Taiwanese Fried Chicken (XXL)

Taiwanese XXL Fried Chicken wrapped in paper.

5 from 4 votes

Taiwanese Fried Chicken (XXL)

This Taiwanese Fried Chicken (XXL) is a night market staple that you can find all over Taiwan! The chicken is pounded to an extra extra large size and fried to golden perfection then seasoned with a delicious spice blend!

Prep Time1

Cook Time6

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Ingredients

Chicken

2 chicken breasts 1 per person
2 cups coarse sweet potato flour
3 cups neutral oil for frying; I used avocado oil
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic grated
1/2 inch ginger grated

Spice Blend

1/2 tsp five spice powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Butterfly the chicken breast with a knife & pound the fillet to a 1/4" thickness.
Add the chicken to a bowl and add light soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, garlic, and ginger and mix to combine. Let rest in fridge for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours in the fridge).
Dredge the marinated chicken in sweet potato flour, ensuring there are no bald spots on the chicken. Let rest while you heat up the neutral oil in a large pot.
Fry at 350°F for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown.
In a small bowl, mix the Spice Blend ingredients. Sprinkle the spices onto the chicken and enjoy!

Notes

Marinate the 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!

Sweet Potato Flour - Sweet Potato Flour is a key ingredient in making Taiwanese Fried Chicken (XXL). The bag may also be labeled "sweet potato starch". You must use the "coarse" or "thick" version - the coarse texture is what gives the craggily, crunch that is synonymous with Taiwanese Fried Chicken. I purchase mine from my local Chinese grocery (99 Ranch) but you can also find it on Amazon. If you cannot find this, you can substitute with tapioca flour or even cornstarch - however, I recommend drizzling a little bit of marinade into the flour or starch to create the craggily bits before dredging.

Avoid Bald Spots When Dredging - Make sure to pack in the sweet potato flour - you want to avoid any bald spots! Make sure the chicken is wet from the marinade to ensure the dredge sticks well.

Watch the 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 and lead to your Taiwanese Fried Chicken being soggy.

Storage + Reheating - You can store any leftover Taiwanese Fried Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat the chicken, I prefer the air fryer – reheat the chicken for 8-10 minutes at 350°F or in the oven at 400° for 15 minutes. The exterior should be crispy while keeping the inside juicy!

Nutrition