Spicy Karaage Chicken
Crispy Japanese fried chicken marinated in soy, ginger, and garlic with a spicy kick. Ready in under 30 minutes with maximum flavor and crunch.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 32g
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels, pressing firmly on all surfaces to remove moisture so the coating will crisp properly.
- 2
Cut each chicken thigh into 2-inch chunks by placing it on a cutting board and slicing lengthwise, then crosswise into roughly equal pieces.
- 3
Pour the soy sauce into a medium bowl, then add the minced ginger and minced garlic, stirring until evenly mixed together.
- 4
Add the chicken chunks to the marinade bowl and stir until every piece is coated on all sides with the liquid.
- 5
While chicken marinates, pour the cornstarch and cayenne pepper into a shallow dish and stir with a fork until the red pepper is evenly distributed throughout.
- 6
Working with 3–4 pieces at a time, lift chicken from the marinade with a fork, letting excess liquid drip back into the bowl, then place into the cornstarch mixture.
- 7
Turn each piece over in the cornstarch to coat all sides evenly, then transfer the coated chicken to a clean plate.
- 8
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 9
Carefully place half of the coated chicken pieces into the hot oil in a single layer, leaving space between each piece so steam can escape.
- 10
Cook the first batch without moving it for 4–5 minutes until the underside turns deep golden brown and sounds crispy when tapped with a spatula.
- 11
Flip each piece over with tongs and cook the other side for 3–4 minutes until golden brown and cooked through (the thickest piece should show no pink inside).
- 12
Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess oil, then repeat steps 9–11 with the remaining chicken and 2 tablespoons fresh oil.
- 13
Arrange all the chicken pieces on a serving plate and serve immediately while still hot and crispy.
Tools you’ll need
- paper towels
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- medium bowl
- fork
- shallow dish
- 12-inch skillet
- tongs
- spatula
- paper towels for draining
- serving plate
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
