Zha Ji Tui (Taiwanese Night Market-Style Chicken Cutlet)
炸雞腿·(jah jee tway)
Biandang: The Taiwanese Bento Box (便當)
If you grew up in a Taiwanese immigrant household, you already know the smell: the intoxicating, earthy hit of five-spice and white pepper hitting hot oil. In Taiwan, night markets are famous for giant fried chicken breasts, but the humble bento box stars the richer, juicier chicken leg. This recipe marries the two, applying the craggy, unapologetically loud crunch of the night market cutlet to a weeknight-friendly boneless thigh. The secret to that precise, grandmother-approved flavor comes down to three non-negotiable rules: violently squeezing your aromatics, insisting on coarse sweet potato starch, and mastering the high-heat flash-fry to force the grease out.
Before you start
Prepare the finishing dust.
Whisk together the remaining 1/2 teaspoon each of five-spice powder, white pepper, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
Ingredients
- boneless skin-on chicken thighs1 1/2 lb
- garlic3 med cloves
- fresh ginger3 med slices
- scallions2 med
- light soy sauce2 tbsp
- Taiwanese rice wine or dry sherry1 tbsp
- granulated sugar1 tsp
- Chinese five-spice powder1 1/2 tsp
- ground white pepper1 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- coarse sweet potato starch1 1/2 cup
- neutral cooking oil4 cup
Method
- 01
Extract the aromatic juices.
In a large mixing bowl, aggressively massage and squeeze the smashed garlic, ginger, and scallions into the soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the five-spice, 1/2 teaspoon of the white pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt for thirty seconds.
- 02
Marinate the chicken.
Toss the pounded chicken thighs into the liquid, coat thoroughly, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, picking off any solid aromatic bits before dredging so they do not burn in the fryer.
- 03
Dredge the meat.
Spread the coarse sweet potato starch onto a wide plate, pull a thigh from the marinade without shaking off too much liquid, and press it firmly into the starch until every crevice is packed.
- 04
Rest the chicken to hydrate the crust.
Transfer the coated chicken to a wire rack and let it sit for five to ten minutes until the dry starch absorbs the meat's juices and turns slightly gummy, a vital resting process known as fan chao.
- 05
Execute the first fry.
Heat an inch and a half of neutral oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to 325°F, carefully lowering the chicken in to fry for four to five minutes until pale gold and cooked through, then remove to a clean rack.
- 06
Force out the oil with a flash fry.
Crank the heat until the oil reaches 375°F and plunge the chicken back in for thirty to forty-five seconds to force the residual grease out of the crust—a thermodynamic trick called bi you—before transferring back to the rack.
- 07
Season and serve.
Generously sprinkle the hot, crackling cutlets with the reserved finishing dust and serve immediately.
Notes
Source the right starch.
Coarse sweet potato starch (粗地瓜粉) is non-negotiable for that authentic night market crunch. If you can only find fine sweet potato starch, flick a teaspoon of water into the powder and rub it between your fingers to create coarse little pebbles before dredging.