Bite-sized pieces of chicken thigh marinated in soy sauce, ginger, and garlic, coated in potato starch, and fried twice until shatteringly crispy outside and impossibly juicy inside. The ultimate Japanese comfort food.
Ingredients
600g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 tablespoon sesame oil
100g potato starch (katakuriko)
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Lemon wedges for serving
Shredded cabbage for serving
Japanese mayonnaise for dipping
Instructions
1Combine soy sauce, sake, grated ginger, garlic, and sesame oil in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and mix thoroughly, ensuring every piece is coated. Marinate for at least thirty minutes.
2Remove chicken from marinade and pat each piece lightly with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Coat each piece generously in potato starch, pressing gently so the starch adheres in an even layer.
3Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to one hundred sixty degrees Celsius. Fry the chicken in batches for four minutes until the coating is set and the chicken is cooked through but still pale.
4Remove the par-fried chicken to a wire rack and let it rest for three minutes. Meanwhile, increase the oil temperature to one hundred eighty degrees Celsius for the crucial second fry.
5Return the chicken to the hot oil in batches for ninety seconds until the exterior turns deep golden brown and shatteringly crispy. The double-fry technique is the secret to the perfect karaage texture.
6Drain on a wire rack and serve immediately on a bed of shredded cabbage with lemon wedges and Japanese mayonnaise on the side. Squeeze lemon generously over the crispy chicken before eating.
Did You Know?
The city of Nakatsu in Oita prefecture has declared itself the karaage capital of Japan, hosting an annual karaage festival where over fifty thousand visitors sample fried chicken from dozens of competing stalls.