Karaage fried chicken
Crisp, juicy Japanese-style fried chicken with a ginger‑garlic soy marinade and light cornflour coating — perfect for sharing.
Karaage is Japan’s answer to finger‑licking fried chicken: punchy, ginger‑garlic marinade, a light cornflour coating and a quick double fry for unrivalled crunch. Make it when you want something comforting but a little bit clever.
This version uses skin‑on thighs for juiciness and a short marinade so the meat soaks up flavour without needing a whole day. Perfect for sharing at a casual supper or as an impressive snack for guests.
Ingredients
- 700 g chicken thigh, boneless and skin-on
- 50 ml light soy sauce
- 30 ml sake
- 15 ml mirin
- 20 g fresh ginger — finely grated
- 1 garlic clove — finely grated or minced
- 5 ml sesame oil
- 5 g sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 70 g plain flour
- 70 g cornflour
- 1 l vegetable oil — for deep‑frying
- 1 lemon — cut into wedges
- 100 g mayonnaise — to serve
- 2 spring onion — finely sliced, for garnish
Equipment
- deep-fry thermometer
- slotted spoon or spider
- baking tray
- fine grater (for ginger and garlic, optional)
Instructions
Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut into bite‑sized pieces (about 3–4 cm). Pat dry briefly with kitchen paper.
In a large bowl combine light soy sauce, sake, mirin, grated fresh ginger, grated garlic clove, sesame oil, sea salt and black pepper. Stir until the salt begins to dissolve.
Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, turn to coat, cover and refrigerate for 60 minutes.
While the chicken marinates, whisk plain flour and cornflour together in a shallow bowl or tray and set to one side.
Remove the chicken from the fridge. Using a slotted spoon lift pieces from the marinade, shaking off excess liquid, then pat very lightly with kitchen paper — the pieces should be damp, not dripping.
Dust each piece in the flour/cornflour mix, shaking off any excess. Arrange on a baking tray while you heat the oil.
Pour the vegetable oil into a deep frying pan or wok so it comes 5–7 cm up the side and heat to 170°C (use a deep‑fry thermometer).
Fry the chicken in small batches so it isn’t crowded — cook each batch for 4–5 minutes until pale golden and the juices run clear. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper.
Let the fried pieces rest on the tray for 3 minutes (this is passive).
Turn the heat up to 190°C and return the chicken to the oil for a quick second fry, 30–45 seconds, until deeply golden and extra crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm while you finish the rest.
Scatter with sliced spring onion, serve immediately with lemon wedges and a little mayonnaise for dipping.
Tips
- Use skin‑on thigh rather than breast for juicier results — the dark meat tolerates frying and stays moist.
- Pat the pieces only lightly after draining from the marinade; too much drying removes flavour and too little leaves the coating soggy.
- Maintain oil temperature: 170°C for the first fry, 190°C for the quick second fry. A deep‑fry thermometer is worth the investment.
- Make ahead: fry once and chill, then reheat in a 200°C fan/220°C conventional oven for 6–8 minutes to refresh the crispness.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2 days; reheat in a hot oven to retain crunch rather than the microwave.
Substitutions
chicken thigh, boneless and skin-on → chicken breast, cut into bite‑sized pieces (same weight)
Noticeably differentcornflour → potato starch, same weight
Stays closelight soy sauce → tamari, same volume (makes dish gluten‑free)
Stays closemayonnaise → Japanese kewpie mayonnaise, same weight
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 604
- Calories
- 36 g
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 1000 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I skip the second fry?
You can, but the second, brief fry is what makes karaage extra crispy. Skipping it will give you cooked chicken with a softer coating.
How long can I marinate the chicken?
60 minutes is ideal. You can marinate up to 6 hours in the fridge; beyond that the texture may become too soft from the acidic components.
Can I bake instead of frying?
Baking is possible but won’t achieve the same deep crunch. If you must bake, spray pieces with oil and cook at 220°C fan/240°C conventional for 18–22 minutes, turning once.
How do I know when the chicken is cooked through?
Pieces should be golden and the juices clear. For certainty use a probe thermometer — internal temperature should reach 75°C.
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