Karaage Chicken Recipe
Karaage Chicken is a Japanese-style crispy fried chicken that’s juicy, savory, and full of umami flavor. Perfectly golden bites with a hint of ginger, it’s a total crowd-pleaser.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Tongs
- Deep frying pan or wok
- Slotted spoon or spider strainer
- Kitchen thermometer (optional but helpful)
- Paper towels (for draining)
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic finely grated
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons sake
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- ⅛ teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup potato starch
- 1 quart canola oil or as needed
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix soy sauce, sake, mirin, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, black pepper, cayenne, sugar, and salt.
- Add chicken pieces and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat.
- Dredge marinated chicken in potato starch, coating well.
- Fry chicken in batches until golden brown and crispy (around 4–5 mins per batch).
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Serve hot with Southern Cucumber Salad or Iced Tea.
- Sprinkle a little sea salt or lemon zest before serving (optional but flavorful).
