Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

Cook Time 25 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

700g skinless chicken thigh, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

Small knob of ginger, finely grated

1 egg white

2 tbsp tamari

½ tsp ground white pepper

Olive oil, to spray

Handful of thai basil leaves, to garnish

Coating

1 cup gluten-free cornflour*

2 tsp sea salt flakes

1 tsp chinese five spice

½ tsp ground white pepper

½ tsp caster sugar

Method

Place the chicken, garlic, ginger, egg white, tamari and pepper to a bowl. Mix to combine and rest for at least 15 minutes (or overnight. Longer marination equals more flavour).

For the coating, combine the cornflour, salt, five spice, pepper and sugar in a new bowl. Working in batches, dust chicken in the coating (shake off any excess flour) and transfer to a plate.

Preheat the air fryer at 200°C for two minutes and spray the base rack of the air fryer with olive oil so the chicken does not stick. Spread the chicken pieces in a single layer and spray the top of the chicken with oil (depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to do this in two batches).

Cook the chicken at 200°C for 10-12 minutes until golden and crunchy, shaking the tray halfway for even browning. Spray the basil leaves with oil and in the last two minutes of cooking the chicken add them to the air fryer so they go crispy.

To cook in an oven, bake chicken in a 220°C fan forced oven for 12-15 minutes, shaking tray halfway.

*You can replace the cornflour with other gluten free flours but they will deliver a different texture. Cornflour and potato starch will produce a crunchier coating, whereas tapioca and rice flour will deliver a lighter, crispy coating.