Japanese Chicken Karaage
The gold standard of fried chicken. Large, juicy chunks of chicken thigh are marinated deeply in soy sauce, sake, garlic, and fresh ginger, heavily coated in potato starch, and double-fried to achieve a remarkably light, shatteringly crisp crust.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Course Sides & Appetizers
- 1 lb Chicken thighs cut into bite-sized chunks, skin-on preferred
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Sake
- 1 tsp Grated garlic
- 1 tsp Grated ginger
- 1/2 cup Potato starch Katakuriko
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
- Lemon wedges
Marinate the Chicken: In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, sake, grated garlic, and ginger. Add the chicken chunks, aggressively massaging the wet marinade deep into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Coat with Starch: Drain any excess liquid from the bowl. Dredge each piece of chicken heavily in the potato starch. Make sure every crevice is coated in the stark white powder, shaking off any loose excess.
First Fry (To Cook): Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 320°F (160°C). Drop the chicken in and fry for 3 minutes until pale golden and fully cooked inside. Remove and let them rest on a wire rack for 3 minutes (the residual heat finishes cooking the center perfectly).
Second Fry (For Crunch): Turn the heat up until the oil reaches a very hot 375°F (190°C). Drop the resting chicken back into the oil and flash-fry for exactly 1 minute. This forces out moisture and creates a deeply browned, ultra-crispy crust.
Serve: Drain the chicken on a wire rack. Serve immediately while piping hot, squeezing fresh lemon juice heavily over the crispy pieces just before eating.
Keyword Appetizer, Chicken, Fried