Appetizers · Taiwanese Night Market Style
Taiwanese salt-and-pepper popcorn chicken — bite-sized chicken pieces fried light and crispy with basil leaves, garlic, and the signature salt-pepper-chili powder seasoning. The $10 snack that disappears fastest at the table.
Yan su ji — Taiwanese salt-and-pepper chicken — is the defining snack of Taiwan's night market culture. You'll find it at every major market from Shilin to Fengjia, sold in paper bags to eat while you walk. Ugly Dumpling brings the same preparation to the table as a proper starter.
The chicken pieces are small and bone-in at the joints, marinated briefly in soy sauce and garlic, then coated in sweet potato starch — the key to the characteristic texture. Sweet potato starch creates a lighter, crispier, more translucent crust than wheat flour. It fries up with an almost glassy snap and doesn't go soggy as quickly as flour-based coatings.
The finishing touch is what separates this from generic fried chicken. A handful of fresh Thai basil leaves go into the fryer at the very end — just long enough to blister and turn fragrant without burning. They come out papery, crisp, and intensely aromatic. The seasoning blend (white pepper, salt, five-spice, chili powder) is tossed over the whole pile while it's still hot, so every piece is coated.
Per full order. Figures are estimates based on standard recipe; actual values may vary.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 350 |
| Protein | 26 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g |
| Sodium | 680 mg |
Wheat — present in the marinade and possible cross-contact in the fryer. Soy — soy sauce in the marinade. Chicken — primary protein.
Dairy, shellfish, tree nuts, egg, or pork. The sweet potato starch coating is naturally gluten-light, but shared fryer oil means it is not certified gluten-free.
The fried Thai basil leaves are not a garnish — they're part of the dish. Each one crisps in the oil and carries a concentrated herbal punch that cuts through the richness of the fried chicken. Don't push them to the side of the plate.
Pair with a cold Taiwanese beer (if available) or the house iced tea. The carbonation and mild bitterness of a lager balance the salt-pepper seasoning well. At the table, order alongside the Cucumber Salad to rotate between hot-crispy and cold-acidic bites.
Order it early — this is the appetizer most likely to be finished before other dishes arrive. It's at its best straight from the fryer when the coating is still audibly crisp. Letting it sit for ten minutes is the only thing that can hurt it.
