Chicken Karaage
Chicken Karaage is a easy Japanese recipe that serves 4. 320 calories per serving. Recipe by Morgane Recipes on YouTube.
Prep: 1 hr 27 min | Cook: 15 min | Total: 1 hr 57 min
Cost: $11.72 total, $2.93 per serving
Ingredients
- 6 pieces Chicken thighs, bone‑in, skin‑on (Deboned and cut into 4 pieces each, keep the skin for crispness)
- 1 tablespoon Fresh ginger (Grated (about 1 tbsp))
- 3 pieces Garlic cloves (Finely chopped)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Cooking sake
- 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
- 1 cup Potato starch (For coating; can be substituted with cornstarch)
- 2 cups Vegetable oil (e.g., canola or sunflower) (For deep‑frying; oil should reach ~180°C)
- Few drops Lemon juice (To finish, optional)
Instructions
Debone and cut chicken
Remove the bone from each thigh, keep the skin, and cut each thigh into 4 equal pieces.
Time: PT10M
Prepare the marinade
Grate 1 tbsp fresh ginger and finely chop 3 garlic cloves. In a bowl combine the ginger, garlic, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground pepper, 2 tbsp cooking sake and 2 tbsp soy sauce. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly.
Time: PT10M
Marinate
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the chicken rest for about 1 hour (refrigerate if longer).
Time: PT1H
Set up coating station
Pour 1 cup potato starch onto a shallow plate; spread it out evenly.
Time: PT2M
Heat the oil
Fill the pot with about 2 inches of oil and heat over high heat. Insert wooden chopsticks; when bubbles form around them the oil is around 180 °C and ready for frying.
Time: PT5M
Temperature: 180°C
Coat the chicken
One by one, roll each marinated piece in the potato starch, shaking off excess. Place coated pieces on a tray while you finish the batch.
Time: PT5M
Fry first batch
Carefully add half of the coated chicken pieces to the hot oil. Fry for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp.
Time: PT5M
Temperature: 180°C
Drain first batch
Using tongs, remove the chicken and let it drain on paper towels.
Time: PT2M
Fry second batch
Repeat the frying process with the remaining pieces, again about 5 minutes until golden.
Time: PT5M
Temperature: 180°C
Final draining
Remove the second batch, drain on paper towels and let rest a minute before serving.
Time: PT2M
Serve
Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over the hot karaage, serve with mayonnaise coleslaw and short‑grain rice.
Time: PT2M
Nutrition Facts
- Calories
- 320
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
Dietary info: Gluten‑free if using tamari or gluten‑free soy sauce, Contains alcohol (sake), High‑protein
Allergens: Soy
Ingredient Substitutions
- Instead of Chicken thighs, bone‑in, skin‑on: Chicken drumsticks (same amount)
- Instead of Fresh ginger: Ground ginger (1 tsp)
- Instead of Garlic cloves: Garlic powder (½ tsp)
- Instead of Salt: Sea salt
- Instead of Ground black pepper: White pepper
- Instead of Cooking sake: Dry sherry, Mirin
- Instead of Soy sauce: Tamari (gluten‑free), Coconut aminos
- Instead of Potato starch: Cornstarch
- Instead of Vegetable oil (e.g., canola or sunflower): Peanut oil, Sunflower oil
- Instead of Lemon juice: Rice vinegar (a few drops)
Equipment Needed
- Cutting board
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Mixing bowl
- Microplane or fine grater
- Garlic press or knife
- Measuring spoons
- Plate (for starch)
- Heavy‑bottomed pot or deep fryer
- Wooden chopsticks (to test oil)
- Tongs or slotted spoon
- Paper towels
- Serving plate
Critical Steps — Do Not Skip
- Debone and cut chicken evenly
- Marinate for at least 1 hour
- Heat oil to 180 °C before adding chicken
- Do not overcrowd the pot when frying
Chef Tips from the Video
- For extra flavor, add a pinch of shichimi to the coating
- Use a kitchen thermometer for precise oil temperature
- Serve immediately for maximum crunch
Troubleshooting
Chicken is soggy, not crispy
Make sure the oil is at 180 °C before adding chicken and avoid crowding the pot; fry in small batches.
Coating falls off during frying
Pat the chicken dry after marinating, coat thoroughly in potato starch, and let excess shake off before frying.
Oil splatters
Dry the chicken pieces well and lower them gently into the oil using tongs; keep a splatter guard if available.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store cooked karaage in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180 °C oven for 5‑7 minutes to regain crispness.
Freezer: Can freeze cooked pieces in a single layer, then transfer to a zip‑top bag; lasts up to 2 months. Reheat directly from frozen in a hot oven.
Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours due to food safety.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance
- Prepare the mayonnaise coleslaw a few hours ahead and keep chilled
- Coat and freeze raw pieces; fry directly from frozen for a crisp result
Last updated: August 21, 2026
