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Ingredients
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Chicken & Marinade
Coating
For Frying
Optional Serving Sauces
Method
Chicken & Marinade
Prepare the chicken
Trim excess fat from the boneless chicken thighs and cut into 1½-inch bite-sized pieces. Pat dry with paper towels to remove surface moisture—this helps the marinade penetrate and creates a crisp coating.
Make the marinade
In a medium bowl combine soy sauce, sake, mirin, grated ginger, grated garlic, salt, and black pepper. Stir to dissolve. Taste briefly and adjust: it should be savory with a mild sweet note from mirin.
Marinate
Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, stir to coat thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap or transfer to a resealable bag, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Do not marinate much longer than 1 hour for best texture—karaage relies on a relatively short marinade.
Coating
Prepare coating mix
About 10 minutes before frying, set up a shallow bowl with the potato starch and, if using, the all-purpose flour. Mix together so the starch and flour are evenly combined. Place a wire rack or a plate lined with paper towel nearby to drain the cooked chicken.
Coat the chicken
Working with a few pieces at a time, remove chicken from the marinade allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the starch mixture, pressing lightly so the starch adheres well. Shake off excess. Arrange coated pieces on a clean plate while you heat the oil.
For Frying
Heat the oil
In a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet, add enough neutral oil to reach about 2–3 inches deep (roughly 2 cups for a small pot). Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 340°F (170°C) for the first fry. If you don’t have a thermometer, test with one coated piece: it should sizzle steadily and float up slowly.
First (blanch) fry
Fry the coated chicken in small batches (do not overcrowd) at 330–340°F (165–170°C) for 3–4 minutes, or until the outside is set but not deeply browned and the internal temperature reaches about 140°F (60°C). Remove with a slotted spoon to the wire rack and let rest for 3–5 minutes. This step cooks through the meat gently.
Increase heat and second fry
Raise the oil temperature to 360–375°F (182–190°C). Return the rested pieces to the hot oil in small batches and fry for an additional 1.5–2 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. The second fry crisps the exterior and finishes the cooking—internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C). Drain on the wire rack or paper towels.
Finish and garnish
Transfer fried karaage to a serving plate. Sprinkle with thinly sliced scallions if desired and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over. Offer Kewpie mayo for dipping and steamed rice if serving as a meal.