Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

This recipe was originally published in the award-winning cookbook Love Japan: Recipes from our Japanese American Kitchen by Sawako Okochi and Aaron Israel with Gabriella Gershenson (Ten Speed Press, 2023). Reprinted here with permission.

You can purchase Love Japan here

Active Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 3 to 12 hours, including marinating

Ingredients: 

• 2 pounds, skin-on (if possible) chicken thighs (see Note), cut into quarters
• 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
• ¼ cup sake
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 large egg
• Canola or other neutral oil, deep-frying
• ¾ cup cornstarch or potato starch
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Method: 

1. Place the quarter chicken thighs in a large bowl or a resealable plastic bag.
2. In a bowl, mix the ginger, garlic, salt, sake, soy sauce, and egg together, until well blended. Transfer the marinade to the container with the chicken and mix to coat. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. The longer the chicken marinades, the more tender and flavorful it will be.
3. Line a baking sheet with two layers of paper towel. Pour 2 inches canola oil into a Dutch oven and heat over medium high heat to 350℉ on a deep-fry thermometer.
4. Drain the chicken in a colander to get rid of excess liquid. In a shallow bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the flour. Dredge 4 to 5 pieces of chicken at a time, dusking off any excess. Using dry, heatproof tongs or wooden chopsticks, place the dredge chicken carefully into the hot oil, taking care not to splash
5. Fry 4 to 5 pieces at a time (depending on the size of the pot) without overcrowding. Turn after 3 minutes and cook for 3 minutes more. The color should be a nice and golden brown. Transfer to the pepper towels and sprinkle with salt. Serve with lemon wedges.

Note: If you can only find bone-in, skin-on thighs and would like to debone them:

1. Place the meat skin-side down on a cutting board. Using the tip of a small, sharp knife, slice along one side of the bone.
2. Repeat on the other side. The bone should now be exposed.
3. Insert the tip of the knife under the middle of the bone with the blade facing away from you. Slice along the underside of the bone, past the end of the bone, detaching it from the meat.
4. Rotate the thigh 180 degrees and repeat with the other side of the bone to detach it fully.