Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage Chicken)

Name: Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage) Double Fried
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 350g/12.3oz chicken thigh fillets (, cut into large bite size pieces (Note 1)); 20g/0.7oz corn flour (/ cornstarch); Vegetable oil for deep frying; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp cooking sake; 1/2 tsp mirin ((Note 2)); 2 tsp freshly grated ginger (including juice); Shredded lettuce or cabbage; Sprigs of parsley

Japanese karaage chicken is double-fried chicken thighs marinated in soy, sake, and ginger, achieving a signature crunchy exterior and juicy interior in under 30 minutes.

🌍Japanese 🏷️Karaage 🏷️Karaage chicken 🏷️Karaage recipe

Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage Chicken)

Total

25 min

Servings

2

Difficulty

Medium

Est. Cost

$19–$31

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Japan Recipetineats · by Yumiko

Ingredients

350g/12.3oz chicken thigh fillets (, cut into large bite size pieces (Note 1))
20g/0.7oz corn flour (/ cornstarch)
Vegetable oil for deep frying
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp cooking sake
1/2 tsp mirin ((Note 2))
2 tsp freshly grated ginger (including juice)
Shredded lettuce or cabbage
Sprigs of parsley

9 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towel. Put the chicken and the Marinade ingredients into a ziplock bag or a bowl.
2
Massage the bag well ensuring that all pieces are coated with the marinade. Marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.
3
Heat enough oil in a deep pot or pan to 160°C/320°F (note 3). The depth of the oil should be about 3-4cm/1¼-1½”.
4
Meanwhile, drain excess marinade from the chicken, place the chicken pieces on paper towels to remove excess liquid, and put them in a bowl.
5
Sprinkle over the corn flour and turn chicken to coat every piece with corn flour.
6
Fry chicken in batches. Add several chicken pieces to the oil one by one and fry for about 2.5-3 minutes (note 4). You may want to move the chicken pieces around as they tend to stick to the bottom of the pot/pan.
7
Take the chicken pieces out of the oil and rest for at least 3-4 minutes (note 5) on paper towels. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
8
Skim any flour crumbs from the oil if there are any and increase the temperature of the oil to 190-200°C/374-392°F (note 3).
9
Put the chicken pieces back into the oil in batches and fry for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until golden brown and crunchy. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
10
Serve immediately with shredded lettuce and parsley for decoration if using.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Pat chicken dry after marinating before coating—excess moisture prevents crispness.
Double fry: first at lower temperature (160-170°C) until cooked through (2-3 minutes), rest 5 minutes, then second fry at higher heat (180°C) for 1-2 minutes until golden.
Cornstarch is essential; all-purpose flour alone won't achieve the same crispy, light texture.