Chicken Karaage

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. 1

   Marinate

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

2. 2

   Coat

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

3. 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. 4

   Second fry

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

5. 5

   Serve

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

Variations

• •

  Use skin-off thighs for a slightly lighter version.

• •

  Add shichimi togarashi to the dredge for spiced karaage.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

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

Frequently Asked Questions