Chicken Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

May 12, 2012 · 66 comments

Karaage Japanese Fried Chicken

Fried chicken, whether it’s Southern, Japanese, or Korean, is one of my favourite foods of all time. Put simply, it would be on the menu for my last meal. It’s one of those dishes that strikes the perfect balance between flavor, texture and richness. The only downside about a really great
fried chicken (calories aside), is that it takes about a day to make.

Karaage (唐揚げ), also known as Tatsutaage (竜田揚げ), is the Japanese version of fried chicken. Pronounced kah-rah-ah-geh, the name literally means “Tang fried” (Tang as in the Chinese dynasty). Like Gyoza and Ramen, Karaage is an example of Wafu-Chuka (Chinese-style Japanese) cuisine, whereby dumplings, noodles, or in this case fried chicken, was adapted from the Chinese culinary repertoire and turned into something uniquely Japanese.

Tatsuta Age Fried Chicken

After being marinated in soy sauce, ginger and garlic, the two-bite nuggets of chicken are dredged in potato starch and deep fried until crisp. The potato starch creates a golden shell around the karaage with a lasting crispness which makes it perfect for packing into a bento lunch. Karaage also makes for a great summer picnic with some onigiri (rice balls).

I know someone is going to ask so I’ll address a few substitutions up-front. You can make Karaage with breast meat, but it will be dryer and less flavorful for the same reason why breast meat is healthier: it has less fat. Cornstarch can be substituted for the potato starch, however the texture won’t be the same. Karaage made with cornstarch has a dense crunchy texture like tortilla chips, while karaage made with potato starch fries up with a light crispy crust like a potato chip.

Personally, I also prefer potato starch to cornstarch as a thickening agent, so I’ve done away with cornstarch in my kitchen. In the US, you can get potato starch at Whole Foods under the Bob’s Red Mill brand.

Equipment you'll need:

Karaage

By marc Published: May 12, 2012

Yield: 2 Servings
Prep: 1 hr 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins

Karaage, the Japanese version of fried chicken is first marinated in ginger, garlic and soy sauce, then coated in potato starch and fried until golden brown and crisp.

Ingredients

1 pound chicken thighs boneless, skin-on cut into 1 in. pieces
1 tablespoon ginger grated
1 clove garlic grated
2 tablespoons soy sauce use tamari to make it gluten-free
1 tablespoon sake
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup potato starch
vegetable oil for frying
lemon for serving

Instructions

Add the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sake and sugar to a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the chicken, then stir to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Add 1 inch of vegetable oil to a heavy bottomed pot and heat until the oil reaches 360 degrees F. Line a wire rack with 2 sheets of paper towels and get your tongs out. Put the potato starch in a bowl
Add a handful of chicken to the potato starch and toss to coat each piece evenly.
Fry the chicken in batches until the exterior is a medium brown and the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the fried chicken to the paper towel lined rack. If you want the chicken to stay crispy longer, you can fry the chicken a second time, until it's a darker color after it's cooled off once. Serve with lemon wedges.

Cuisine: Japanese
Course: Entrée
Skill Level: Moderate

Ack Vandal
Are you frying in your rice cooker bowl?! Why?
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  Hahaha, nice catch. It’s a stove top rice cooker (i.e. a pot with marker lines). I just moved and it’s the only pot I have right now.
  - Louis
    Hahaha I was just about to ask the same thing. So are you still in NYC, Marc?
Jennietoyokawa
I totally agree with you on katakuriko…it’s all I use…also I swear by chicken thighs. I am anxious to try your recipe…karage/tatsutaage is a staple in my house such that i don’t use a recipe. I’ve not put garlic in before. Thanks.
http://www.italianinthemidwest.com/ PolaM
That is fried chicken 2.0! Have to try it!
http://twitter.com/chefashishnegi Ashish Negi
It makes me go nom nom nom right now… lovely pics and easy recipe.
http://www.ouichefnetwork.com Oui, Chef
I MUST make this dish….I even have potato starch, yippee!
http://tartineandapronstrings.com/ Jen Laceda
I LOVE this! I sometimes put curry powder in mine, too Probably not authentic Japanese, but oh-so-good!
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  Great idea! I’m gonna have to try that next time:-)
http://www.hsinrusocial.com/ The Hsinru Social
I need your advice! I LOVE your recipe and have made chicken karaage a few times. I’m having a guest over that eats only chicken Parmesan; so I want to create a Japanese-Italian dish that is inspired by chicken parmesan. Do you think I can deep fry the chicken Japanese style (just not use the soy sauce base), and then put it on a bed of tomato and melt some cheese ontop? What are your thoughts?
http://www.hsinrusocial.com
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  Thanks, glad you like it! If you’re going to forgo the marinade for the meat and put tomato sauce and cheese on it, why not just make regular chicken parm?
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Syna
I tried this yesterday! It was full of crunchiness and crispiness! What a wonderful cooking experience! Thank you for this piece of gold!
http://twitter.com/jillycious Jill
Can I put Soju instead of sake?
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  Yep, that should be fine.
Tania
what if you cant get sake or use it how about mirin
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  Mirin will work, but it will be a little sweeter.
Tarla
I’m a minor so i can’t use alcohol at all, are there any substitutes for sake?
- Tarla
  Would rice wine vinegar do the trick?
  - http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
    The alcohol burns off when it’s cooking so it should not be a problem, but if your parents still don’t let you use it, substitute water. Rice wine vinegar is rice wine that has undergone the last stage of fermentation and turned to vinegar, it doesn’t really taste like sake anymore, and it will make your chicken sour.
  - lmchibisuke
    how would using water instead affect the taste?
  - http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
    If you can’t find/use sake for some reason water would be the best substitute, but it will affect the flavor.
Adrianna
Delicious and easy! I lived in Japan for many years and always had trouble finding authentic recipes in English. Thank you for the wide selection of favorites, I can’t wait to try another recipe soon!
Emme
My husband and I moved to Ubud, Bali a year ago and I am always looking for new recipes with ‘accessible’ ingredients as not everything is easily available here I am thrilled to have come across your blog and even more excited to try this recipe! I am looking forward to following your blog and cooking my little heart out Terima Kashi
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  Thanks for the note! I visited Ubud last year and it was stunning. While I didn’t get a chance to go to any local markets, let me know if you run into any ingredients you can’t find there as I might be able to suggest a substitute.
Ernest
I tried tried this yesterday, marinated for about 4 fours. The crunchiness was outrageous!!
Next time I’ll up the soy sauce though, it was a tad bit under seasoned.
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  Glad to hear you liked it. What kind of soy sauce did you use?
  - Ernest
    I use Yamasa Brand, full sodium, I don’t do low sodium.
  - Ernest
    So I decided to try this again. This time I marinated the chicken overnight. Spiked it with a touch of fish sauce (red boat brand). Fantastic
Ernest
And just FYI, that Bob’s red mill potato starch might be a little expensive but it’s worth it. I used some cheap potato starch and it stuck to utensils like super glue. Bob’s red mill is the way to go.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000100170841 Allyson Outlaw
To fry it a 2nd time do you need to coat it again or just drop it in hot oil? Is mirin a good sub for sake? Mirin is always in my cabinet. Sake not so much.
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  Nope, you don’t need to coat it again to fry a 2nd time. Just stop the first fry before it gets too dark, and then brown it all the way on the second fry. As for substituting mirin for sake, I wouldn’t recommend it. Mirin is much sweeter than sake, which isn’t a problem if you like it sweet, but the issue is that the sugar will burn before the chicken is cooked.
  - lmchibisuke
    what if you leave out the sugar in the recipe? Do you think it would even out?
  - http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
    Good idea, that should work.
Jin Ah
Thank you soooo much for this recipe. I order karaage every time it’s available. I made this last night. I agree with Ernest. I like my karaage a bit more seasoned although I only marinated it for 1.5 hrs. I’m going to add some spice next time, maybe some cayenne. Love the curry idea.
- Ernest
  A little Sambal Oelek in the marinade adds a nice subtle kick.
SolidTD
What kind of sake should one use?
There’s a local Japanese super market and I can get may different types. I was told “Ozeki One Cup” is for cooking.
I was at the general store and there was better deals on bottles. They have
“Gekkeikan Taditional” and “Sho Chiku Bai Classic Junmai”
- Ernest
  I normally get ones that say Junmai Ginjo ($7 for a 300ml bottle). Junmai Daiginjo is hard to come by around my area but it’s supposed to be top notch.
  - http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
    While you can’t go wrong with a more expensive bottle of sake (such as Junmai Daiginjo), it’s a little overkill since you really won’t be able to tell the difference in the finished product ( the soy sauce, ginger and garlic, will cover up any differences). That said, since this recipe only uses 1 tablespoon, you could buy a bottle, use a little bit to make the karaage, and drink the rest:-)
  - Ernest
    Very true. It’s just my philosophy on food is to use the best ingredients whenever possible. You wouldn’t put regular gas in a Ferrari, would you? LOL
  - SolidTD
    I will agree, that not spending a lot for sake that’s going to be cooked, with other ingredients, is probably good practice. At the same time, I wouldn’t want to put Nigori Sake in the mix, if it didn’t call for it; even though, I can get Nigori for really cheap in my area. These sakes give the chicken different flavor. I’m just trying to find one that will blend the best.
    Which type do you have lying around when you make your recipe?
    Which type do you regularly use?
    Which type do you perfer?
    (These questions are assuming you’ve tried this recipe with multiple types.)
  - Ernest
    I tried using a cheap one that claimed to be premium sake $4, ended up with slightly bitter/ off kind of taste. After doing some research I went and got a bottle that clearly said Junmai Ginjo on the label. I haven’t looked back. Plus side is it is fairly drinkable but I keep a bottle handy just for cooking. I’m a whiskey drinker.
    And as for the Mirin, Kikkoman aji mirin is laced with corn syrup. I ditched that and got Eden Foods mirin. The difference is night and day. It is $7 a bottle but it’s not like you’ll use the whole bottle at once.
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  All three of the ones you mentioned are inexpensive sakes that are fine for cooking. It’s a waste of money buying really expensive sake for cooking as most of the subtleties that make them so expensive will get lost amidst the other ingredients.
Ernest
Marc, I can’t express enough how much I appreciate your effort and site. I stumbled on it a few months ago and I thoroughly enjoy everything that I have tried. But the Karaage! I’m addicted to the Karaage.
How about putting together a list of essential kitchen ingredients, if you ever have some time to spare?
And by the way, Lodge makes a 10 inch deep skillet that fries anything beautifully. Less than $30 on Amazon.
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  Great idea! I’m at my grandmothers house right now and she’s at the age now where she doesn’t cook anymore. I’ve been cooking for the family all week, and had to go out and buy a bunch of kitchen basics, but since I won’t be here long it’s been challenging to limit myself to the absolute necessities. Here’s a quick list of pantry stuff I’ve been buying
  Olive oil, regular oil, japanese soy sauce, sugar, sea salt, flour, miso, pepper, some kind of hot sauce, sake, dashi, canned tomatoes, canned (or jarred) italian tuna, italian anchovies in oil, whole block
  of parmesan cheese, spaghetti, onions, garlic, ginger, scallions.
  With these basics (+ veggies, and meat), you can make a ton of dishes.
Savrien454
is it possible to use any other parts of the chicken besides the thighs? Can I also use this with skinless chicken breasts?
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  Yep breast will work, but it has less fat so will have less flavor and be dryer. If you’re worried about the fat content of using skin-on thighs, skinless thighs with the visible fat trimmed off would be a good compromise.
Pam McDonald
I live in Oregon and have a Japanese aviation student staying with me who says this one of the most favored dishes in Japan. He cooked this for me and it was delicious so I searched the web for a recipe and showed it to him. He says these are all the correct ingredients and I cannot wait to cook it, I love Japanese food and this is one I had not heard of. Thanks for the recipe.
Ernest
Just FYI, I find tossing the chicken in potato starch quite stressful. So I dump the chicken and the potato starch in a large container, put a lid on and SHAKE it!!!!! Done
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  A ziploc bag will also work (and no bowl to wash), but personally I find this gets too much potato starch on the outside of the chicken.
Pradipto
Sorry, but is it okay if i use chicken breast?
Denise
I was wondering if I could fry this ahead of time and put it in an electric roaster to keep warm. Would be making it for about 85 people so could not do it last minute. Thanks
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  Hi Denise, if you use chicken thighs this shouldn’t be a problem (though I don’t know if it will stay crisp). I would not try do that if you’re planning on using chicken breasts.
la fata della zucca
Yummy! I’ll try this!
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Jortiz3
Its actually one of the lower calorie options out there, if your pieces you fry are large. Its moderately low in carbs, low in Sat Fat, and extremely high in protein.
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jaknyf
Several have asked if they could use mirin instead of sake. Several have commented that the mirin is too sweet. Well the recipe calls for 2 teaspoons sugar. I would think that one could simply adjust the sugar amount accordingly
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  That would work too, you’ll need to experiment to figure out how much sugar to omit.
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Lisa
Have you tried using rice flour instead of potato starch? Will that work as a substitute?
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  Nope, I haven’t tried. I’m sure it will work, but I think it will have a texture similar to all-purpose flour after it’s fried, more crunchy than crispy.
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carley
Can I use sherry or port instead of sake
- http://norecipes.com Marc Matsumoto
  Sherry and port make decent substitutes for Chinese rice wine, but they have a fairly different flavor profile from sake. That said, Karaage was originally a Chinese dish, so in this case either will probably work.