published Jun 28, 2024 Karaage is an extremely popular Japanese dish featuring bites of juicy, tender chicken wrapped in a tantalizing coating. It’s enjoyed with just a spritz of lemon juice, dipped in creamy mayo, or tossed in spicy or garlic sauce — and it’s a real favorite of mine! And unlike battered katsu, the crispiness doesn’t come from a breadcrumb crust! It comes from a double frying technique that still keeps the inside moist. Despite its delicious bite and appetizing texture, Japanese fried chicken is quite easy to make. The marinade has just four ingredients, and the thighs are simply coated in potato starch, resulting in the characteristic crispy white exterior. Serve your crispy, crunchy fried chicken with something cool and fresh — cucumber salad or tangy pickles — and some rice to make it a full meal.
Recommended Tools
Baking Tray – For the chicken karaage to drain and rest. Line with paper towels or use a cooling rack. Shallow Bowl – For dredging the bites in potato starch. You could also use another tray for this. Wok – Any other tool, such as a heavy bottom pot, that is suitable for frying can be used. Digital Thermometer – To make sure the oil is at the right temperature, and also to make sure the karaage chicken is cooked through.
Storing and Reheating
Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Fried chicken isn’t the best leftover, but you can bring back some of its crunchy texture by broiling it in the oven until warmed through or by tossing it into the air fryer.
Chicken Thighs – Keep the skin on for the crispiest karaage chicken. Cut into uniform, bite-sized pieces. Potato Starch – This starch makes Japanese fried chicken extra crispy — and keeps it crispy — more so than cornstarch. But cornstarch makes a great substitute, as does rice flour. Canola Oil – A neutral oil with a high smoke point is best for frying chicken karaage. Canola oil is tried-and-true, inexpensive, and does the job. Soybean oil and peanut oil are good alternatives. Marinade – The marinade for karaage is very simple. Some like to dress it up with garlic, herbs, or other seasonings, but I like to keep it plain: Soy Sauce – Light soy sauce, or even the regular all-purpose soy sauce you likely already have in your refrigerator, is great for marinades. Sake – Some like to also add mirin for extra sweetness to their chicken karaage. Grated Ginger – Fresh ginger is great for a sweet, warm, and spicy flavor. It’s a characteristic taste in Japanese cooking, so it’s perfect for karaage chicken! You can use ground ginger if fresh is hard to come by. White Pepper – White pepper is a favorite of mine, with a heat that really penetrates the marinade, but black pepper is a perfectly fine alternative.
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