Chicken Karaage Recipe

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs chicken thighs (boneless, skin-on (about 700 grams))
• 1 cup cornstarch (about 125 grams)
• 1/2-2/3 cup Virgin olive oil (or avocado oil)
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 clove garlic (crushed)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (about 60 ml)
• 1 tablespoon cooking sake (or Chinese cooking wine, about 15 ml)
• 2 tablespoons mirin (about 30 ml)
• Sliced cucumber (lemon wedges, and Japanese mayonnaise)

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the ingredients for the marinade into a bowl. Set it aside.

2. 2

   Cut chicken thighs into 1.5-inch pieces. The best way was to use kitchen scissors, as chicken skin can be slippery under a knife. Then, marinate the chicken pieces for 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Remove chicken pieces from the marinade to drain excess liquid from them. Place them into another bowl or plate, spread the cornstarch evenly over the chicken pieces, and toss to coat. You want a thin, uniform layer. Excessive cornstarch can make the coating thick and heavy.

4. 4

   Add 1-1.5-inch of oil into a heavy-bottom saucepan and bring it over high heat. Once the oil is hot enough, you can test it by dropping a piece of chicken or cornflour and see if it bubbles. Reduce heat to medium and add chicken pieces. Fry them for a minute or until nicely golden. Note: The oil is too hot if the chicken gets dark brown too quickly. On the contrary, the oil needs to be hotter if it remains plaid after a minute. If using a kitchen thermometer, maintain the oil temperature around 350°F (175°C) while frying. Too hot, and the chicken can burn quickly; too cool, and it won't get crispy. Fry them in batches for better results.

5. 5

   Place chicken pieces into a plate and cover with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

6. 6

   Serve chicken karaage with rice, cucumber slices, and Japanese mayo.