Description
Chicken Karaage is a popular Japanese dish featuring juicy, marinated chicken thighs coated in cornstarch and deep-fried to crispy perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic (crushed)
- ¼ cup soy sauce (about 60 ml)
- 1 tablespoon cooking sake (or Chinese cooking wine, about 15 ml)
- 2 tablespoons mirin (about 30 ml)
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs (boneless, skin-on, about 700 grams)
- 1 cup cornstarch (about 125 grams)
- ½ to ⅔ cup virgin olive oil (or avocado oil) for frying
- Sliced cucumber
- Lemon wedges
- Japanese mayonnaise
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the grated ginger, crushed garlic, soy sauce, cooking sake, and mirin. Mix well to create the marinade and set it aside.
- Cut chicken thighs into 1.5-inch pieces using kitchen scissors. Place the chicken pieces into the marinade and allow them to soak for 30 minutes.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and drain off any excess liquid. Spread them out and sprinkle cornstarch evenly over the pieces. Toss gently to ensure a thin, uniform coating.
- Pour about 1 to 1.5 inches of oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over high until hot. Reduce heat to medium and carefully add the chicken pieces in batches. Fry each batch for about one minute or until golden and crisp.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried chicken to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Serve the chicken karaage hot alongside rice, sliced cucumbers, lemon wedges, and Japanese mayonnaise for dipping.
Notes
- Ensure the oil temperature is around 350°F (175°C) for even cooking.
- Avoid excessive cornstarch to prevent a heavy crust.
- Use kitchen scissors for safe cutting of chicken thighs.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Deep frying
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg