Mochiko Chicken (Hawaiian Fried Chicken)
User Reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Marinating Time
4 hrs
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Total Time
4 hrs 30 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
535 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Hawaiian
Mochiko Chicken (Hawaiian Fried Chicken)
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Mochiko Chicken is a popular Hawaiian fried chicken dish made with bite-size pieces of marinated and deep-fried chicken thighs. They’re crispy and flavorful, perfect served just as they are with mac salad and rice, or elevated with a drizzle of gochujang aioli and furikake.
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Ingredients
Mochiko Chicken:
- ¼ cup Mochiko flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup shoyu (light soy sauce) or use tamari to make this dish gluten-free (I prefer and recommend low-sodium soy sauce)
- ¼ cup chopped scallions (about 3 to 4 scallions, white and green parts), plus more for garnish
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs trimmed of excess fat and cut into bite-size pieces (about 1 ½-to-2-inches)
- vegetable oil (or other neutral flavored oil) for frying
- ¼ cup Furikake for garnish (optional)
Gochujang Aioli (Optional):
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 cloves garlic grated or crushed
- Pinch kosher salt
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Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the mochiko flour, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, scallions, eggs, garlic, ginger, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat. Cover the bowl tightly (or transfer mixture to a sturdy zip-top bag freezer bag) and refrigerate to marinate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
- If desired, make gochujang aioli for dipping or drizzling over your mochiko chicken. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, gochujang, sugar, water, garlic and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup) and place a wire rack on top. Alternatively you could line a sheet pan with paper towels and skip the rack but I find the rack does a better job of keeping fried items crispy rather than just soaking up excess oil.
- Fill a Dutch oven or pot with high sides (or a deep fryer) with oil reaching a depth of at least 1-inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches a temperature of 350°F (175°C).
- Stir the chicken in the marinade as the cornstarch will have settled to the bottom over time. You want to reintegrate it into the batter to provide a very thin coating on the chicken pieces.
- Without crowding the pot, add as many chicken pieces as you can to the oil and fry for about 4 to 5 minutes, using a spider skimmer or fork to occasionally agitate the chicken so they don’t stick to each other or the bottom of the pot. They should be dark golden brown all over, and register an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) with an instant read thermometer.
- Remove cooked chicken with the spider skimmer (or the fryer basket if using a deep fryer) and place on the wire rack to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Garnish the mochiko chicken with a drizzle of gochujang aioli, if desired, and top with scallions and furikake, if desired. Enjoy with rice and/or add a scoop of Hawaiian mac salad to create your own homemade plate lunch. You could also serve it with garlic noodles like they do at Tin Roof Maui as one of their delicious upgrade options.
Notes
- ¼ cup of oil absorbed into the chicken pieces and does not include any of the optional ingredients (e.g. gochujang aioli). It also does not account of the excess marinade which will be discarded. As always, these calculations are estimates!
- Mochiko chicken is best served hot and crispy, right out of the fryer. If you have leftovers, either reheat them in the oven at 425°F for 4 to 5 minutes per side or in the air fryer (preferred method) at 375°F for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- I prefer using low-sodium soy sauce. I feel this provides plenty of salt (and flavor), especially with the longer marinade time. Full-sodium varieties are always way too salty for me. If you’d like to make this dish gluten-free, use tamari.
- The calculated nutritional information estimates about ¼ cup of oil absorbed into the chicken pieces and does not include any of the optional ingredients (e.g. gochujang aioli). It also does not account of the excess marinade which will be discarded. As always, these calculations are estimates!
Alternate Method: Extra Crunchy Tin Roof-Style Mochiko Chicken
Follow the recipe as instructed to marinate the chicken. Note that you could use whole boneless, skin-on chicken thighs instead of smaller pieces if you are sticking closely to the Tin Roof version. Combine equal parts all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting any excess batter drip off. Dredge thoroughly in the flour mixture, then shake off excess flour. Proceed with the recipe as directed to fry and serve. If using whole chicken thighs, adjust the cooking time if needed as they will take a bit longer to cook through.
- Follow the recipe as instructed to marinate the chicken. Note that you could use whole boneless, skin-on chicken thighs instead of smaller pieces if you are sticking closely to the Tin Roof version. Combine equal parts all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting any excess batter drip off. Dredge thoroughly in the flour mixture, then shake off excess flour. Proceed with the recipe as directed to fry and serve. If using whole chicken thighs, adjust the cooking time if needed as they will take a bit longer to cook through.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
535kcal
(27%)
Carbohydrates
31g
(10%)
Protein
43g
(86%)
Fat
24g
(37%)
Saturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
6g
Monounsaturated Fat
7g
Cholesterol
243mg
(81%)
Sodium
1276mg
(53%)
Potassium
500mg
(14%)
Sugar
13g
(26%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 535 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 535kcal | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 31g | 10% |
| Protein | 43g | 86% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 243mg | 81% |
| Sodium | 1276mg | 53% |
| Potassium | 500mg | 11% |
| Sugar | 13g | 26% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
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