Skip to main content

How To Make Karaage, Japanese Fried Chicken, for an Epic Date Night Dinner

There are countless variations of fried chicken beloved around the world. Japan is no different. Known as karaage, Japanese style fried chicken is ubiquitous in the country, found everywhere from school lunches to hole-in-the-wall izayaka pubs.

Boneless and marinated, karaage is a relatively modern culinary creation. Traditionally, the Japanese ate little animal protein due to the adoption of Buddhist vegetarian beliefs from China. The technique of deep frying was also foreign, introduced by the Portuguese in the 16th century. Karaage first appeared after World War II and grew in popularity due to changing diets and increased meat consumption.

Recommended Videos

The word karaage refers to the Japanese cooking technique of deep frying, although the term has now become interchangeable with fried chicken itself. There are many regional variations of Japanese fried chicken, such as sweet tebasaki wings from Nagoya, tartar sauce-covered Chicken Nanban chicken from Miyazaki, and toriten (chicken tempura) served with ponzu and hot mustard from Ōita. For the purposes of this guide, we will focus on karaage, the most common version of Japanese fried chicken.

Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage)

(By Chef Christina Jackson, former chef at Masa, currently the head chef of Edith’s Brooklyn.)

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 pounds of chicken thighs
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp grated ginger
  • 1/2 tsp grated garlic
  • 1/2 tbsp yuzu juice, or lemon juice if unavailable
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp cooking sake
  • 2 tsp mirin
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp light sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp potato starch
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 4 cups vegetable, canola or rice bran oil

Method:

  1. Cut chicken thighs into 2-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper.
  2. In a bowl, combine grated ginger, grated garlic, yuzu juice, soy sauce, sake, honey, and sesame oil.
  3. Add chicken to the bowl and coat evenly. Cover and place in refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.
  4. While the chicken is marinating, pour oil into a pot, cast iron pan or Dutch oven. Heat the oil to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  5. Place potato starch and all-purpose flour in two separate bowls.
  6. Take the chicken out of the marinade and dredge first in flour and then in potato starch. Remove excess with a sieve or mesh colander. 
  7. Heat oil to 325 F. Once it reaches temperature, add chicken, about 3-5 pieces at a time. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan.
  8. Important to note: This is the first fry. Do not cook the chicken completely. 
  9. Deep fry for two minutes or until the outside is a light golden brown. If the chicken is too dark, lower the temperature. Transfer chicken to a wire rack when finished. 
  10. Bring the oil temperature up to 350F. Fry chicken again for 1 minute or until skin is a nice, deep golden color. If desired, use a cake tester or meat thermometer to check for doneness. 
  11. Serve with a wedge of lemon, pickles, and kewpie mayo (add some shichimi togarashi for a spicy kick).

Choosing the Chicken

Most karaage recipes will use thigh meat. Dark meat is preferred in Japan as it’s seen as more flavorful and less prone to drying out. Karaage is always boneless and many recipes will also leave the skin on for flavor. Karaage is meant to be relatively bite-sized, so it’s best to cut a typical chicken thigh into two or four pieces.

The Frying

Paul Keller/Flickr

Japanese karaage is often less greasy than American fried chicken. This is due to the sake in the marinade and the different dredging ingredients than American fried chicken. Alcohol like sake is used in Japanese meat preparations to remove any potential gaminess or odor (similar to the concept of citrus with seafood). Karaage dredges frequently include potato or corn starch which produce a lighter crust than pure wheat flour.

Sauces

Unlike Korean fried chicken, karaage is not commonly coated in sauce. The most common sauce is Japanese mayonnaise or some lemon wedges. Japanese mayonnaise (such Kewpie brand) is smoother and richer than American mayonnaise. For a spicy variation, squeeze hot sauce or sprinkle shichimi togarashi (a Japanese chili pepper mix) into the mayonnaise.

Accompaniments

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Japanese fried chicken is most often served as part of a “set” meal, complete with rice, soup, salad, and pickles. Karaage in Japan is also commonly found in Chinese restaurants. The flavors and techniques of Japanese fried chicken — garlic and deep frying —are Chinese in origin, brought to Japan by Chinese migrants. Since ramen was also introduced to Japan by Chinese immigrants, it’s not uncommon to find karaage served alongside ramen or fried rice (a staple in many ramen and Chinese restaurants in Japan).

Hunter Lu
Hunter Lu is a New York-based food and features writer, editor, and NYU graduate. His fiction has appeared in The Line…
How to make the White Negroni, a French riff on the classic
Try this take on the original Negroni
White cocktail

The Negroni is one of the world's most beloved cocktails, thanks to its simple construction and complex, bitter flavor profile. It's not only a classic cocktail, but it's also a template for several variations, as it uses three equal parts that can easily be swapped in and out to create new drinks. Some of the most common Negroni variations include ways of lengthening the drink by adding lower-ABV ingredients like Prosecco or soda water or creating variations like the Negroni Sbagliato and the Americano, which keeps the flavors of the original but lowers the alcohol level to something more suitable for casual sipping.

Another common way to vary a Negroni is by swapping out the main spirit. Instead of gin, which is botanical and herbal, you can swap in rich and smoky mezcal for an Oaxacan Negroni or add in spicy rye whiskey to create an Old Pal.

Read more
Here’s how to make your own fancy coffee drinks at home
You'll become a barista in no time
Person pouring coffee drink into a white ceramic mug

Going to your local coffee shop is an awesome experience -- but everyday life and work can make it challenging to get there on some days. Luckily, if you're craving a fancy coffee drink, you can still enjoy them at home by making these drinks on your own.

It sounds hard to do, but it's actually simpler than you think. With a few ingredients and some basic kitchen tools that you already own, you, too, can be your own barista. Check out our favorite homemade versions of a chai tea latte, caffe vanilla Frappuccino, and pumpkin spice latte below.

Read more
How to make The Last Word cocktail, a gin classic from another era
Impress your guests and make this circa 1916 drink
Last Word cocktail

Gin often plays a prominent role within classic cocktail culture. Such is the case with The Last Word cocktail, a delightful green concoction enlivened by the aromatic clear spirit. It's a cocktail that has practically lived two lives: one as it was born during the heyday of early 20th-century American bar life and another that started about two decades ago.

How did it come about? Drinks folklore says The Last Word was devised by Frank Fogarty at the Detroit Athletic Club circa 1916. Oddly enough, Fogarty was not a bartender but an award-winning vaudeville comedian. Regardless of his progression, he came up with a darn good cocktail that uses some rather obscure ingredients.

Read more