Popcorn Chicken

Bite-sized pieces of marinated, double-fried chicken thigh, tossed with fried basil leaves and a five-spice salt dusting.

Known as yan su ji, this is one of the most recognizable snacks sold at Taiwanese night markets, where it is scooped fresh into paper bags from tall vertical fryers. It grew out of a broader tradition of Taiwanese fried snacking food in the late 20th century and became closely tied to the night market culture of cities like Shilin and Ximending in Taipei. The addition of deep-fried Thai basil, which turns crisp and almost translucent in hot oil, is considered essential and distinguishes it from other regional fried chicken snacks.

The chicken is marinated in soy, garlic, and five-spice before being coated in sweet potato starch, which gives a craggier, crunchier crust than wheat flour. Fried Thai basil leaves, added at the very end of frying, are non-negotiable — the dish is incomplete without them.