Chicken Kaarage

This Chicken Kaarage is juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. It's full of ginger garlic umami flavor that is to die for.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 30

marinate 30

Total Time 1 35

Servings

Calories 465kcal

Author Dina

Equipment

1 heavy-bottomed pot

Ingredients

2 lb boneless chicken thighs skinless is easier to work with
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sake
1/2 tsp mirin
1 tsp sesame oil
4 garlic cloves grated
1 Tbsp ginger grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup potato starch
neutral oil for frying avocado or corn oil works

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a prep bowl add the soy sauce, sake, mirin, toasted sesame oil, grated garlic, grated ginger, salt, and pepper.
Give it a good mix using a whisk and set aside.
In a large bowl, add in the chicken thighs along with the marinade sauce and egg. The egg will serve as a binder for the dredging later.
Mix everything together thoroughly using your clean hands. Now cover the chicken and let it marinate for about 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge. Tip: if you marinate in the fridge, make sure to take it out to room temperature at least 1 hour before cooking.
After the chicken has marinated, add in the cornstarch and mix well.
Then place the potato starch onto a large plate, and begin dredging each piece of chicken in the starch.
Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with about 2 inches of oil and bring the oil to about 325°F. I highly recommend using an instant-read thermometer to measure the temperature of the oil to ensure proper cooking.
Now fry the coated chicken in batches of about 5-6 pieces at a time. You do not want to put too many pieces of chicken in at the same time or the oil temperature will drop too low. Cook the chicken for about 90 seconds or until lightly browned
transfer the cooked chicken pieces onto a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack. Continue cooking the rest of the chicken in batches.
Now bring the oil temperature up to 350°F and fry the chicken pieces again for about 45 seconds or until they are golden brown. The double fry step is crucial to get a super crunchy exterior. Now serve the chicken with spicy Mayo and enjoy!

Notes

Check the oil temperature- I highly recommend using an instant-read thermometer to measure the temperature of the oil to ensure proper cooking.

Get the oil up to temp before adding the chicken- Doing this ensures that a crispy layer on the outside is formed. Otherwise, the chicken will be greasy and soggy.

Cook in batches- You do not want to put too many pieces of chicken in at the same time or the oil temperature will drop too low.

Don't forget to double fry it- The double fry step is crucial to getting a super crunchy exterior.

Nutrition