Very Good Japanese Fried Chicken Recipe

chicken thighs

🥗Healthier: chicken breast

💰Cheaper: chicken drumsticks

Breast is leaner, drumsticks are usually less expensive.

sake

🥗Healthier: rice vinegar

💰Cheaper: white wine

Rice vinegar adds acidity without alcohol.

mirin

🥗Healthier: honey + water

💰Cheaper: sugar + water

Honey provides sweetness with fewer calories.

potato starch

🥗Healthier: cornstarch

💰Cheaper: all-purpose flour

Cornstarch is often easier to find and less expensive.

Cut 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs into four equal pieces, about 1.5 inches across.

Place chicken in a medium bowl.

Grate 10 g of ginger and add to the chicken.

Grate 4-5 cloves of garlic (about 10 g) and add to the chicken.

Add 20 g of soy sauce, 5 g of sesame oil, 20 g of mirin, 20 g of sake, 8 g of salt, 30 g of cornstarch, and 3 g of MSG to the chicken.

Mix well and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Prepare a spicy mayonnaise by mixing 200 g of Kewpie mayonnaise, 10 g of seasoned rice vinegar, 5 g of togarashi, and 10 g of chili oil in a bowl.

Stir until combined and set aside.

After marination, dredge the chicken in potato starch.

Moisten potato starch with about 30 sprays of water (3-4 tablespoons) and mix until combined.

Toss half of the marinated chicken in the moistened potato starch to coat.

Heat about 2 quarts of canola oil in a heavy bottom pot to 325°F (about 163°C).

Carefully drop the coated chicken into the hot oil using a spider.

Fry for 2.5 minutes until lightly browned, then remove and place on a wire rack to drain for 1 minute.

Fry the chicken two more times for extra crispiness: fry for 90 seconds for mid-tier browning, then drain again for 1 minute.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens