Chicken Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)
Photo: ibmoon Kim / Unsplash
Juicy pieces of chicken thigh marinated in soy, sake, ginger and garlic, coated in potato starch and double-fried until shatteringly crisp. Serve with lemon wedges and Japanese mayonnaise.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Marinate
Mix the soy sauce, , , ginger, garlic and salt in a bowl, then add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tsp
- 2 tsp ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ tsp salt
- 700g chicken thighs
✅ Done when: chicken looks evenly coated and slightly firmer
Coat
Drain off any excess marinade, then toss the chicken pieces in the potato starch, pressing it on so each piece gets a thin, dry, even coating.
- 700g marinated chicken
- 80g potato starch
✅ Done when: no wet patches remain; coating looks dry and even
Fry the first time
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Fry again
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Serve
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Marinate
Mix the soy sauce, , , ginger, garlic and salt in a bowl, then add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tsp
- 2 tsp ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ tsp salt
- 700g chicken thighs
✅ Done when: chicken looks evenly coated and slightly firmer
Coat
Drain off any excess marinade, then toss the chicken pieces in the potato starch, pressing it on so each piece gets a thin, dry, even coating.
- 700g marinated chicken
- 80g potato starch
✅ Done when: no wet patches remain; coating looks dry and even
Fry the first time
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Fry again
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Karaage — literally "Chinese frying" — describes Japan's style of marinating and deep-frying food in a light starch coating. Chicken karaage spread after the Second World War as chicken became affordable, and the towns of Nakatsu and Usa in Ōita Prefecture built a whole culture of karaage shops around it.
Today it's everywhere: in bento boxes, izakaya menus, convenience stores and family dinners.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Potato starch and a double fry give karaage a lighter, crunchier crust than Western fried chicken, while the marinade seasons the meat all the way through.
💡 Fun Fact
Japan has a Karaage Association that holds an annual Karaage Grand Prix, where shops compete for the country's best fried chicken.
Japan (popularised in Ōita, Kyushu)
33.60°N, 131.19°E
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