• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Nomss.com logo
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT US
    • SPONSORSHIP
  • RECIPES
    • Appetizer and Snacks
    • Chinese Medicinal Food Therapy
    • Desserts
    • Dips and Spreads
    • Drinks and Smoothies
    • Main Dishes
    • Salad Dressing
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches and Banh Mi
    • Seasoning and Spices
    • Soups and Stews
  • RESTAURANTS
    • DINING
      • Asian
        • Chinese
        • Japanese
        • Korean
        • Malaysian
        • Cambodian
        • Burmese
        • Singaporean
        • Vietnamese
      • American
        • Northwest
        • Steakhouse
      • Desserts
      • European
        • Belgian
        • French
        • German
      • Latin American
        • Spanish
        • Mexican
      • Mediterranean
        • Lebanese
        • Middle Eastern
        • Persian
  • MOTHERHOOD
  • LIFESTYLE
    • TRAVEL
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Us
  • Recipes
    • Vegan
    • Air Fryer
    • Appetizer and Snacks
    • Chinese TCM
    • Desserts
    • Drinks and Smoothies
    • Main Dishes
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches and Banh Mi
    • Soups and Stews
  • Lifestyle
  • Subscribe
  • Follow Me

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipe Review » THE BEST CRISPY TAIWANESE FRIED TURKEY 鹹酥火雞

    THE BEST CRISPY TAIWANESE FRIED TURKEY 鹹酥火雞

    Nov 4, 2020 · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    THE BEST CRSIPY TAIWANESE FRIED TURKEY 鹹酥火雞

    Feast on this super crunchy, crispy, and addictive savoury snack! Enjoy this air-fried crispy Taiwanese Popcorn Turkey. It will be your best friend tonight!

    THE BEST CRSIPY TAIWANESE FRIED TURKEY 鹹酥火雞

    This post is sponsored by the Turkey Farmers of Canada. All views and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Nomss in the kitchen!

    I first discovered these deeply savoury, highly addictive, bite-sized, snack back when I was in University. It was the best thing since sliced bread! My friends and I shared much laughter, so many tears with these late-night snacks.

    Crispy Taiwanese Fried Turkey

    How to Make the BEST Crispy Taiwanese Fried Turkey?

    logo
    Food Advertisements by

    Want to know how to make this normally deep-fried salty, crispy chicken healthier? Using a 3.5L Chefman TurboFry Air Fryer to cut down on oil and grease goes a long way. Plus using dark turkey meat helps reduce fat and produces fewer calories than other, fattier meat choices.

    For more information and recipe ideas, visit THINK TURKEYTM to learn more

    • Instagram: canadianturkey
    • Facebook: CanadianTurkey
    • Twitter: Cdn_Turkey
    • YouTube: Canadian Turkey

    Chefman Turbo Fry Air Fryer

    Air Fry

    Instead of deep-frying these little bite-sized pieces of turkey in potato starch until crispy, we swapped out the deep fry wok for an air fryer.

    Cooking with an air fryer like the Chefman TurboFry Air Fryer is an easy, healthy alternative to deep-frying because it requires just one tablespoon of oil instead of submerging the food in oil! It deep fries food by circulating hot air while producing a similar taste and texture!

    We like using the Chefman TurboFry Air Fryer because it has a large 3.5-litre capacity. It is quiet and easy to clean! The basket and tray are top-rack dishwasher safe. I love that the air fryer tray that separates the saturated oil from the food.

    Taiwanese fried chicken is deep-fried twice: first at a low temperature to cook through the meat, and the second at high heat to push out the excess oil, and to create the crunch!

    Chefman Turbo Fry Air Fryer Taiwanese Fried Turkey
    Chefman Turbo Fry Air Fryer Taiwanese Fried Turkey
    Chefman Turbo Fry Air Fryer Taiwanese Fried Turkey
    chefman air fryer

    What Gives Taiwanese Fried Turkey It’s Distinctive Flavor?.

    Five Spice Powder 五香粉: is a crucial ingredient in this infamous Chinese recipe. It consists of star anise, cinnamon, cloves, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel. 

    It is available at most Asian supermarkets and on Amazon.

    Some people find five spice powder too powerful and like to substitute with galangal sand ginger powder 沙薑粉. I must have some five spice powder in my seasoning to keep the flavour profile authentic!

    Potato Starch: Coating your turkey with potato starch makes all the difference when it comes to making the crispiest fried turkey! It is a night and day compared to using plain old flour! Potato starch has a bit more grit and, when deep-fried, creates little balls of crunchiness. It is lighter, yet crispier and crunchier! 

    Marinade: Ensure you marinate your turkey at least 2 hours before cooking. If possible, marinate overnight in the refrigerator! Use a mixture of dark soy, light soy sauce, shaoxing wine, sugar, five spice powder, white parts of green onions, ginger, and minced garlic for that pop of umami and depth of flavour.

    Thai Basil: Always garnish your Taiwanese deep-fried poultry with deep-fried Thai basil. It is aromatic and has a sweet bitter taste. Break a few leaves apart and sprinkle it on your fried turkey along with white pepper and sugar. Remember to air fry or deep fry Thai Basils at low heat.

    White Pepper: The last finishing touch to your salty, crispy fried turkey is a sprinkle of white pepper and white sugar after it has been air fried. Toss your fried turkey with this mixture to create a sharper taste.

    THE BEST CRISPY TAIWANESE FRIED TURKEY 鹹酥火雞

    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I’D LOVE SEE HOW YOU WENT WITH MY RECIPES! LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW OR TAG ME ON INSTAGRAM @INSTANOMSS #INSTANOMSS

    Print

    THE BEST CRISPY TAIWANESE FRIED TURKEY 鹹酥火雞

    THE BEST CRSIPY TAIWANESE FRIED TURKEY 鹹酥火雞
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    THE BEST CRISPY TAIWANESE FRIED TURKEY 鹹酥火雞

    Feast on this super crunchy, lightly crispy, and addictive savoury snack! Snack on this air-fried crispy Taiwanese Popcorn Turkey. Make it your best friend tonight!

    • Author: Nancy
    • Prep Time: 30
    • Cook Time: 25
    • Total Time: 55 minutes
    • Yield: 1 bowl 1x
    • Category: appetizer, snack
    • Method: Air Fry
    • Cuisine: Chinese, Taiwanese

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 500g turkey thigh, (skin removed optional)
    • 200g potato starch
    • 1 bunch thai basil
    • 2 tbsp white pepper powder
    • 2 tbsp white sugar

     

    Marinade

    • 2 tbsp dark soy
    • 1 tbsp light soy
    • 2 tbsp shaoxing wine
    • 1 tbsp sugar
    • ¼ tsp baking soda
    • ½ tsp five spice powder
    • 3 stems white parts of green onions
    • 5 cloves garlic
    • 1 2 inch thumb ginger
    • ¼ cup water

    Instructions

    Preparing the Turkey

    1. Cut down your turkey thighs into bite-size pieces approximately 2 inches lengthwise with a heavy knife.
    2. In a blender or a personal sized Vitamix and blend all the marinade ingredients.
    3. Marinade your turkey pieces for 20 minutes - preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
    4. Remove the marinated turkey from the refrigerator and coat the turkey with potato starch. The excess marinade will create little balls of crunchiness when deep-fried.

    Air Fryer Method:

    1. Spray the tray and the turkey with some oil. We use a simple oil spray mister bottle.
    2. Place the coated turkey pieces in the air fryer tray/basket with ¼-inch space between each piece.
    3. First Fry: Set the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 15 minutes. Flip halfway through and lightly spray the turkey with more oil.
    4. Remove air fryer tray/basket and let cool for 5 minutes, then air fry a second time.
    5. Second Fry: Set the temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 5 minutes.
    6. Remove from the air fryer basket and let rest for 5 minutes.
    7. Toss and garnish with white pepper, sugar, and air fried Thai basil.
    8. Serve immediately and enjoy!

    Air Fried Thai Basil:

    1. Spray the tray and the Thai Basil leaves with some oil.
    2. Place the Thai Basil leaves in the air fryer tray/basket.
    3. Set temperature to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 10 minutes. Check halfway to see if it has dried.
    4. Do not overcook, or it will turn brown.

    Notes

    • You can substitute five spice powder with galangal sand ginger powder 沙薑粉 for a milder taste.
    • If you don't have potato starch, you can also use corn starch but it won't be as crispy.
    • Taiwanese fried chicken is deep-fried twice: first at a low temperature to cook through the meat, and the second at high heat to push out the excess oil, and create that crispy crunch!

     

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories:
    • Sugar:
    • Sodium:
    • Fat:
    • Saturated Fat:
    • Trans Fat:
    • Carbohydrates:
    • Fiber:
    • Protein:
    • Cholesterol:

    Keywords: Chinese, Taiwanese, THE BEST CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN, DEEP FRIED RECIPE, TAIWANESE FRIED TURKEY, 鹹酥火雞, 鹹酥雞, 台灣, 深夜好朋友, 自製, turkey recipes, chinese recipes, appetizer, snacks, air fryer, air fry, deep fried, 外酥肉嫩, 台灣夜市美食

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @instanomss on Instagram and hashtag it #instanomss

    Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

    THE BEST CRISPY TAIWANESE FRIED TURKEY 鹹酥火雞

    Pin the above image to your Chinese Cuisine Recipe Board to bookmark this page. We are so excited to share our recipes with you!

    MORE CHINESE RECIPES: 

    • CHINESE TEA LEAF EGGS 茶葉蛋
    • RED BEAN SOUP INSTANT POT 蓮子百合紅豆沙
    • DOUBLE-STEAMED SNOW PEAR WITH FRITILLARIA BULB RECIPE 川貝燉雪梨
    • INSTANTPOT TAIWANESE GREEN ONION BEEF ROLLS RECIPE 牛肉捲餅 
    • InstantPot Beef Brisket 
    • Stir Fry Okra with Black Fungus 秋葵炒雲耳 
    • Black Moss Black Eye Bean Soup 髮菜眉豆花生排骨湯
    • Pig Trotter with Black Vinegar and Ginger Recipe 豬腳薑醋

    This post contains affiliate links and/or products submitted to Nomss for editorial consideration. To find out more, please visit our About/Disclaimer page.

    Remove Ad-Block to view shopping guide!

    logo
    Food Advertisements by

    More Recipes

    • Japanese Mentaiko Spaghetti Noodles 明太子パスタ
      Easy Japanese Mentaiko Spaghetti 明太子パスタ
    • チキンカツ丼 Easy Crispy Chicken Katsu don Crispy Fried Chicken Cutlet Nomss
      Easy Crispy Chicken Katsu Don チキンカツ丼
    • Easy Lemon Poppy Seed Yogurt Loaf
      Easy Lemon Poppy Seed Yogurt Loaf
    • 淮山紅棗杞子竹絲雞湯 Chinese Herbal Silkie Chicken Soup
      Chinese Herbal Silkie Chicken Soup 淮山紅棗杞子竹絲雞湯

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Katie says

      September 18, 2022 at 6:25 am

      Love this air fryer recipe! super easy to make and turned out so delicious!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Nancy says

        September 19, 2022 at 2:01 pm

        THanks Katie ! It tastes great with cauliflower too!

        Reply

    Comment Below Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    nancy wu nomss.com

    Hi, I'm Nancy!

    I'm a finance professional and a Mommy to a toddler girl based Vancouver, BC, Canada.

    I love modern Chinese cooking, Asian inspired recipes and healthy vegan / vegetarian / plant-based substitutes focused on healthy family, wellness and sustainability.

    For skincare, beauty and Motherhood, visit our sister blog hellonance.com

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • ROASTED BEETS FIGS TOMATO SALAD
      Roasted Beets Dried Figs Tomato Salad
    • Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe Cheesecake Factory Copycat nomss
      Best Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe Cheesecake Factory Copycat
    • Stir-Fried Bean Sprouts and Chives 爆炒豆芽菜韭菜
      Stir-Fried Bean Sprouts and Chives 爆炒豆芽菜韭菜
    • 螞蟻上樹 Ants Climbing Up A Tree (Vegan)
      Ants Climbing Up A Tree 螞蟻上樹
    • 杏汁燉竹絲雞 Chinese Almonds Silkie Chicken Soup
      Chinese Almonds Silkie Chicken Soup 杏汁燉竹絲雞湯
    • 南北杏南瓜排骨湯 Chinese Kabocha Pork Ribs Soup
      Chinese Kabocha Pork Ribs Soup 南北杏南瓜排骨湯
    • 綠豆沙 Sweet Mung Bean Soup
      Easy Chinese Sweet Mung Bean Soup 綠豆沙
    • Moisturizing Chinese Apple Sea Coconut Soup 雪梨蘋果海底椰玉竹無花果湯
      Moisturizing Chinese Apple Sea Coconut Soup 雪梨蘋果海底椰玉竹無花果湯

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Instagram
    • Shop my Liketo.Knowit

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Nomss.com #instanomss