[Recipe] Chicken Karaage 唐揚げ - Japanese Fried Chicken
/Making fried chicken is a daunting task. Frying anything is actually pretty scary if you have never done it before. But let me tell you, Chicken Karaage will be one of the easiest and delicious bang for your buck thing you can fry. What is Chicken Karaage you ask? It is simply delicious.
Karaage is essentially bite size chicken pieces battered and fried. If done right, the batter should be light and crisp, and the meat should be juicy and flavorful. The same concept as popcorn chicken from KFC or your generic milk tea place but more refined. At these places, the meat is overly dry or an unidentifiable piece of the chicken.
What I like about this recipe is that it is simple only requires ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sake, potato starch and chicken thigh, most of which you should have at home. As mentioned in my previous post on fried chicken, chicken thigh it the preferred meet of choice as it is more forgiving if you overcook it as opposed to breast meat. To get the light and crisp crust that is signature of karaage (think half way between tempura and KFC), you will have to use potato starch. Corn starch can be used in a pinch, but it will give you a denser and crunchier shell which is good in its own right.
Serve with your favorite spices or sauces.
One you batter and fry these bad boys, enjoy them simply with some kewpie mayo. If you want a kick you can sprinkle on some shichimi togarashi or dip it in some yuzu mayo.
Instructions
- Combined chicken, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sake until everything is mixed thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat 1-inch of oil in a pot to 350 degrees F and place
- While the oil is heating up, put your potato starch into bowl and add your chicken to coat each piece evenly.
- When your oil reaches 350 degrees, fry your chicken in batches for 4-6 minutes until golden brown. If you have a thermometer, the temperature of the meat should reach 165 degrees inside.
- Place your freshly fried chicken on a paper towel lined rack and leave to cool for a few minutes before enjoying.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of boneless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 clove of garlic - grated
- 1 inch of ginger - grated
- 3 Tbsp of soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp of sake
- 1/2 cup of potato starch
