Craving crispy chicken but don’t want the oily cleanup? This Air Fryer Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken is the snack you’ll crave on repeat without the guilt of enjoying! Because crispy chicken without deep frying is the best kind of healthy adulting.

This crispy air fryer Taiwanese popcorn chicken recipe is a lighter (and arguably easier!) version of the traditional oil-fried Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken! You’ll use a lot less oil & easily step away while the air fryer does the hard work! Enjoy it with a tall icy glass of Thai Iced Milk Tea, Vietnamese Coffee for a strong kick of caffeine, or refreshing Strawberry Matcha Latte with homemade boba pearls made of 3 ingredients!
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🎥 Video: Watch How to Make Air Fryer Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
🥘 Ingredient Tips
- Potato Starch: This is what gives the popcorn chicken insaneee crunch - even from the air fryer! Usually sweet potato starch is used for Taiwanese fried chicken, however, since it’s not as available, potato starch is an incredible substitute! Cornstarch is a common substitute but after much testing, just know that cornstarch doesn’t come close to the crispness potato starch creates! SO HIGHLY recommend grabbing it - plus you can use it for other recipes, like Korean Fried Chicken or super crispy Beijing Beef!
- Chicken: Chicken thighs is where it’s at for juicy Taiwanese popcorn chicken! Use boneless skinless chicken thighs OR debone skin-on chicken thighs for even crispier and more flavorful popcorn chicken! Slice them into 2-inch bite-size pieces - no smaller so they stay juicy!
- Light Soy Sauce: We’re using light soy sauce for its flavor without being overly salty. If you only have regular soy sauce, add a little less.
- Shaoxing Wine: This is a Chinese cooking wine that helps tenderize the meat & gives extra flavor! Easily find it at local Asian markets or online!
- Five Spice: This gives Taiwanese popcorn chicken its signature flavor - so it’s definitely a MUST! It’s a blend of *gasp!* 5 blended spices (star anise, fennel seeds, clove, Sichuan peppercorn, & cinnamon) & much easier to use than buying the spices separately then combining.
- Sichuan Peppercorn: Even though 5-spice has a little already, I like adding a little extra for that tingly & numbing effect only sichuan peppercorns can create!
- Basil: If you can’t find Thai basil at your local Asian market, Italian basil works too.
- High Smoke-Point Oil: Use neutral oil with high smoke-point for frying, such as grapeseed oil (my fave), avocado, peanut, canola, or vegetable oil. Avoid flavored or low-smoke point oils, like olive oil or sesame oil.
- Chili Flakes (optional): If you want to make your Taiwanese fried chicken spicy!
See recipe card for quantities.
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips for Crispy Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
- Dredge Chicken Lightly: You don’t need a thick coating of the potato starch on the chicken like my regular oil-fried Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken recipe. A light to medium dusting will work for a crispy exterior.
- Rest Chicken After the Dredge: This lets the chicken absorb more of the starches vs falling off while cooking. You’ll have less mess to clean & crunchier chicken to enjoy since all your hard work isn’t left on the bottom of the air fryer pan.
- Oil Spray Generously: Since we’re air frying, we’re using significantly less oil than regular frying BUT still need to spray generously to create a crispy exterior! Don’t be shy - don’t leave any dry spots, otherwise, you’ll bite into dry uncooked starch - bleh.
- Season While Hot: While the chicken is still hot, toss the chicken in the seasoning mix so it easily sticks to the chicken. Adjust the amount of seasoning to your preference, then enjoy while still hot, maybe even with Strawberry Matcha Latte, Iced Thai Milk Tea, or creamy Avocado Smoothie with Homemade Tapioca Pearls for a full boba experience at home!

💭 Recipe FAQs
All the chicken to come to room temperature, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat in the air fryer on 400 degrees F for a few minutes until hot & crispy again!
Yes! After the first fry, you can allow them to cool completely to room temperature, then store in a Ziplock or airtight container for up to 1 month for best freshness.
Reheat in the air fryer at 400 degrees F for 5-7 minutes, or until they’re hot & crispy again! Remember to cook in batches to avoid overcrowding so they stay crispy. Sprinkle generously with the seasoning mix & enjoy!
If you can’t find potato starch online or at your local Asian market, you can substitute it with cornstarch or rice flour. The texture won’t be as crispy, but you’ll still get a decent crunch to enjoy them!
🍗 More Easy Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love!
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Air Fryer Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
Equipment
- Air Fryer I LOVE this air fryer because it has a huge basket so you can cook a lot more in just one batch! It's also super easy to clean!
Ingredients
MARINADE:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thigh cut in 2-inch pieces
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon 5-spice
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 egg white
SEASONING:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon 5-spice seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ -¼ teaspoon ground szechuan peppercorn
BREADING:
- 1 cup potato starch
- 3 ½ tablespoons water separated
INGREDIENTS:
- Handful basil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken and marinade ingredients - chicken, minced garlic, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, 5-spice, white pepper, & egg white. Massage the marinate into the chicken until it’s fully absorbed. Cover & marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- In a small bowl, combine the seasoning mix - salt, 5-spice, white pepper, sugar, garlic powder, and ground Szechuan peppercorn. If you haven’t had szechuan peppercorn before, start with a little, taste, and adjust if you’d like more for that tingly-numbing effect! Be careful not to add too much though, otherwise, it’ll overpower with a strong floral flavor.
- Prep the dredge by pouring potato starch onto a large bowl. Drizzle water & use your fingers to mix and create crumbles in the starch.
- Add a few pieces of chicken to the dredge at a time, pressing or scrunching the potato starch & its crumbles into the chicken so it really sticks. Shake off excess starch so there's a light coating. Repeat for remaining chicken & let chicken rest for 10-15 minutes - this will help the starch better stick to the chicken instead of falling off when cooking!
- Pre-heat air fryer to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil the airfryer rack, then add the chicken in an even layer, working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. There should be a little space between the chicken to allow airflow to crisp up the chicken! Spray with a little oil, then cook for 8-12 minutes, or until golden & cooked through. Flip halfway through & spray a little more oil on any dry spots.
- Remove chicken, add basil leaves & spray with oil. Cook for about 1-3 minutes, or until crispy, then remove.
- In a large bowl, toss together chicken, basil leaves, and a generous seasoning to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- Potato Starch: This creates a crunchy crust for the chicken! You can easily find it at local Asian markets or Amazon. A common alternative is cornstarch, but keep in mind your chicken won't be nearly as crispy, so I HIGHLY recommend grabbing potato starch 🙂
- Szechuan Peppercorns: This gives a tingly numbing affect that has no substitute! If you haven't tried it, add a little then you can always add more.
- Key Tips:
- Dredge Chicken Lightly
- Rest Chicken After the Dredge
- Oil Spray Generously
- Season While Hot
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
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