This Five Spice Chicken is both crispy and juicy. The fragrant five-spice powder gives the chicken a burst of delicious flavour.
When we cook at home, we’re in charge. We know exactly what goes into our food.
Takeaway fried chicken might be cheap, but it’s loaded with artificial flavours and colours to make it look and taste good. Making fried chicken at home means using organic or free-range chicken and good-quality oil.
About Five Spice Powder
Chinese five spice is a mixture of five main spices: star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds. It’s commonly used in many Chinese dishes.
In this recipe, it’s added to the batter to give an extra kick to the deep-fried chicken. But be careful, it’s a very strong spice powder, so a little goes a long way.
Recipe Notes for Five Spice Chicken:
- Marinade magic: Soaking the chicken in marinade overnight in the fridge makes the chicken extra flavourful and juicy.
- Flavor balance: The basic ratio of five spice powder and salt is 2:1. Adjust the taste balance to your liking.
- Crispy technique: Make the fried chicken extra crispy with the double frying method.
Enjoy the delicious smell and taste of this amazing five-spice chicken, bringing a touch of the exotic to your dining table.
Fried Five Spice Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 boneless chicken thighs (cut in 4cm cubes)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup Self-rising flour
- 2 teaspoon five spice powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 800 ml oil
- 1 cup Basil (optional)
Instructions
- Mix together soy sauce, rice wine and water in a container. Then soak the chicken, refrigerated overnight.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and five spice powder until thoroughly mixed.
- In a deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. Dip the chicken cubes in the flour mix. Shake well to coat completely. Fry chicken for 3-5 minutes until lightly golden brown. Drain on paper towels and rest for 2-3 minutes, then fry again until golden brown.
- Fried the basil leaves, mix with the fried chicken and serve.
Recipe Notes:
- Soaking the chicken in marinade overnight in the fridge makes the chicken extra flavourful and juicy.
- The basic ratio of five spice powder and salt is 2:1. Adjust the taste balance to your liking.
- Make the fried chicken extra crispy with the double frying method.
Nutrition Information:
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I loved this recipe! The amount of five spice in the flower mixture is perfect.
I didn’t brine my chicken over night but I did a quick brine with just salted water, then a quick marinade in curry, ginger, onion, and garlic powder with just a splash of milk. I also didn’t need to re-fry my chicken nuggets, i probably had my oil a little too hot.
I’m a novice fryer and found this recipe to be as easy as it sounds! I paired the chicken with some green beans and mashed potato 🙂
Great that it works out so well ☺️
Great photos!