

• Do not let your frying oil drop below 325-350F when frying! I highly recommend you use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. Frying at a low temperature will result in too much moisture (AKA SOGGY Taiwanese Fried Chicken!)

If you tried this Taiwanese Fried Chicken (XXL) or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!