Chicken Karaage
Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and exploding with a unique blend of flavors, this Japanese-style fried chicken dish is perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner or for impressing your guests at your next gathering.
Paired with a flavorful dipping sauce, every bite is sure to transport you straight to the streets of Tokyo.
Ingredient Notes
When crafting the perfect Chicken Karaage, each ingredient plays a vital role in the overall taste and texture of the dish.
- Chicken Thighs: The recipe calls for boneless chicken thighs with the skin on. Thighs are juicy and flavorful, and the skin gets delightfully crispy when fried. The chicken thighs will become smaller after being fried, so make sure you cut them into large chunks.
- MSG: This ingredient is optional. It’s used to enhance the umami flavor of the chicken, but the dish will still be delicious without it.
- Marinade: The combination of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sake, and mirin infuses the chicken with a rich, savory flavor. Marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes allows these flavors to penetrate the meat.
- Potato Starch: This is used for coating the chicken before frying. It creates a super crispy crust that’s characteristic of Chicken Karaage.
- Dipping Sauce: Kewpie mayo, toasted sesame oil, togarashi spice, and lemon juice make up this zesty and creamy dipping sauce. If you can’t find Kewpie mayo, you can substitute with regular mayo.
- Togarashi Spice: This is a common Japanese spice blend, usually including chili pepper, orange peel, sesame seeds, Japanese pepper, ginger, and seaweed. It adds a wonderful spice to the dish, but adjust the quantity based on your spice preference.
Expert Tips
- Marinate: Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes, but for a more intense flavor, consider leaving it in the fridge overnight. The longer the chicken soaks in the marinade, the deeper the flavors will penetrate.
- Frying Temperature: Maintain the oil temperature at around 350°F/175°C. Too hot and the chicken may burn on the outside while remaining raw inside; too cold and the chicken will absorb excess oil, becoming greasy rather than crispy.
- Coating Consistency: Ensure that the chicken pieces are evenly coated in potato starch, and shake off any excess before frying. Shaking off the excess potato starch keeps the cooking oil cleaner for longer.
- Drain Well: After frying, let the chicken drain on a wire rack instead of paper towels. This allows air to circulate and keeps the chicken crispy.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve the Chicken Karaage immediately after it’s cooked for the best texture and flavor. If you have leftovers, reheat them in the oven or an air fryer to bring back the crunch.
Step by Step Instructions
1) In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, salt, pepper, MSG (if using), minced garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce, sake, and mirin. Thoroughly mix these together ensuring the chicken is well-coated with the marinade. Let this sit for at least 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.
2) While the chicken is marinating, prepare the dipping sauce. In a separate bowl, whisk together Kewpie mayo, toasted sesame oil, togarashi spice, and lemon juice. Once combined, refrigerate the sauce until the chicken karaage is ready to be served.
3) Spread your potato starch out in a shallow dish. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off, then coat each piece in the potato starch. Ensure all sides are fully covered by pressing the chicken into the starch. Shake off any excess starch and place it on a tray.
4) Heat a sufficient amount of oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add the starch-coated chicken pieces and fry for about 3-4 minutes or until they’re golden brown and crispy.
5) Remove the crispy chicken karaage from the oil and let it drain on a wire rack to get rid of excess oil.
6) Serve your chicken karaage hot, accompanied by the dipping sauce you prepared earlier.
Storage and Leftovers
If you find yourself with leftovers of this delicious Chicken Karaage, don’t worry! This dish still tastes excellent the next day. Store any leftover Karaage in an airtight container and refrigerate; it will stay good for 2-3 days. When it comes to enjoying your leftovers, reheat the chicken in the oven or air fryer to maintain its crispy texture and rich flavor.
For reheating in the oven, preheat it to 350°F (175°C) and place the Karaage on a wire rack baking tray. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until it’s heated through. If using an air fryer, heat at 375°F (190°C) for about 3-4 minutes. Be sure to check the chicken pieces to ensure they’re thoroughly heated.
FAQs
Yes, you can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breast. However, thighs are preferred as they are juicier and more flavorful.
Kewpie Mayo has a distinct, sweeter flavor compared to regular mayonnaise. If you can’t find it, you can use regular mayonnaise, but note that the flavor of the sauce will be slightly different.
Yes, this recipe can be adapted for an air fryer. Cook at 375°F (190°C) for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is 165°F (75°C), making sure to turn halfway through. The texture may not be quite as crispy as deep-frying, but it’s a healthier alternative.
Absolutely, you can easily make this Chicken Karaage recipe fit within your ketogenic diet by substituting the potato starch for keto-friendly breadcrumbs or this keto chicken nuggets crumb.
Recipe You May Like
Chicken Karaage
Ingredients
For the fried chicken
- 1 kg boneless chicken thigh with skin cut into large chunks
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 MSG optional
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 1- inch piece Ginger minced
- 3 tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Cooking Sake
- 1 tablespoon Mirin
For the dipping sauce
- 2 tablespoons Kewpie Mayo
- 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 teaspoon Togarashi Spice adjust the quantity based on your spice preference
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- Potato Starch as needed for coating the chicken
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, salt, pepper, MSG (if using), minced garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce, sake, and mirin. Thoroughly mix these together ensuring the chicken is well-coated with the marinade. Let this sit for at least 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- While the chicken is marinating, prepare the dipping sauce. In a separate bowl, whisk together Kewpie mayo, toasted sesame oil, togarashi spice, and lemon juice. Once combined, refrigerate the sauce until the chicken karaage is ready to be served.
- Spread your potato starch out in a shallow dish. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off, then coat each piece in the potato starch. Ensure all sides are fully covered by pressing the chicken into the starch. Shake off any excess starch and place it on a tray.
- Heat a sufficient amount of oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add the starch-coated chicken pieces and fry for about 3-4 minutes or until they’re golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the crispy chicken karaage from the oil and let it drain on a wire rack to get rid of excess oil.
