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Chicken Karaage

Name: Chicken Karaage
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: japanese
Ingredients: 800 g chicken thighs (boneless, skin-on, cut into bite-size); 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp sake; 2 tbsp fresh ginger (grated); 2 cloves garlic (grated); 80 g potato starch; 2 tbsp plain flour; 500 ml vegetable oil (for frying); 4 lemon wedges (to serve); 4 tbsp Japanese mayo (to serve)

Japanese fried chicken marinated in soy, sake and ginger — extra juicy inside with an irresistibly crispy crust.

Prep

20 min

Cook

20 min

Servings

Difficulty

Easy

★★★★★

4.9(3,102 ratings)

#fried chicken#japanese#crispy#soy#ginger

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About This Recipe

Karaage (唐揚げ) is Japan's beloved fried chicken: boneless chicken thighs marinated in a fragrant mix of soy sauce, sake, ginger and garlic, coated in potato starch and double-fried to an incomparable crunch. Unlike many fried chicken recipes, karaage is marinated rather than brined, and uses potato starch rather than flour for a lighter, crispier coating that stays crunchy for longer. It is ubiquitous at Japanese convenience stores, izakayas, bento boxes and family dinners, and regularly tops polls as Japan's favourite dish.

Ingredients

Serves 4

800 gchicken thighs(boneless, skin-on, cut into bite-size)
3 tbspsoy sauce
2 tbspsake
2 tbspfresh ginger(grated)
2 clovesgarlic(grated)
80 gpotato starch
2 tbspplain flour
500 mlvegetable oil(for frying)
4lemon wedges(to serve)
4 tbspJapanese mayo(to serve)

Instructions

1
Marinate
Marinate chicken in soy sauce, sake, ginger and garlic for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
2
Coat
Mix potato starch and flour. Coat each chicken piece thoroughly, shaking off excess.
3
First fry
Heat oil to 170°C. Fry chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes until pale golden. Remove and rest 2 minutes.
4
Second fry
Increase oil to 190°C. Fry again for 1–2 minutes until deep golden and extra crispy.
5
Serve
Drain on a rack. Serve with lemon wedges and Japanese mayo.

Pro Tips

→
Double-frying is the secret to maximum crispiness.
→
Potato starch gives a lighter, crispier crust than plain flour alone.

Variations

•
Use skin-off thighs for a slightly lighter version.
•
Add shichimi togarashi to the dredge for spiced karaage.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Reheat in a hot oven (200°C) for 5 minutes to restore crunch.

History & Origin

Karaage gained popularity in Japan after WWII as chicken became widely available. The Oita town of Nakatsu claims to be the home of karaage and has over 60 dedicated karaage restaurants per square kilometre.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes karaage different from regular fried chicken?

Karaage uses small bite-size pieces of skin-on thigh, marinated in soy and sake, then coated in potato starch and double-fried — resulting in a lighter, crispier crust and more intense flavour.

Can I bake karaage instead of frying?

Baked karaage won't match the crispiness of fried, but you can get reasonable results at 220°C on a rack with a light spray of oil for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving · 4 servings total

Calories420kcal

Protein38g

Carbohydrates22g

Fat20g

Fiber0g

Protein38g

Carbs22g

Fat20g

Time Summary

Prep time20 min

Cook time20 min

Total time40 min

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About This Recipe

Instructions

Marinate

Marinate chicken in soy sauce, sake, ginger and garlic for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).

Coat

Mix potato starch and flour. Coat each chicken piece thoroughly, shaking off excess.

First fry

Heat oil to 170°C. Fry chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes until pale golden. Remove and rest 2 minutes.

Second fry

Increase oil to 190°C. Fry again for 1–2 minutes until deep golden and extra crispy.

Serve

Drain on a rack. Serve with lemon wedges and Japanese mayo.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes karaage different from regular fried chicken?

Karaage uses small bite-size pieces of skin-on thigh, marinated in soy and sake, then coated in potato starch and double-fried — resulting in a lighter, crispier crust and more intense flavour.

Can I bake karaage instead of frying?

Baked karaage won't match the crispiness of fried, but you can get reasonable results at 220°C on a rack with a light spray of oil for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.