Crispy Japanese Fried Chicken
Crispy Japanese fried chicken karaage with soy ginger garlic marinade and a light potato starch coating
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INGREDIENTS
Chicken
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1.5 inch pieces
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper.
Marinade
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil optional.
Coating
- ¾ cup potato starch
- ¼ cup all purpose flour.
Frying and Serving
- 6 cups neutral frying oil
- lemon wedges for serving
- Japanese mayonnaise optional
- shichimi togarashi optional.
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep and Marinate
- Pat chicken dry and place in a bowl
- add salt and pepper plus soy sauce sake mirin ginger garlic and sesame oil then mix well
- cover and marinate 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Coat
- Combine potato starch and flour in a shallow bowl
- drain excess marinade from chicken and toss in coating until evenly covered
- rest coated chicken 5 minutes to hydrate the starch for a craggier crust.
Fry
- Heat oil to 325 F in a heavy pot
- fry chicken in batches without crowding until lightly golden and cooked through about 4 to 5 minutes per batch
- transfer to a rack and rest 3 minutes
- increase oil to 350 F and refry each batch 1 to 2 minutes until deep golden and very crisp
- drain on a rack and season lightly with salt to taste.
Serve
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges and optional Japanese mayonnaise or shichimi togarashi.
Notes
1. Use chicken thighs for juiciness; substitute cornstarch for potato starch for a slightly less crisp crust; keep fried chicken warm on a rack in a 200 F oven between batches; do not overcrowd the pot and maintain oil temperature for maximum crispness
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 30g