Chicken Karaage Recipe (Japanese Fried Chicken)
User Reviews
5
Chicken Karaage Recipe (Japanese Fried Chicken)
Description
The Chicken Karaage Recipe features skin-on, boneless chicken thighs cut into small pieces and marinated in a blend of soy sauce, sake, fresh grated ginger, garlic, and mirin. This marinade not only tenderizes but imparts a balanced umami and subtle sweetness. After marinating for several hours, the chicken is coated thoroughly in potato starch before frying in hot vegetable oil heated to 375°F. This technique creates a crunchy crust while locking in the juicy interior.
The contrast between the crispy outer layer and the moist, flavorful chicken inside makes Karaage satisfying and distinctive. The recipe suggests serving with lemon wedges to add brightness, Kewpie mayonnaise for creaminess, or shichimi togarashi for a spicy kick. This preparation is a staple in Japanese cooking, often enjoyed as a snack or main dish.
The recipe emphasizes even coating and careful frying technique to ensure the chicken cooks through without burning the crust. Potato starch is preferred for its light, crisp texture but can be substituted with cornstarch if needed.
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken thighs skin-on, de-boned, & cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 ¾ fl oz soy sauce
- 1 fl oz sake
- 8 g ginger fresh grated
- 10 g garlic grated
- ⅓ fl oz mirin
- vegetable oil
- 200 g potato starch or cornstarch
Optional dipping / sides
- lemon wedges
- mayonnaise Kewpie brand, Japanese
- shichimi togarashi
Instructions
- De-bone your chicken thighs and cut into 1 inch, bite-sized pieces.
- In a bowl, add soy sauce, sake, ginger, garlic, and mirin together and stir until all ingredients are combined.
- Add the 1-inch chicken pieces to a container with a lid (I like to use glass food storage containers with a rubber seal for marinating because it seals liquids properly).
- Mix in the marinade and stir to cover all the pieces of chicken. Close the lid and leave in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. You will want to check at the 4 hour mark and give it a mix to ensure even coverage.
- After your chicken is done marinating, pour about 1 ½ inches of vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed pot and heat to 375 °F degrees.
- Measure out 200 grams of potato starch into a shallow bowl. Lightly flour each piece of chicken into the potato starch. Add more starch to the bowl if necessary. If you can’t find potato starch, you can also substitute it for cornstarch.
- Immediately after breading, you want to slowly lower each chicken piece into the heated oil. Make sure to not crowd the pieces to ensure proper frying.
- Cook each piece for about 3-5 minutes depending on the size, or until golden brown.
- Remove the chicken and place on a cooling rack or paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Serve the karaage with lemons and Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie brand) topped with Shichimi Togarashi, if you want an extra kick. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 494 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 494kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 32g | 11% |
| Protein | 29g | 58% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 152mg | 51% |
| Sodium | 911mg | 38% |
| Potassium | 703mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 118IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 11mg | 12% |
| Calcium | 44mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
