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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers/Sides » Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

    Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

    Last Modified: February 16, 2022 - Published by: christieathome - Comments: 3 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken). Deliciously ultra crispy chicken that is tender, juicy and flavourful thanks to the marinade.

    Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

    A dish that is easy to make at home. Great as an appetizer, side or main. Ready in 30 minutes!

    Easy to make!

    My karaage recipe is very easy to make at home and if you have an Asian pantry, you’ll probably have most of the ingredients already! This recipe comes together in 30 minutes or less.

    The steps are very simple as you’re just marinating the cubed chicken thighs, coating them in starch and deep frying them. That’s it!

    Below are more details and questions on how to make karaage chicken.

    Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

    Ingredients

    For this karaage chicken you’ll need the following ingredients:

    • Boneless chicken thighs, cubed (feel free to use skin on thighs)
    • Vegetable oil
    • Potato Starch (or sub with cornstarch)
    • Lemon (highly recommended), to spritz over fried chicken before consumption

    Marinade:

    • Sake
    • Sugar
    • Mirin
    • Soy sauce, regular
    • Garlic, crushed
    • Black pepper
    • Ginger grated

    Cooking Tips

    Below are tips on making tori karaage:

    Use Chicken Thighs

    Chicken thighs will yield the best and tastiest results for this recipe thanks to the fat. It is highly recommended and authentically used. You may use breast meat but be forewarned that it may not be as juicy.

    Cut chicken thighs into equal bite size pieces

    This ensures an even cooking process per bite. I usually like to dice each thigh into 6 cube like pieces.  

    Do not overcrowd your pan

    If you overcrowd your pan as you deep fry, guess what? The chicken won’t be as crispy. It is highly recommended that you divide the chicken into a few batches to fry.

    Lemon Juice takes karaage to the next level

    After you’ve fried your karaage, be sure to spritz some fresh lemon juice over top just before you enjoy. The lemon juice takes the karaage to the next level in terms of taste and pairs deliciously with crispy fried chicken.

    Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

    FAQ

    Below are frequently asked questions about this karaage fried chicken:

    What does karaage mean in Japanese?

    It is a Japanese cooking process where the meat is lightly coated in starch or flour and deep fried in oil.

    What is the difference between fried chicken and karaage?

    The main difference comes down to the marinade and the light coating of starch. Karaage is also usually marinated in sake, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic and sometimes mirin. Fried chicken may or may not be marinated in those aforementioned ingredients prior to battering.

    What is the difference between Katsu and karaage?

    Katsu and Karaage both originate from Japan. However, karaage is marinated and coated in starch prior to deep frying.

    On the other hand, Katsu is seasoned with salt and black pepper, then coated in starch/flour, beaten egg and panko breadcrumbs before deep frying.

    What is karaage made of?

    Karaage is usually made of chicken thighs marinated in soy sauce, sake, mirin, garlic, and ginger. Then coated in potato starch or cornstarch and deep fried in oil.

    Other recipes you may like!

    If you enjoyed this karaage authentic recipe, you may enjoy these other recipes:

    KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN
    ORANGE CHICKEN
    SWEET STICKY KOREAN CHICKEN
    KOREAN BULGOGI CHICKEN WINGS
    VIETNAMESE LEMONGRASS CHICKEN
    CHINESE CHICKEN POTATO STEW
    SWEET SPICY GOCHUJANG CHICKEN
    MONGOLIAN CHICKEN
    HONEY SESAME CHICKEN
    CHICKEN ADOBO

    Try it!

    Well, I hope you give my Karaage Japanese Fried Chicken a try! It always excites me when you make my recipes and I hope this is one you try.

    Thanks for visiting my blog! If you enjoyed my karaage Japanese fried chicken recipe, please share it with your family and friends or on social media!

    Take a picture if you've made my quick karaage recipe and tag me on social media @ChristieAtHome in your feed or stories so I can share your creation in my stories with credits to you!

    Made this recipe and loved it?

    If you could leave a star rating for my karaage Japanese chicken, I would greatly appreciate it 🙂 Thanks so much!

    Take care,
    Christie

    *This post for my karaage Japanese recipe contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I also earn from qualifying purchases through additional affiliate programs

    Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

    christieathome
    Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken). Deliciously ultra crispy chicken that is tender, juicy and flavourful thanks to the marinade. A dish that is easy to make as an appetizer, side or main.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Appetizer, dinner, lunch
    Cuisine Japanese
    Servings 4
    Calories per serving 401 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cubed (feel free to use skin-on thighs)
    • 2 cups Vegetable oil
    • 1 cup Potato Starch or cornstarch
    • 1 lemon highly recommended, to spritz over fried chicken before eating

    Marinade:

    • 1 tbsp Sake or sub with Dry Sherry Wine
    • 1 tsp white granulated sugar
    • 1 tbsp mirin
    • 2 tbsp regular soy sauce regular kind
    • 1 tsp Garlic grated
    • ¼ tsp Black pepper
    • 1 tbsp Ginger grated

    Instructions
     

    • Dice chicken thighs into bite size pieces. If you have skin on thighs, leave the skin on. Transfer cubed chicken to a bowl.
    • Add marinade ingredients to diced chicken and massage into meat until well combined.
    • Pour potato starch into another bowl. Dredge a few pieces of your marinated chicken into the starch until well coated. Repeat this process until all pieces are coated.
    • In a pot or deep pan over medium high heat (350 F) add vegetable oil. Check if oil is hot enough using a cooking thermometer or place a wooden chopstick into the oil and look for bubbles.
    • Carefully add one-third of your batch of chicken into oil. Spreading the pieces apart. Do not overcrowd. Fry on each side until golden crispy brown, about 3-4 minutes in total. Transfer cooked pieces to a wired rack to allow excess oil to drip off. Repeat step for remaining batches.
    • Enjoy with a spritz of fresh lemon juice over top for best taste!

    Notes

    For a simple delicious dipping sauce, mix the following ingredients together:
    • 3 tbsp Japanese mayo
    • 1 tbsp ketchup
    • 1 tbsp condensed milk
    Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
    Copyright PolicyPlease do not copy and paste my recipes or use my photos in your own site/blog or social media. If you use my recipe for adaptation, please provide a link back to my recipe and re-write in your own words. Thank you.

    Suggested Equipment & Products

    Wok
    Cutting Board
    Santoku Knife
    Measuring Set
    Mixing bowl
    Nutrition
    Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 626mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
    Course Appetizer, dinner, lunch
    Cuisine Japanese
    Keyword how to make karaage chicken, karaage authentic recipe, karaage chicken, karaage dipping sauce, karaage fried chicken, karaage japanese chicken, karaage japanese fried chicken recipe, karaage japanese recipe, karaage recipe, quick karaage recipe, tori karaage
    « Chinese Chicken Potato Stew
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amanda

      February 28, 2022 at 6:43 pm

      5 stars
      this was so crispy and delicious! I can't wait to make it again! Easy recipe to follow.

      Reply
    2. Nedler

      April 04, 2022 at 3:26 am

      5 stars
      I will try it

      Reply
      • christieathome

        April 04, 2022 at 7:39 pm

        Thanks and I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply

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    Christie

    Christie is an Asian Recipe Blogger sharing delicious recipes that you can make at home! Her goal is to make Asian cooking approachable and less intimidating. With a social media following of over 500k, she has been featured on Buzz Feed Tasty, Food52, The Kitchn and more! Christie's recipes have been made over and over again by her loyal readers.

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