Chicken Karaage
Greg Dunmore
Fried chicken…do we need to say more? Karaage, in my opinion, is some of the best fried chicken in the world! This recipe takes karaage to the next level with a longer marinating time for the chicken and the frying method—I like to double fry to improve the texture. The biggest key to frying is having the right oil temperature, so make sure to use a thermometer.
Ingredients
- 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ¼ teaspoon grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon grated garlic
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½ teaspoon Suehiro Usukuchi Soy Sauce
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½ teaspoon Hanamarukii Liquid Shio Koji
- ½ teaspoon sake
- ¾ cup potato starch
- Neutral oil for frying
- Sea salt
- Lemon wedge
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Yamatsu Tsujita Shichimi Togarashi
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Directions
Cut the chicken into large bite-sized pieces, discarding any sinew or fat. Toss in a small bowl with the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, liquid shio koji and sake. Let marinate for 48 hours.
When ready to fry, put the potato starch in a separate, larger bowl. Have a wire rack or paper towels on a sheet pan or tray close by, to serve as a landing place for the cooked karaage.
In a small pot suitable for frying, heat the oil over high heat to 350℉. You should have enough oil to submerge several pieces of chicken at once. Meanwhile, toss the chicken in potato starch to coat.
Carefully and gently add a few pieces of chicken to the oil. Maintain the temperature at around 350℉. If you see the temp rise, quickly reduce the heat and add a couple more chicken pieces. If the temperature drops too much, increase the heat. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, remove from the oil, and set aside.
Once you have fried all of the chicken, repeat the process, frying each batch for another 2 to 4 minutes. Note that karaage will not brown like American-style fried chicken, since potato starch doesn't darken as much as wheat flour. A tell-tale sign that the chicken is cooked through is when it becomes very firm when compared to its raw form.
Carefully remove the cooked chicken pieces from the oil to the wire rack or paper towels, and immediately and lightly sprinkle with salt. Repeat the process until all of the chicken is cooked, then serve with lemon wedges and small piles of yuzu kosho, shichimi togarashi and sansho to dip into.