Taiwanese salt and pepper chicken (basil peppercorn chicken or yan su ji) is one of my husband’s favorite during sports event just like Olympic Game this year. He is the happiest man in the world when served with fried chicken and chilled beer.
Personally I don’t like to make deep-fried dishes at home because usually a large mount of oil is needed. With the hope of saving some oil, I use a smaller pot and fry the chicken by 4 batches (I hope to be a saving cook).
About the ingredients for this salt and pepper peppercorn chicken
I use chicken thigh instead of chicken breast. Chinese really do not like chicken breast even in the famous Kung Pao Chicken. Boneless chicken thigh is our favorite. Remove the skins and the bones and cut chicken into bite sizes.
The flour for coating is sweet potato flour, which is an extremely popular flour used in many Chinese cuisines including Szechuan cuisine. We made a large bag using the sweet potatoes growing in our own field each year. Most of the sweet potato flour is coarse-textured, which will give the characteristic crumbly texture on the surface. You can try to search it in Asian grocers, otherwise use cornstarch or all-purpose flour to replace it. But you may end up with slightly different looking.
You will need
- 2 boneless chicken thigh (around 320g)
- 2/3 cup sweet potato starch (or you can use other starch to replace it )
- 1 small bunch of basil
- oil for deep-frying
Marinating
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon beer
- 1/8 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 egg (smaller one)
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon of salt
Mixed seasonings powder
- 1 tablespoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
Instructions
Clean fresh basil leaves and drain completely with kitchen paper.
Mix all the marinating ingredients with chicken meat. Combine well and set aside in fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Add half of the flour and mix well.
Heat up oil to 170 degree C. Place the remaining flour in a plate and coat each chicken piece with a thin layer of flour.
Slow the heat to medium heat and fry the chicken pieces for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown.
Transfer out and cool down slightly (around 2 to 3 minutes)
Reheat the oil around 150 degree C and then add basil leaves in. And then continue heating the oil until really hot, return the fried chicken pieces to fry for around half minute.
To make mixed seasonings: mix the ingredients together and toast in a pan over low–medium heat until fragrant. Sprinkle the seasonings on the fried chicken and serve immediately.
- 2 boneless chicken thigh , around 320g
- 2/3 cup sweet potato starch , or you can use other starch to replace it
- 1 small bunch of basil
- oil for deep-frying
- 1.5 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. beer
- 1/8 tsp. Chinese five spice powder
- 3 garlic cloves , finely grinded
- 1 egg , smaller one
- 1 tsp. white pepper
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. white pepper
- 1/2 tsp. Chinese five spice
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. curry powder
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Clean fresh basil leaves and drain completely with kitchen paper.
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Mix all the marinating ingredients with chicken meat. Combine well and set aside in fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
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Add half of the flour in the marinating bowl and mix well.
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Heat up oil to 170 degree C. Place the remaining flour in the plate and coat each chicken pieces with a thin layer of flour.Slow the heat to medium heat and fry the chicken pieces for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown.Transfer out and cool down slightly (around 2 to 3 minutes).
-
Reheat the oil around 150 degree C and then add basil leaves in. And then continue heating the oil until really hot, return the fried chicken pieces to fry for around half minute.
-
Mix the ingredients together and toast in a dry frypan over low–medium heat until fragrant.
-
Sprinkle the seasonings; serve immediately with chilled beer.
I think I made too much. Can you make ahead and freeze (marinade) before adding the potato starch? Then when ready to use, thaw, add the starch and fry. Not sure if this will work. Thanks!
100% workable. But if you want to marinate the meat ahead, remember to use less salt as the meat goes salty along with the marinating time.
Hi Elaine,
Woudl you please post the sweet potato flour in Chinese so I can purchase the correct product, Some Engklish labels use sweet potatom yam, and taro, etc. interghangeably.
My children love this dish, but it is quite costly at resturants here in Canada. Will try making this at home.
Thank you in advance!
Hi Michael,
This Chinese name of sweet potato flour should be “红薯粉” , it should be the flour from “红薯”.
Hi Elaine,
I made this recipe for my family this evening and it was delicious. Even though I have lived in China, I had never before eaten this dish. Your recipe was fantastic…thanks!
Greg
Greg,
Thanks. It was not popular in Mainland China previously but now obtain the attention on small food streets. It is one of my favorite snack.
In the photo it looks like you also added an egg yolk with the chicken but it is not listed in the Ingredients, which one is correct?
Hi Cindy,
I list one egg in the ingredient list.
Hi Elaine,
You mention you make your own sweet potato flour from the sweet potatoes you grow. Can you tell me please how you make the flour? Do you slice up the potatoes and dehydrate them, then grate into a flour? Thank you.
Just tried this out and it was delicious thank you!
My pleasure Tom. Glad to get this feedback.
I’m really bad at commenting on things, however, I’ve made this numerous times and it’s always good (especially with a beer on the side!) Today I’m trying it with chicken hearts so fingers crossed 🤞🏽你的食谱都超级好！我朋友们都以为我是最棒的厨师，其实你是最好的老师😊
This recipe is so delicious! I’ve made it several times now; the chicken is always so tender and the outside so tasty and crunchy. Thanks so much Elaine!
Thanks Jenny for your lovely feedback!! I am a big fan of this version too. Really great with beers.
Hi Elaine, I’m planning to make this for my boyfriend, but he has an egg allergy. Do you know if there’s anything I could replace the egg with? Thank you!
Jun,
Then you can skip egg, and add another 45ml water to increase the moisture.
Is there a substitute for the beer?
Sure, you can use water.