# Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken Bao Buns

Taiwanese popcorn chicken bao buns is a delicious street food combo of Taiwanese popcorn chicken and steamed bao buns.

- Cuisine: Chinese
- Category: Snack
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 500 g chicken thighs boneless skinless
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 2 garlic cloves
- 0.5 inch ginger minced
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 egg white
- 1 cup corn starch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp Chinese five spice
- 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 shallots finely sliced
- 0.5 cup water
- 0.5 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.33 cup mayo
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- oil for frying
- 1.5 cups Thai basil
- Gua Bao Buns

## Instructions

1. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces around 3x3 centimeters
2. Combine salt, sugar, Chinese five spice, onion powder and white pepper
3. Place the chicken into a large mixing bowl and add in cornstarch, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce and the dry seasonings
4. Grate garlic cloves and ginger and add to the mixing bowl. Add in the egg white
5. Mix all together and set aside to marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes
6. Cut the shallots in half, remove the skin and slice as thin as possible. Use a mandolin
7. Place shallots into a nice steril clean jar
8. Place apple cider vinegar, water, salt, coriander seeds and sugar into a shallow pan or saucepan
9. Heat it on low heat, until those granules have dissolved
10. Pour into the jar with shallots
11. Secure the lid on the jar and gently shake. Let the shallots sit for at least 30 minutes to cool
12. Toast Sichuan peppers
13. Grind the toasted peppers using a mortar and pestle or a food processor
14. Place white pepper, Chinese five spice, cayenne pepper, salt and the grinded Sichaun pepper into a mixing bowl. Mix it well
15. To prepare the curly green onions, just need the green part of the spring onion. Cut into 3 inch batons
16. Cut in half, stack them on top of each other before slicing as thin as possible
17. Transfer into a bowl of ice water and let them sit in the water. Before serving, place onto a paper towel to dry
18. In a mixing bowl, place cornstarch and baking powder. Whisk that all together
19. Take a few pieces of chicken and place them into the dry batter
20. Have another plate and pat any excess flour off, placing them onto the plate
21. Heat the oil to 175 degrees Celsius, then place your chicken into the oil, making sure not to overcrowd them
22. Cook for five minutes and set onto a tray before cooking the second batch
23. Heat oil back up to around 185 degrees Celsius. Add chicken back in for its second fry for a further two minutes. Add in the Thai basil
24. Scoop out and drain any excess oil out
25. Transfer into a large mixing bowl
26. Take the seasoning, that was prepared earlier, and add to the bowl. Give it a good toss
27. Steam the bao buns, following the packet instructions for around 4-5 minutes
28. Mix together mayonnaise and sriracha
29. Add sriracha mayo on the base of your buns, add in the pickled shallots and two pieces of popcorn chicken
30. Top it off with your curly green onions and sprinkle some of those fried Thai basil leaves on top

## Equipment

- large mixing bowl
- microplane
- shallow pan
- saucepan
- steril clean jar
- mortar
- pestle
- food processor
- bowl with ice water
- paper towel
- whisk
- plates
- pan

## Tips

- Don't overcrowd the chicken when frying
- Don't overcrowd the basket when steaming bao buns
- Adjust the amount of sriracha to your liking

## Source

- Original video: https://youtu.be/GX5T3vmX_vc?si=ej1MoS2BojxLLlJN
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/e7cbc35c-8e99-4157-92f6-8ac996564b07
- Extracted: 2025-05-27

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt