This quick and easy Chinese Five Spice Chicken Recipe takes only 30 minutes to prepare, making it the perfect dinner for busy nights. Marinate with homemade delicious five-spice seasoning at home and enjoy a flavorful meal that will become a new favorite.
A brand new way to enjoy chicken is on its way. Who would have guessed these flavorful bites could be so simple?
Making this recipe is a great way to enjoy clean eating. It’s surprising how healthy these chicken bites are with just a few carbs. As I always use clean, quality ingredients in my recipes, the possibilities are endless.
Serve with gluten-free pretzels and a glass of iced cranberry juice for the best afternoon snack and refreshment for you and the whole family. It also pairs well with a lavender mocktail if you want to have a chill afternoon.
Why You Will Love This Great Recipe
- Authentic Flavor: This chicken snack is seasoned with a homemade Chinese five-spice mix for the authentic flavor of Asian cuisine. This recipe is similar to Taiwanese popcorn chicken, offering a crispy texture and savory taste.
- Super Easy To Make: With only a few easy steps and ingredients, you can make your five-spice chicken pieces without worrying about enormous time spent in the kitchen.
- All-Around Recipe: This recipe is perfect for any occasion, especially parties. It is versatile enough to serve at a party, as a snack, appetizer, or even for easy dinner time.
Chinese Five Spice Powder Seasoning
Before making this recipe, I created my version of Chinese five-spice powder using simple, authentic ingredients in this traditional Asian cuisine. It’s super easy to make if you have the right spices.
To make a powdered five-spice, all you need are the five spices: cloves, star anise, fennel seeds, Sichuan peppercorns, and Chinese cinnamon. You can find these spices in grocery stores under the organic spices sections or in Asian markets. Just make sure to look for the best and freshest quality, as it will reflect on the final outcome when they are powdered and used in various dishes.
Five Spice Chicken With Basil Leaves
If you are familiar with street food, such as Taiwanese popcorn chicken, this recipe is very similar: basil leaves are fried with chicken. Putting basil leaves in five-spice chicken is not really necessary, but basil is a popular herb in many Asian dishes, and it adds flavor that makes the fried chicken more delicious and unique.
Is This Gluten-Free?
Yes, this recipe is entirely gluten-free, which aligns with all the recipes on my blog designed for clean eating. If you’re committed to promoting a clean-eating lifestyle, it’s crucial to consider what best supports this way of life. That’s why I ensure all my recipes are gluten-free, maintaining the highest health and cleanliness standards.
How To Make Chinese Five Spice Chicken Recipe
Let us start making this easy and delicious recipe by following the step-by-step process.
If you are a regular cook, this recipe will be easy for you to follow, but if you are just a beginner, you can start by watching the video I prepared for this recipe and then go back to this detailed recipe.
Kitchen Gadgets:
- Frying pan: Use whatever cooking pan or pot you have at home for deep frying.
- Mixing Bowls: These bowls are essential for placing all the ingredients for marinating and coating the chicken before cooking.
- Tweezers or Tongs: Use a long tweezer or tongs to coat each chicken if you do not want to use your bare hands. It is also a good tool for tossing the chicken into the hot oil.
- Strainer: This is optional, but you can use a strainer to ensure that as little oil as possible is left.
Ingredients:
- Chicken Breasts: Look for tender and boneless chicken breasts for the base of this recipe.
- Egg Whites: A binding agent for the dry coating mixture to stick better onto the chicken.
- Soy Sauce: To add a savory flavor to the chicken, prepare soy sauce for an extra Asian flavor.
- White Wine: A little bit of white wine can help enhance the flavor of the chicken when marinated.
- Granulated Garlic: A homemade granulated garlic is perfect for adding a garlic flavor.
- Onion Powder: An onion powder will give the chicken a concentrated onion flavor in the seasoning mixture. You can make one home if you have dehydrated onion flakes in your pantry.
- Ground Ginger: For a little spice kick and aroma to the chicken, blend some ground ginger into the marinade mixture.
- Sweetener: Use some homemade brown sugar or stevia powder to balance all the flavors.
- Five Spice Powder: Our homemade five-spice seasoning is the best mixture to use.
For Coating:
- Almond Meal: Ground almond meal will help the chicken coating have a nutty and crunchy texture.
- Breadcrumbs: Look for a low carb alternative to traditional breadcrumbs for that golden brown finish.
- Ground Pork Rinds: For a healthier option, ground pork rinds can be used instead of regular breadcrumbs, adding a savory flavor and crispy texture to the coating.
- Baking Powder: This helps create a light, airy coating that crisps up beautifully when cooked.
- Fresh Basil: Look for fresh basil leaves for a pop of color and add a herbal flavor to the dish.
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
FULL INSTRUCTIONS WITH STEPS FOR CHINESE FIVE-SPICE CHICKEN
First Step: Prepare All The Ingredients
Prepare all your ingredients.
Clean and chop your chicken evenly into small cubed pieces. Do not cut them too small for a juicier result.
Prepare all the seasonings by placing them in small containers to marinate the chicken. For easy preparation, do the same for the dry chicken coating.
Second Step: Marinade the Chicken
In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the seasonings, starting with the soy sauce and followed by all the dry spices. Add the remaining liquids, such as egg whites and white wine, and mix with a whisk until fully combined.
Add the chicken to the marinade spice blend, covering each piece with the combined spices.
Cover with plastic, set aside, and marinate for at least a few hours or less than an hour if you are in a rush.
Third Step: Coat the Chicken
While waiting for the marinated chicken, you can prepare the coating by combining the dry ingredients: almond meal, breadcrumbs, ground pork rinds, and baking powder. Mix with a whisk until thoroughly combined.
Toss each chicken out of the marinade mix into the breading. Using a long tweezer or tongs, coat it evenly, and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
Prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet and place all the coated chicken aside before cooking.
You can also start heating the oil while coating the chicken for frying.
Fourth Step: Deep Fry
Once the oil is hot, place the chicken or toss it into the hot oil. Fry it until golden brown. Towards the end, add the basil leaves to the hot oil and fry them with the chicken until crispy.
Use a strainer to push and mix the chicken while frying gently.
Fifth Step: Serve Hot and Enjoy
Cook to your desired crispiness. Once the chicken is cooked and crunchy, serve it hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
TRICKS AND TIPS:
- Basil leaves: Fry the basil leaves towards the end so they won’t get too soggy and will retain their bright green color.
- Strainer: Using a strainer for frying and draining the chicken from the hot oil is way better than using a regular frying spatula.
- Marinating: Add any spices of your choice as long as you include a Chinese five-spice mix since this is what this recipe is about. Add fish sauce, sesame oil, or oyster sauce for extra flavor.
- Sweetener: Adding a sweetener to the seasoning mix is essential to balance the overall flavor of the chicken bites.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Substitute for Chicken Breasts
If you do not have chicken breasts or cannot find one, use boneless chicken thighs instead. Chicken drumsticks can also work, just make sure to remove the bones and skin before cooking.
What to Serve With Chinese 5 Spice Chicken?
Having these chicken bites with other side dishes is perfect, and I have tried some. Here are some ideas on what to serve with your five spice chicken:
- Dipping Sauces: Any fried chicken needs a perfect dipping sauce. Try dipping it in this buffalo ranch sauce for a creamy ranch taste with a little kick of spice. This smoky BBQ sauce is perfect if you want to try some classic sauces.
- Snacks: Serve it with pickled daikon radish and some fruits on the side, like dried cranberries or chocolate blueberries, for a sweet contrast to the savory flavor of the chicken.
- Tortilla Wraps: If you want to experience a different way of enjoying these chicken bites, you can wrap them in gluten-free tortilla wraps with Chinese broccoli and sauces like hoisin for an easy chicken burrito.
- Cauliflower Rice: You can serve this five spice recipe for lunch and dinner together with oven-baked cauliflower rice, or if you want something creamy, serve it with coconut cauliflower rice.
If you have leftovers, you can simply store your five-spice chicken in an airtight container or any container that has a tight lid. Place it in the refrigerator if you plan on eating it again the next day, or if you want to store it for a longer period, consider freezing it. Just defrost and thaw it in the oven or air fryer if you have one at home, and make sure to preheat it first.
More Chicken Recipes
Here we go if you want to try more of our chicken recipes at home.
This recipe will teach you how to dehydrate chicken to make gluten-free jerky at home with only simple steps. Our curry chicken is also one of my favorite dishes, along with this crack chicken casserole and spinach chicken roll-ups.
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Chinese Five Spice Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Coating:
- 1/2 Cup Almond Meal
- 1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 Cup Pork Rinds Ground
- 2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
- 1 Cup Fresh Basil
Instructions
- Prepare all your ingredients. Clean and chop your chicken evenly into small cubed pieces. Do not cut them too small for a juicier result. Prepare all the seasonings by placing them in small containers to marinate the chicken. For easy preparation, do the same for the dry chicken coating.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the seasonings, starting with the soy sauce and followed by all the dry spices. Add the remaining liquids, such as egg whites and white wine, and mix with a whisk until fully combined. Add the chicken to the marinade spice blend, covering each piece with the combined spices. Cover with plastic, set aside, and marinate for at least a few hours or less than an hour if you are in a rush.
- While waiting for the marinated chicken, you can prepare the coating by combining the dry ingredients: almond meal, breadcrumbs, ground pork rinds, and baking powder. Mix with a whisk until thoroughly combined. Toss each chicken out of the marinade mix into the breading. Using a long tweezer or tongs, coat it evenly, and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet and place all the coated chicken aside before cooking. You can also start heating the oil while coating the chicken for frying.
- Once the oil is hot, place the chicken or toss it into the hot oil. Fry it until golden brown. Towards the end, add the basil leaves to the hot oil and fry them with the chicken until crispy. Use a strainer to push and mix the chicken while frying gently.
- Cook to your desired crispiness. Once the chicken is cooked and crunchy, serve it hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
- Basil leaves: Fry the basil leaves towards the end so they won’t get too soggy and will retain their bright green color.
- Strainer: Using a strainer for frying and draining the chicken from the hot oil is way better than using a regular frying spatula.
- Marinating: Add any spices of your choice as long as you include a Chinese five-spice mix since this is what this recipe is about. Add fish sauce, sesame oil, or oyster sauce for extra flavor.
- Sweetener: Adding a sweetener to the seasoning mix is essential to balance the overall flavor of the chicken bites.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
Extra Chicken?
Few of my favorite chicken recipes for you, just incase you have more chicken left.
