25-Min Taiwanese XXL Fried Chicken Recipe

I remember wandering through Taiwan’s Shilin Night Market, amazed by the energy and the endless rows of food stalls. Then came that first bite of Taiwanese XXL Fried Chicken—crispy, juicy perfection! Today, I’m bringing that unforgettable taste back to our kitchen with this quick and satisfying take on Taiwanese XXL Fried Chicken—done in just 25 minutes! Welcome to our new series of 30-minute or less Asian recipes!

Taiwanese XXL Fried Chicken Recipe

Serving: 2
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the chicken:
1 large chicken breast
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
¼ teaspoon five-spice powder
¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 cloves garlic, grated
3 cups cooking oil (high smoke point like avocado, grapeseed, or peanut oil)

For the batter:
4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups sweet potato starch (thick)

For the seasonings:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Taiwanese XXL Fried Chicken Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken:

• Butterfly the chicken breast. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to flatten evenly.
• Transfer to a mixing bowl and marinate with soy sauce, rice wine, five-spice powder, white pepper, and garlic. Let it sit while prepping the rest.

2. Prepare the seasoning:

• Mix salt, five-spice powder, white pepper, and paprika in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. Coat the chicken:

• In a bowl, whisk together cornstarch and eggs.
• Dip the marinated chicken into the mixture.
• Then coat with thick sweet potato starch for extra crispiness.

4. Fry the chicken and serve:

• Heat oil in a pot to 335°F (170°C).
• Fry the coated chicken for about 8 minutes, until golden and fully cooked.
• Remove and let drain on a wire rack.
• Sprinkle with the prepared seasoning blend and serve hot.

Tips & notes

• Longer marination adds more flavor—if you have time, let it marinate for longer.
• Sweet potato starch gives that authentic night market crunch. You can find it in Chinese supermarkets or online.
• If you can’t find sweet potato starch, replace it with cornstarch.
• Adjust the spice level in the seasoning mix to your preference.
• Pair this with my Taiwanese boba milk for the full experience!