Chicken Karaage or Japanese Fried Chicken

overhead shot of fried chicken karaage on a plate.

5 from 10 votes

Chicken Karaage or Japanese Fried Chicken

Crunchy chicken karaage or Japanese fried chicken is marinated and then coated in potato starch (or cornstarch or flour) and then deep fried to a crispy golden brown. This recipe is adapted from my book Ramen for Beginners.

Course Main Dish Recipes

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword japanese chicken nuggets, japanese fried chicken, karaage

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Additional Time 30

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 472kcal

Author Robin Donovan

Ingredients

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sake or mirin
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon peeled minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Oil for frying
1/2 cup potato starch or cornstarch

Instructions

In a medium bowl, stir together the soy sauce,
sake, sesame oil, ginger, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and stir to coat well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Fill a saucepan with 2 to 3 inches of oil and heat over high heat until you can see it shimmering.
Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and
discard the marinade.
In a bowl, dredge the chicken pieces in the potato starch until they are well coated.
Drop the chicken pieces into the hot oil and cook, turning once or twice, until they are golden brown, 3 minutes. Remove the chicken using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Nutrition