Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

Taiwanese popcorn chicken is my son's and my favorite dish at Pine and Crane in DTLA, and I have been dreaming about making it at home for a long time. In this post I walk you through all the key ingredients, Chinese five spice, white pepper, and tapioca starch, and explain why each one matters for getting that iconic crunchy, fragrant, night market style coating just right.