Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

Name: Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 13 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 600 g Chicken Thighs; to taste Salt; 1 pinch Black Pepper; 2 tbsp Soy Sauce; 2 tbsp Sake; 1 tsp Sesame Oil; 2 cloves Garlic; 10 g Fresh Ginger; 1 large Egg; 70 g Corn Starch; 70 g All-Purpose Flour; 1000 ml Vegetable Oil; 1 piece Lemon Wedge; 1 tbsp Japanese Mayonnaise

JAPANESE·NON-VEGSource

Crispy and juicy Japanese-style fried chicken, marinated and double-fried to perfection. A popular and delicious appetizer or main dish.

1h 5m13Servings

Nutrition

741kcal

10gProtein

8gCarbs

75gFat

Ingredients

CHICKEN MARINADE

Chicken Thighs

600 g

Salt

to taste

Black Pepper

1 pinch

Soy Sauce

2 tbsp

Sake

2 tbsp

Sesame Oil

1 tsp

Garlic

2 cloves

Fresh Ginger

10 g

COATING

Egg

1 large

Corn Starch

70 g

All-Purpose Flour

70 g

FOR FRYING

Vegetable Oil

1000 ml

FOR SERVING

Lemon Wedge

Optional

1 piece

Japanese Mayonnaise

Optional

1 tbsp

Instructions

1Prepare the Chicken

20m

Dry the Chicken

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This helps reduce unwanted smell and allows the marinade to absorb better.

Debone and Trim

Carefully debone the chicken thighs, sliding the knife along the bone to minimize meat loss. Remove any large, excess fat deposits from the skin.

Cut into Bite-Sized Pieces

Cut the chicken into roughly equal, bite-sized pieces (about 30-40g each). Ensure pieces are similar in size for even cooking.

2Marinate the Chicken

30m

Combine Marinade Ingredients

In a bowl, combine salt, black pepper, soy sauce, sake, sesame oil, grated garlic, and grated ginger.

Marinate the Chicken

Add the cut chicken pieces to the marinade. Mix well with your hands, ensuring each piece is evenly coated. Let it marinate for 20-30 minutes at room temperature.

3Prepare the Coating

Mix Coating Ingredients

In a separate bowl, combine corn starch and all-purpose flour. Mix well.

Coat the Chicken

Add the marinated chicken to the flour mixture. Add the egg and mix everything thoroughly. Ensure the chicken is well coated. Let it sit for a couple of minutes for the coating to absorb moisture.

4First Fry

11m

Heat the Oil

Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot or fryer to 170°C (338°F). Adjust heat to medium-low to maintain temperature.

Fry the Chicken (First Batch)

Carefully add half of the coated chicken pieces to the hot oil. Fry for 4 minutes, maintaining the oil temperature around 160°C (320°F). Adjust heat as needed.

Flip and Continue Frying

Turn the chicken pieces over and fry for another 2 minutes, until lightly golden. The internal temperature should be around 70°C (158°F).

Remove and Rest

Remove the chicken from the oil and place on a wire rack to drain. Let it rest for 4 minutes.

5Second Fry

10m

Reheat the Oil

Increase the oil temperature to 180°C (356°F) over medium heat.

Fry the Chicken (Second Batch)

Add the first batch of chicken back into the hot oil. Fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until golden brown and crispy. This double-frying method ensures a super crispy coating.

Remove and Drain

Remove the chicken from the oil, shake off excess oil, and place on the wire rack to drain. Repeat the double-frying process for the remaining chicken pieces.

6Serve

Plate the Karaage

Arrange the karaage on a serving plate. Garnish with a lemon wedge and a dollop of Japanese mayonnaise, if desired.

Tips

Ensure chicken is patted dry before marinating for better flavor absorption and to avoid a 'steamed' texture.

Double-frying is key to achieving extra crispy karaage that stays crisp longer.

Don't overcrowd the pot when frying; cook in batches to maintain oil temperature.

Marinating at room temperature for 20-30 minutes allows the flavors to penetrate the chicken better than refrigerating for a short period.

Cook it with RecipeOwl

Scaled servings, grocery list, and step-by-step mode in the app.

Get RecipeOwl