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Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

Karaage is exceptionally flavorful, juicy, and ultra-crispy Japanese fried chicken, a treat worth the effort.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinating Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 4 pieces
Calories 531 kcal

Equipment

  • heavy-bottomed pot
  • fine-mesh sieve
  • ceramic grater
  • garlic press

Ingredients
  

Chicken

  • 1.5 lb boneless, skin-on chicken thighs 4–6 pieces
  • 0.5 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 0.125 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Marinade

  • 0.5 teaspoon ginger grated, with juice
  • 1 clove garlic minced or pressed
  • 0.5-1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 0.5 tablespoon sake or substitute dry sherry, Chinese rice wine, or skip it
  • 0.5 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Deep-Frying

  • 3-4 cups neutral oil
  • 2 tablespoon potato starch or cornstarch plus more, if needed
  • 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour (plain flour) plus more, if needed

Serving (optional)

  • lemon wedges
  • Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise
  • shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice)

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Gather all the ingredients.

Marinate the Chicken

  • Prepare boneless, skin-on chicken thighs by cutting each into 2-inch pieces. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
  • Grate ginger and measure out half a teaspoon, then add it to a bowl. Mince or press garlic and add to the bowl.
  • Add soy sauce, sake, and toasted sesame oil to the bowl. Whisk to combine.
  • Add chicken to the marinade and mix it with your hands. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the Oil

  • While the chicken is marinating, prepare the oil for deep-frying. Pour neutral oil into a pot until you have 1 to 1½ inches of oil. Heat it to 325ºF over medium-low heat.

Coat the Chicken

  • Prepare separate piles of all-purpose flour and potato starch in a tray. Coat the marinated chicken in flour, dusting off the excess, then in potato starch.

First Fry

  • Check that the oil temperature has reached 325ºF. Add chicken pieces gently to the hot oil, frying 3 to 5 pieces at a time for 90 seconds or until golden.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil. Continue frying remaining pieces.

Second Fry

  • Raise the oil temperature to 350ºF. Return first batch of chicken to the oil and fry for 45 seconds until golden brown and crispy.
  • Transfer to the wire rack to drain excess oil. Continue frying remaining pieces.

Serve

  • Serve the chicken hot with lemon wedges and a plate of Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise.
  • Sprinkle shichimi togarashi on the mayo for additional spice, if desired.

Storage

  • Let the chicken cool completely and transfer to an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to a month.

Notes

This recipe requires 30 minutes of marinating time before cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pieceCalories: 531kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 29gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 167mgSodium: 254mgPotassium: 411mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 133IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg
Keyword chicken recipe, fried chicken, Japanese cuisine, Japanese Fried Chicken, Karaage, marinated chicken
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