Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

Japanese-style fried chicken flavored with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce is the perfect snack for eating with sake or beer.

Fried Japanese chicken on a black plate with chopsticks, lemon, and a stylish napkin

Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze

Japanese-style fried chicken flavored with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce is the perfect snack for eating with sake or beer.

Dipping chicken into dutch oven of heated oil on stove top with slotted spider spoon

Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze

Recipe Details

Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 10 mins
Active 30 mins
Marinating Time 30 mins
Total 45 mins
Serves 4 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 4 thighs), trimmed of excess fat, and cut into rough 1-inch chunks

  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced on microplane or pressed through garlic press

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

  • 1 quart peanut oil

  • 1/4 cup cornstarch

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 scallion, sliced fine, slices stored in ice water until ready to use (optional)

  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

  1. Combine chicken, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in medium bowl and toss until chicken is thoroughly coated in marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, and up to 8 hours.

    Marinated chicken in a glass bowl

    Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze

  2. Heat vegetable oil in large Dutch oven or wok set over high heat until it reaches 350°F. Meanwhile, combine corn starch and flour in medium bowl. Remove chicken pieces from marinade and toss in flour mixture until well coated. Place in strainer basket and shake to remove excess flour. Add chicken to oil. Oil temperature should drop to around 300°F. Adjust burner to maintain 300°F temperature and cook, stirring occasionally with chopsticks or wire mesh spider until chicken is cooked through and burnished golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

    2 image collage. Top: chicken tossed in flour mixture in glass bowl. Bottom: Dipping chicken into dutch oven of heated oil on stove top with slotted spider spoon

    Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze

  3. Drain chicken pieces on paper towel-lined plate and season immediately with salt. Serve immediately, garnished with scallion and lemon slices.

    Sprinkling fried chicken with salt on top od a paper towel lined sheetpan

    Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze

Special Equipment

Wok, Dutch oven, or deep fryer

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
468 Calories
27g Fat
33g Carbs
31g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 468
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 35%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 138mg 46%
Sodium 801mg 35%
Total Carbohydrate 33g 12%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 31g
Vitamin C 108mg 538%
Calcium 68mg 5%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 679mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)