Crispy, flavorful, Japanese-style fried chicken! Marinated in a soy-sake-garlic sauce, then battered with potato starch and double-fried. I tested multiple classic karaage preparation methods to settle on my personal favorite version!
My husband and I both agree that karaage is our favorite style of fried chicken. So what makes karaage so special? The most iconic thing about it is the crispy coating that almost shatters as you take a bite. That texture is due to the potato starch breading. Some recipes use a combination of regular flour and potato starch, but in my testing, we preferred the results of the potato-starch-only breading.
Another thing that makes karaage special is the marinade. The chicken gets a soy-sake-garlic marinade that infuses it with flavor before it is breaded and fried. That extra boost of salt and flavor makes the chicken truly irresistible.
Traditional karaage is made with skin-on, boneless chicken thigh meat, but I've had incredible izakaya (Japanese pub) karaage made from breast meat as well. What cut of chicken you use is really up to personal preference. I love this chicken both ways, but when I'm preparing it in bulk I opt for breast meat. The breast meat makes the dish feel a little lighter and leaner.
This recipe is written to be prepared in bulk (4 lbs at a time). This is because it's a deep-fried recipe that can easily be frozen and reheated. Deep-frying is a hassle, so I like to make the most of it when I do choose to deep-fry. This recipe reheats so well from frozen; the image at the top of this page is actually from a reheated batch!
How to Make Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken):
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the full recipe.
- To prepare:
- Trim chicken as desired and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- If using skin-on boneless chicken thighs, gently score through the skin and any connective tissue with a sharp knife.
- Mix together marinade ingredients (soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sake, mirin, MSG, toasted sesame oil, garlic, and ginger), add chicken pieces, and marinate in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a separate bowl, add the potato starch. Drizzle in the water and mix it with chopsticks to form pebbles in the starch (do not over mix). Dredge each piece of chicken in the starch, then set aside to fry.
- To Fry:
- Preheat oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 320 F. I recommend using a deep fryer because it's easier to maintain a consistent oil temperature. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet to hold the finished pieces.
- Fry each piece for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden and cooked through, then set on the wire rack to drip and cool. Repeat for all pieces. Flip the pieces as needed so both sides cook evenly.
- Raise the heat of the oil to 375 F.
- Fry each piece again for ~30 to 45 seconds per side until deep golden brown. Return to the wire rack.
- To Serve:
- Serve hot, with spicy mayo for dipping and an optional lemon wedge!
- To Freeze Karaage:
- Allow the chicken pieces to cool to room temperature. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper, then place the chicken pieces on the sheet so that they are not touching. Transfer to the freezer.
- After the pieces have frozen, you can transfer them into a freezer-safe zip bag for long-term storage. I like to vacuum seal the frozen karaage in small packages to maintain the best quality.
- To Reheat Frozen Karaage:
- Preheat a toaster oven, air fryer, or standard oven to 375 °F. (I use an air fryer)
- Place the chicken on a baking sheet if needed (for the oven), or directly into the basket of the air fryer. Do not overcrowd it.
- Cook until the outside is sizzling and the inside is warmed through to 165 °F, about 8-10 minutes in an air fryer or toaster oven and 10-15 minutes in the oven.
- Serve hot, with spicy mayo for dipping and an optional lemon wedge!
Key Tips - Japanese Karaage
Try to keep the chicken pieces all about the same size and thickness.
- Keeping all the chicken slices the same size and thickness will ensure they finish cooking at the same time. This helps to avoid overcooked pieces.
Shop at a Japanese market for potato starch.
- I buy my potato starch at a Japanese grocery store, and this is the best option if there's one in your area. The package of potato starch I used is pictured below.
- If you can't find it locally, you can easily buy potato starch online (like this option from Amazon)
Check out my guide on freezing fresh garlic to save some time in the kitchen.
- If you're looking for the convenience of pre-minced garlic, but the flavor of fresh garlic, freezing your own minced garlic is a great option! You'll be surprised to find that the flavor of frozen garlic is nearly as good as fresh, without the sticky prep and clean-up. Read more about it here: How to Freeze Garlic.
Use a deep fryer for best results.
- While you definitely can fry this chicken in a pot on the stove, I really recommend investing in a deep fryer if you plan on regularly frying foods.
- Deep fryers will maintain the oil temperature automatically, which can be very challenging to do manually on the stove. It removes a lot of the stress from the frying process for me.
- Using a deep fryer also allows me to fry on my back patio rather than in my kitchen. Frying in the kitchen can leave a smell that lingers for a long time, and you may end up with a thin layer of oil on all the surfaces in your kitchen.
- I have this deep fryer, and I've been very happy with it. Given the risk involved with this kind of appliance, I recommend avoiding really cheap options and spending at least $100 on a quality appliance.
Dietary Restrictions - Japanese Karaage
This dish is naturally Dairy-Free.
Make this dish Gluten-Free:
- Use gluten-free soy sauce, such as tamari.
- If you can't find gluten-free dark soy sauce, just use regular gluten-free soy sauce in its place.
A Note On Serving Sizes
Serving sizes are a very personal thing, making it very difficult for me to select a serving size that suits everyone. The serving size for this recipe is 3 oz of prepared fried chicken, which is a nice size for an appetizer portion. The calorie count doesn't include any dipping sauce.
Karaage (Japanese Style Fried Chicken)
Equipment
- deep fryer or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 4 lbs chicken breast or thigh (thigh is traditional, but I use breast, see notes)
For marinade:
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon sake Japanese rice wine
- 2 tablespoon mirin Japanese sweet cooking wine
- 2 tablespoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
- 2 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
- 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon msg optional
For coating:
- 2 cups potato starch
- ½ cup water
For deep-frying:
- ~1 gallon canola oil (for deep-frying in a machine, see notes for tips)
Instructions
To prepare:
- Trim chicken as desired and cut into bite-sized pieces. If using skin-on boneless chicken thighs, gently score through the skin and any connective tissue with a sharp knife.
- Mix together marinade ingredients, add chicken pieces, and marinate in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a separate bowl, add the potato starch. Drizzle in the water and mix it with chopsticks to form pebbles in the starch (do not over mix). Dredge each piece of chicken in the starch, then set aside to fry.
To Fry:
- Preheat oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 320 F. I recommend using a deep fryer because it's easier to maintain a consistent oil temperature. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet to hold the finished pieces.
- Fry each piece for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden and cooked through, then set on the wire rack to drip and cool. Repeat for all pieces. Flip the pieces as needed so both sides cook evenly.
- Raise the heat of the oil to 375 F.
- Fry each piece again for ~30 to 45 seconds per side until deep golden brown. Return to the wire rack.
To Serve:
- Serve hot, with spicy mayo for dipping and an optional lemon wedge!
To Freeze Karaage:
- Allow the chicken pieces to cool to room temperature. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper, then place the chicken pieces on the sheet so that they are not touching. Transfer to the freezer.
- After the pieces have frozen, you can transfer them into a freezer-safe zip bag for long-term storage. I like to vacuum seal the frozen karaage in small packages to maintain the best quality.
To Reheat Frozen Karaage:
- Preheat a toaster oven, air fryer, or standard oven to 375 °F. (I use an air fryer)
- Place the chicken on a baking sheet if needed (for the oven), or directly into the basket of the air fryer. Do not overcrowd it.
- Cook until the outside is sizzling and the inside is warmed through to 165 °F, about 8-10 minutes in an air fryer or toaster oven and 10-15 minutes in the oven.
- Serve hot, with spicy mayo for dipping and an optional lemon wedge!
Notes
Nutrition
If you like this recipe, you may also like...
If you like this recipe, you may also like my Fried Gyoza, Yaki Udon, Wagyu Sushi, or Japanese Beef Curry Udon.
Send me pictures of your creations -- it'll make my day! Message @CraftyCookbook on Instagram, email me ([email protected]), or tag me in a post! Please note, tagged posts are only visible to me if your account is public. Did you make any interesting changes or substitutions for this recipe? Tell me about them in the comment section below!
Leave a Reply