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What is Taiwanese XXL Fried Chicken
Taiwanese XXL fried chicken (大雞排, da ji pai) is the cutlet bigger than your face that you queue for at every Taiwanese night market. One chicken breast is butterflied flat, marinated in soy and five spice, and fried until the crust shatters.
The secret is coarse sweet potato starch. The rough grains fry into a craggy, extra-crunchy crust that stays crisp long after it leaves the oil, finished with a dusting of chili and sweet seasoning powder.
Da ji pai took off at Taipei's Shilin Night Market in the early 1990s, when stalls started competing on size. Today it is sold in a paper sleeve, eaten standing up, and usually snipped into strips with scissors if you ask.
At home, the sleeve and the scissors are optional, but the method is the same: thin, evenly pounded breast, a short marinade, a dry coat that rests until it looks damp, and a double fry for a crust that crackles when you bite.
Key Ingredient: Coarse Sweet Potato Starch
Look for coarse or thick sweet potato starch (地瓜粉) at an Asian grocer. The big grains are what give the crust its bumpy, crunchy texture. Fine potato starch or cornstarch will fry crisp, but smooth.
FAQs
Why is it so big?
The breast is butterflied and pounded thin, so one breast becomes one giant cutlet. Pounding it evenly also means it cooks through in one fry.
Why fry it twice?
The first fry cooks the chicken through. The second, hotter fry drives out moisture from the crust so it stays crisp.
Where do I get rice vinegar powder and chicken powder?
Both are at most Asian grocers. You can leave out the vinegar powder; it just adds a little tang to the seasoning.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes. Boneless thighs stay juicier, but they won't give you the classic giant flat cutlet.
Why rest the coated chicken before frying?
Five to ten minutes lets the starch absorb moisture from the marinade, so the coating sticks and does not fall off in the oil.
What oil should I use?
Any neutral, high smoke point oil: peanut, canola or rice bran. You need enough to float the cutlet, about 3 cm deep in a wide pan.
How do I keep it crispy for later?
Cool it on a wire rack, never on paper towel or a plate. Reheat in a 200°C oven or air fryer for 5 to 6 minutes.
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