Chicken karaage is generously seasoned, marinated, and then fried until golden brown and crisp for the ultimate Japanese fried chicken. Served with a side of mouthwatering miso-curry mayo dipping sauce, you can enjoy crispy chicken karaage as an entree, appetizer, or snack.
For more delicious Japanese recipes, try this Japanese Egg Sandwich with Yuzu Kosho and Salmon Onigiri next.
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You haven’t experienced the crispiest, juiciest fried chicken recipe until you’ve made Japanese chicken karaage. Boneless chicken thighs are sliced into bite-sized pieces, marinated, dredged in flour, and fried to crispy perfection. Dip them in a creamy miso-curry mayo for a drool-inducing indulgence full of rich, savory flavor and plenty of crunch!
Why This Recipe Works
- Super Flavorful – Each piece of chicken is steeped in a flavorful 6-hour marinade made with ingredients like fresh ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sake. And keeping the skin on adds a crispy exterior. Sprinkle the finished product with salt for a nice, salty, satisfying crunch.
- Versatile – Whether you make a chicken karaage bowl, “sushi”, or add it to a bento box for lunch, there are plenty of ways to serve this addictive Japanese fried chicken.
- Family Friendly – Who doesn’t love fried chicken? Chicken karaage is a family-friendly dish that is sure to please even the pickiest eaters. It’s also perfect as a finger food.
What is Chicken Karaage?
Chicken karaage, also known as tori no karaage, is a Japanese deep-fried chicken. It’s a popular street food that is often prepared for lunch at home or in bento shops.
Karaage vs Katsu
The term karaage refers to a deep fried dish, whether it’s a veggie, meat, or seafood. Whereas katsu references a deep fried chicken cutlet (usually chicken breasts) that’s breaded with panko and fried.
Tools You’ll Need
Ingredients You Will Need Chicken Karaage
If you make Japanese cuisine often, then you should already have most of these ingredients stocked in your kitchen as pantry staples.
Chicken Karaage Marinade
- Chicken thighs – Dark meat has a deeper, richer flavor than white meat. Use boneless, skin-on chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Mirin – This adds a subtle sweetness.
- Soy sauce – Use for a salty, umami flavor.
- Sake – This enhances the taste of the soy while also imparting sweetness to counteract some of the richer elements. It also acts as a tenderizer.
- Garlic clove – Although traditional Japanese chicken karaage doesn’t use garlic, I like the flavor. Freshly grate it.
- Ginger – Freshly grated.
- Sesame oil – This adds a toasty, nutty flavor.
- Seasoning – Keep the seasoning simple with fresh cracked black pepper and kosher salt (Diamond Crystal).
- Large egg – Beaten.
After Marinating
- Potato Starch
- Curry powder, I use S&B brand
Potato Starch Dredge
- Potato starch – Not to be confused with potato flour, this gives the chicken that light, crunchy coating.
- Curry powder – I use S&B brand.
- Kosher salt – Diamond Crystal
- Garlic powder – This adds a savory, garlic flavor.
- Neutral oil – Use an oil like vegetable oil for frying.
Miso-Curry Mayo
- Kewpie mayo – This egg-yolk-based Japanese mayo is richer than regular mayo.
- Curry powder – Use for a bright, earthy flavor.
- White miso paste – This adds a salty-sweet taste.
- Garlic clove – Freshly grated.
For Garnish
- Lemon wedges, for karaage
- Shichimi togarashi, for mayo
- Salt, to finish karaage
How to Make Chicken Karaage
Start with a simple marinade then coat the marinated chicken thighs with flour and deep fry.
- Marinate Chicken. Aside from the chicken, add all marinade ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir to combine well. Add chicken, mix to coat well, then cover and marinate in the fridge for 6 hours.
2. Miso Mayo. Add all mayo ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before consuming.
3. Prepare dredge. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, add potato starch, curry powder, salt, and garlic powder to a shallow bowl and whisk to combine well.
4. After marinating is complete, add beaten egg and potato starch to the chicken. Mix to coat well.
5. Prepare to Fry. Heat oil in a dutch oven to 320°F – 340°F over medium-high heat.
6. Cook in Batches. Allow excess marinade to drip from the chicken then dredge in the flour mixture. Fry in batches for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown and internal temp of chicken is 165°F. Be sure to maintain oil temp at around 340°F. Once cooked, transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl and sprinkle with salt. Repeat until all of the chicken is cooked.
7. Squeeze lemon wedges atop hot chicken karaage just before eating. Serve with miso-curry mayo topped with shichimi togarashi and enjoy.
Tips and Tricks
- To make the karaage chicken super crispy, you can double fry it. However, keep a close eye on it so the chicken doesn’t overcook and dry out. If you opt for double-fried chicken, cook it at a lower temperature initially (320°F-329°F) then allow the chicken to rest for 2-3 minutes before adding it back to the oil at 350°F-375°F. This ensures a crispy outer shell with moist, tender meat at the center.
- Do not skip the marinade. If you can’t do the whole 6 hours, aim for at least 3 hours. I’ve found that anything shorter will not impart enough flavor.
- Coat the chicken well. there should be no bare spots and it should be coated evenly for the best texture.
- You can use lime wedges as an alternative garnish to lemon wedges.
What to Serve with Chicken Karaage
- Rice – Serve over a bowl of steamed rice.
- Salad – A light salad with mixed greens can provide a fresh contrast to the fried chicken.
- Ramen Noodles – Serve chicken karaage alongside a bowl of ramen noodles in a flavorful broth with veggies for a heartier meal or pair with this Sesame Garlic Ramen Noodles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chicken karaage spicy?
Karaage chicken is not particularly spicy but you can incorporate additional ingredients like chili powder, and hot pepper flakes, to add heat to the dish.
What is the difference between karaage and regular fried chicken?
Japanese fried chicken is marinated and then thinly coated. Classic fried chicken may or may not be marinated and it tends to have a thicker batter.
Why is Japanese Fried Chicken so Crispy?
For me, I’ve found that potato starch or cornstarch best works for a light and crispy karaage. I personally like to solely us potato starch and have found that the texture is perfectly crisp. Alternatively, you can also double-fry the chicken. Simply just remove the chicken from oil once cooked, then once all the chicken are cooked, transfer to a wire rack then increase oil temp to 375°F and fry again for 3-4 minutes.
Looking for More Chicken Recipes
- French Onion Chicken Thighs
- Copycat Chipotle Chicken
- Lemon Chicken Skewers
- Chimichurri Chicken
- Skillet Chicken with White Beans and Kale
- Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Tonnato Sauce
Loving this Chicken Karaage Recipe?
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Chicken Karaage
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Spider Wok
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Microplane Grater
- Deep Fry thermometer
Ingredients
Chicken Karaage Marinade
- 1 pound chicken thigh, boneless, skin-on, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons sake
- 3 large cloves garlic, grated
- 2½ teaspoons ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, Diamond Crystal
- 2¼ teaspoons curry powder, I use S&B brand
After Marinating
- 1 tablespoon potato starch
- 1 large egg, beaten
Potato Starch Dredge
- ¾ cup potato starch
- 2½ teaspoons curry powder, I use S&B brand
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, Diamond Crystal
- 1¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 cups neutral oil, for frying
Miso-Curry Mayo
- ½ cup kewpie mayo
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons white miso paste
- 1 large clove garlic, freshly grated
- ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or to taste
For Garnish
- lemon wedges, for karaage
- shichimi togarashi, for mayo
- salt, to finish karaage
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken. Aside from the chicken, add all marinade ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir to combine well. Add chicken, mix to coat well, then cover and marinate in the fridge for 6 hours.
- Miso Mayo. Add all mayo ingredeitns to a bowl and mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before consuming.
- Prepare dredge. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, add potato starch, curry powder, salt, and garlic powder to a shallow bowl and whisk to combine well.
- After marinating is complete, add beaten egg and potato starch to the chicken. Mix to coat well.
- Prepare to Fry. Heat oil in a dutch oven to 320°F – 340°F over medium-high heat.
- Cook in Batches. Allow excess marinade to drip from the chicken then dredge in the flour mixture. Fry in batches for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown and internal temp of chicken is 165°F. Be sure to maintain oil temp at around 340°F. Once cooked, transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl and sprinkle with salt. Repeat until all of the chicken is cooked.
- Squeeze lemon wedges atop hot chicken karaage just before eating. Serve with miso-curry mayo topped with shichimi togarashi and enjoy.
