May 1, 2020

Japanese Karaage Fried Chicken Recipe

Japanese fried chicken is called karaage, and it is one of my favorite Japanese dishes. When I lived in Japan I had karaage in my bento lunch box nearly everyday. I highly recommend it and think it is better than western style fried chicken. My wife sometimes cooks karaage and it is one of my favorite meals. In this Japanese karaage fried chicken recipe, you will learn how to make this classic dish easily at home even if you don’t live in Japan.

Karaage is made of almost any kind of meat of fish, but is most commonly made with chicken. The most common type of chicken used in a karaage fried chicken recipe is thigh meat. Thigh meat has more fat than breast meat and contains more “umami” giving it a richer taste. While only soy sauce is needed for the marinade, I like to add salt, dashi, sesame oil and grated garlic to add to the flavor. If you like fried Japanese food, please try our Japanese fried pork (tonkatsu) recipe.

Tips for Making Japanese Karaage Fried Chicken

It’s important to allow the chicken to marinate in the seasonings before frying for at least 30 minutes. For people who are busy, you can always prepare the chicken beforehand by putting the chicken in a Ziploc bag with the seasonings overnight. The next day or even later, you can easily fry the chicken and save time by not waiting for the marinate.
After frying the chicken once, it is important to remove the chicken from the oil. As the fried chicken makes contact with the air, it makes the chicken more crispy. The chicken is fried a second time to ensure the chicken is fully cooked. The second frying also creates a beautiful golden color on the outside.
In Japan, Katakuriko (potato starch) is often used in Japan. In this recipe I used corn starch as it is easier to obtain in the USA and other western countries. The flavor doesn’t change too much.
Karaage is often served with mayonnaise in Japan. If you have mayonnaise available, I highly recommend trying this Japanese karaage fried chicken recipe with mayonnaise. It is delicious.

Japanese Karaage Fried Chicken Recipe

Japanese fried chicken is called karaage. Karaage is chicken that is covered in starch and then deep fried in oil. Karaage is marinated in soy sauce and other spices before deep frying to create a deep, rich flavor.

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Marinating Time 30

Total Time 1

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Japanese

Ingredients

550 g Chicken Thigh
0.25 tsp Salt
0.5 tsp Dashi
2 tsp Soy Sauce
2 tsp Sesame Oil
2 tsp Grated Garlic
1 cup Corn Starch (Potato Starch can also be used instead)
2 cups Vegetable Oil

Instructions

Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and place into a bowl
Add the salt, dashi, soy sauce, sesame oil, and grated garlic into the bowl with the chicken
Mix the chicken with the seasonings and allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes
Add the corn starch into a separate bowl
Roll and coat each individual piece of chicken in the corn starch
Add the vegetable oil into a frying pan
Once the oil is hot (~180°C) add the chicken into the oil
Fry the chicken for 2 minutes. (if all the chicken doesn't fit, split the chicken into two batches)
Remove the chicken from the oil and let it cool down for 1-2 minutes. This creates a crispy texture. Fry the chicken again for 2 minutes and ensure the chicken is fully cooked.
Remove the chicken from the oil for a second time
Enjoy Japanese karaage fried chicken!