I finally perfected ultra crispy, tender karaage with a punchy marinade, and my quick take on Japanese Style Fried Chicken is ready in 30 minutes.
I’ll never get tired of Japanese Karaage. I make it when I want ultra crispy fried chicken that stays tender and juicy inside, and I swear it’s got this salty sweet tang from soy sauce that hooks you.
I usually use boneless skin on chicken thighs because they stay moist and pretty forgiving, so even when I rush it the results still turn out great. Every batch makes me wonder What To Serve With Karaage Chicken like I don’t already know, and honestly it’s become one of those Fried Chicken Ideas I bring to every gathering.
Give it a try, you’ll see.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: rich in protein and fat they stay juicy and crisp when fried
- Soy sauce: salty umami flavor adds depth and browning but raises sodium levels
- Sake: light alcohol helps tenderize meat adds a subtle sweet note
- Mirin: sweet rice wine brightens flavor and gives gentle sweetness and glaze
- Ginger: zesty sharp bite helps cut grease and aids digestion some
- Potato starch: makes ultra crisp coating absorbs less oil than flour often
- Lemon wedges: bright acid cuts richness adds fresh flavor and vitamin C
Ingredient Quantities
- 500 g boneless skin on chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sake
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic minced or grated
- 1 tsp sesame oil optional
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup potato starch or cornstarch
- Vegetable oil for frying about 1 litre
- Lemon wedges to serve optional
How to Make this
1. Cut 500 g boneless skin on chicken thighs into bite sized pieces (about 2-3 cm), pat very dry with paper towel, trim big bits of fat, set aside.
2. Make the marinade: mix 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1 clove garlic minced or grated and 1 tsp sesame oil (optional). Stir till sugar mostly dissolves.
3. Toss the chicken in the marinade so every piece is coated, cover and chill for 15 to 30 minutes. Dont marinate for hours or it gets too salty.
4. Meanwhile mix the coating: 2 tbsp all purpose flour + 1/2 cup potato starch (or cornstarch) in a shallow bowl. When chicken is ready let excess marinade drip off then lightly toss pieces in the flour/starch mix, press to help it stick, shake off extra.
5. Heat about 1 litre vegetable oil in a deep pot to 170 C (use a thermometer). If you have no thermometer drop a small piece in and look for steady small bubbles, not a roaring boil.
6. Fry the chicken in batches at 160-170 C for 4 to 5 minutes until cooked through but not dark. Dont overcrowd the pot, work in small batches so oil temp stays steady.
7. Drain briefly on a wire rack or paper towel, then raise oil temp to 190-195 C and return pieces for a quick second fry 30 to 60 seconds until deep golden and ultra crispy. This double fry gives the best crunch.
8. Drain on a rack, sprinkle a little salt while hot and serve right away with lemon wedges (optional). Tip: if you need to hold them, keep in a single layer in a 100 C oven for a short time, but best eaten immediately.
Equipment Needed
1. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife, for trimming and cutting the thighs
2. Paper towels, to pat the chicken very dry
3. Two mixing bowls, one for the marinade and one shallow bowl or plate for the flour/starch coating
4. Measuring spoons and a 1/2 cup measure
5. Deep heavy-bottomed pot or a deep fryer big enough for about 1 litre oil
6. Frying or candy thermometer to monitor oil temp (160–195 C)
7. Long tongs plus a spider or slotted spoon for handling the pieces
8. Wire rack set over a baking sheet (or paper towels) to drain and hold in a single layer
FAQ
Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Sake: use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, or dry sherry, same amount. If you want a bit more tang add a splash of rice vinegar, it still tastes great.
- Mirin: swap with 1 tablespoon sake plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, or use 1 tablespoon rice vinegar plus 1 teaspoon sugar for sweetness, adjust to taste.
- Potato starch or cornstarch: try tapioca starch or arrowroot powder in the same amount, they give a crisp, light crust but arrowroot can brown faster so watch the heat.
- Soy sauce: use tamari for a gluten free option, or coconut aminos if you want less salt and a slightly sweeter note, use about the same amount but taste and add a little salt if needed.
Pro Tips
– Pat the pieces super dry, then let them sit a minute after you toss on the starch so the coating can actually stick. If you rush straight into the oil the crust will fall off or go soggy, trust me.
– Use potato starch if you can, it gives the best crackle, but add a small pinch of baking powder to the starch mix for extra lift and lightness. Dont add too much or the flavor gets off.
– Watch your oil temp not just once but between batches, lower temp for the first cook then higher for the quick second fry is what makes it crunchy and cooked through. If you dont have a thermometer use a small piece of batter to test, but check often so it doesnt go too dark.
– Salt immediately after frying while the crust is still hot so it sticks better, and squeeze lemon just before you eat to brighten it. If you must hold them for a bit keep on a wire rack in a 100 C oven so they stay crisp, dont pile them up.
Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) Recipe
I finally perfected ultra crispy, tender karaage with a punchy marinade, and my quick take on Japanese Style Fried Chicken is ready in 30 minutes.
4
servings
500
kcal
Equipment: 1. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife, for trimming and cutting the thighs
2. Paper towels, to pat the chicken very dry
3. Two mixing bowls, one for the marinade and one shallow bowl or plate for the flour/starch coating
4. Measuring spoons and a 1/2 cup measure
5. Deep heavy-bottomed pot or a deep fryer big enough for about 1 litre oil
6. Frying or candy thermometer to monitor oil temp (160–195 C)
7. Long tongs plus a spider or slotted spoon for handling the pieces
8. Wire rack set over a baking sheet (or paper towels) to drain and hold in a single layer
Ingredients
500 g boneless skin on chicken thighs
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic minced or grated
1 tsp sesame oil optional
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup potato starch or cornstarch
Vegetable oil for frying about 1 litre
Lemon wedges to serve optional
Directions
- Cut 500 g boneless skin on chicken thighs into bite sized pieces (about 2-3 cm), pat very dry with paper towel, trim big bits of fat, set aside.
- Make the marinade: mix 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1 clove garlic minced or grated and 1 tsp sesame oil (optional). Stir till sugar mostly dissolves.
- Toss the chicken in the marinade so every piece is coated, cover and chill for 15 to 30 minutes. Dont marinate for hours or it gets too salty.
- Meanwhile mix the coating: 2 tbsp all purpose flour + 1/2 cup potato starch (or cornstarch) in a shallow bowl. When chicken is ready let excess marinade drip off then lightly toss pieces in the flour/starch mix, press to help it stick, shake off extra.
- Heat about 1 litre vegetable oil in a deep pot to 170 C (use a thermometer). If you have no thermometer drop a small piece in and look for steady small bubbles, not a roaring boil.
- Fry the chicken in batches at 160-170 C for 4 to 5 minutes until cooked through but not dark. Dont overcrowd the pot, work in small batches so oil temp stays steady.
- Drain briefly on a wire rack or paper towel, then raise oil temp to 190-195 C and return pieces for a quick second fry 30 to 60 seconds until deep golden and ultra crispy. This double fry gives the best crunch.
- Drain on a rack, sprinkle a little salt while hot and serve right away with lemon wedges (optional). Tip: if you need to hold them, keep in a single layer in a 100 C oven for a short time, but best eaten immediately.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 150g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 500kcal
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 6g
- Monounsaturated: 22g
- Cholesterol: 125mg
- Sodium: 600mg
- Potassium: 412mg
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Sugar: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Vitamin A: 60IU
- Vitamin C: 1mg
- Calcium: 20mg
- Iron: 1.2mg
