The secret to its deliciousness lies in the specially made seasoned salt — an unmissable local delicacy: crispy fried chicken in Pingtung

Text & Photos /Shadow

After buying the Nan Zhou pan-fried buns, we wandered around the square aimlessly, checking if there were any other snacks that caught our eye. Just as we were about to leave, my husband spotted a blue food cart parked in front of a residence with quite a crowd around it. Being the curious one, he figured that if it was so popular with the locals, it must be good, so we spontaneously decided to buy some crispy fried chicken before heading back to Kaohsiung.

Later, after looking it up online, we found out this crispy fried chicken stall is quite famous in Nan Zhou, even known to out-of-town visitors. Though there isn’t much information online, from the reviews of those who’ve tried it, we really did stumble upon a local gem. Not to say crispy fried chicken is rare or anything, but seeing it sold from a food cart is pretty uncommon, giving it a rather retro vibe.

Even though it’s a street stall, the food prep is no joke. Most ingredients are kept in cabinets and only taken out when customers order. The vendor’s attention to hygiene definitely earns extra points. There were just too many customers, the line was packed, and I could only snap a partial photo of the ingredients. Also, things like crispy fried chicken and fried squid are actually kept in pots. When a customer orders, the old lady lifts the lid, weighs the portion, then puts the lid back on — a method quite different from most vendors who leave their food out in the open, and also kind of fun to watch.

The old lady’s husband is in charge of frying the crispy chicken, and the key to its deliciousness lies in the frying technique. The sizzling sounds instantly elevate the chicken into a tasty snack. Then she tosses in a handful of basil leaves into the oil, and the sizzling crescendos again, reaching another peak before the chicken is ready to come out in just a few seconds.

Once fried, the crispy chicken gets seasoned, and the pepper salt here is special — darker in color than your usual white pepper salt. It’s likely mixed with different spices by the vendor, some even say it includes traditional Chinese medicinal powder. Either way, it’s definitely unique.

We couldn’t wait and started eating on the spot, chatting with the old lady’s husband as we went. The chicken was so crispy, and the pepper salt so fragrant and addictive. How can I describe the flavor? Shadow was reminded of the seasoning powder that came with the Uni-President Beef & Scallion instant noodles she used to eat as a kid — it brought back such nostalgic feelings.

The fried squid was super chewy, making it great as drinking snack too. For a humble street food at just over a hundred NT dollars, it was incredibly satisfying and filled us with happiness.

The crispy fried chicken itself didn’t have any particularly unique flavor, but it was fried to perfection, and the pepper salt was distinctive enough to leave a deep impression.

Not only is Nan Zhou famous for its pan-fried buns, but the crispy fried chicken is also astonishingly good. We gained so much from this trip to Nan Zhou — we polished off that hundred-plus NT dollar crispy chicken on the highway and still weren’t satisfied. This crispy chicken, beloved by the locals, also won over us, out-of-towners. If you’re ever passing through Nan Zhou, do stop by and support them. We highly recommend this delicious crispy fried chicken.

Address: No. 189, Renhe Road, Nan Zhou Township, Pingtung County

Business Hours: 16:00–11:30

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