What is the popular Taiwanese night-market fried-chicken dish made from bite-sized pieces and basil?

Taiwanese popcorn chicken is the popular Taiwanese night-market fried-chicken dish made from bite-sized pieces and basil.

The dish is typically prepared with small pieces of chicken, often thigh meat, marinated with seasonings such as soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and Chinese five-spice. The pieces are coated, deep-fried, and commonly finished with fried Thai basil leaves.

Despite its English name, Taiwanese popcorn chicken is not made from corn and is not simply a version of American popcorn chicken. Its small size makes it convenient as a street-food snack, especially at Taiwan’s night markets, where it is often served in a paper bag or cup.

It is also called鹽酥雞, commonly rendered in English as salt-and-pepper chicken. That name can cause confusion because “salt-and-pepper chicken” may also refer to related seasoning styles rather than one universally fixed recipe. The defining combination here is bite-sized fried chicken associated with Taiwanese street food.