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A plate of crispy golden Japanese chicken karaage with lemon wedges, Japanese mayonnaise, shredded cabbage, and chopsticks

Chicken Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

Crispy Japanese fried chicken marinated in soy, sake, and ginger, double-fried for a shattering potato-starch crust.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the marinade
  • 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 2-inch pieces (about 680 g)
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce standard all-purpose koikuchi
  • 2 tablespoons sake or dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger about a 1-inch piece
  • 2 cloves garlic grated
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For the coating and frying
  • 1/2 cup potato starch (katakuriko) about 65 g
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 cups neutral oil with a high smoke point canola, peanut, or rice bran; for frying
For serving
  • Lemon wedges
  • Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie)
  • Finely shredded cabbage or a simple green salad

Method
 

  1. Cut the chicken thighs into 2-inch pieces, roughly walnut-sized, so they cook in the same time.
  2. Whisk the soy sauce, sake, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil in a bowl. Add the chicken, turn to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes (up to 2 hours).
  3. Lift the chicken out and let the excess marinade drip back into the bowl. You want a thin film clinging to the surface, but the pieces should not be dripping.
  4. Stir the potato starch, flour, and salt together in a shallow dish. Coat each piece, pressing lightly, and set on a tray in a single layer. Rest 5 minutes so the coating hydrates and turns slightly tacky.
  5. Pour oil 2 inches deep into a heavy pot and heat to 170°C (340°F). Fry in two batches, 3-4 minutes per batch, turning once, until pale gold. Lift out to a wire rack and rest 3 minutes.
  6. Raise the oil to 180°C (355°F). Fry the chicken a second time, 45-60 seconds per batch, until deep golden and crisp. Return to the rack, sprinkle lightly with salt if you like, and serve immediately with lemon wedges, Kewpie, and cabbage.

Notes

Note 1: Marinate 30 minutes minimum and 2 hours maximum. Under 30 minutes the flavor sits on the surface; past 2 hours the salt in the soy sauce starts breaking down the chicken's texture.
Note 2: Potato starch (katakuriko) fries up craggier and stays crisp longer than cornstarch. If you only have cornstarch it still works, but expect the crust to soften sooner.
Note 3: Rest the dredged chicken 5 minutes before frying. The coating hydrates and turns tacky, which keeps it bonded in the oil instead of sloughing off.
Note 4: Do not skip the second fry. The first fry cooks the chicken through; the short second fry at 180°C (355°F) is what drives off surface moisture and locks in the shattering crisp.
Note 5: Drain on a wire rack, never on paper towels. Paper traps steam under the crust and undoes the second fry in minutes.
Note 6: Use chicken thighs, not breast. Thighs stay juicy through the double fry; breast dries out.