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Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage)
We usually prefer a wand-style grater for fresh ginger, but here the larger holes of a box grater were best; it was easier to squeeze juice from the thicker pulp. The chicken's distinctive tang came from shichimi togarashi—a Japanese rice seasoning with chili pepper, roasted orange peel, sesame seeds, seaweed and ginger. It's widely available in Asian markets. Tamari is a gluten-free Japanese soy sauce with a darker color and bolder flavor than other soy sauces, but any soy sauce will work. A large pot or Dutch oven (at least 6 quarts) was essential for frying.
4
Servings
Tip
Don’t let the chicken sit for longer than an hour after coating it before frying. It will get gummy.
1 hour 45 minutes
For the Chicken
-
1
3-ounce chunk unpeeled fresh ginger, coarsely grated
Directions
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01To make the chicken, gather the ginger in your hands and squeeze as much juice as possible into a large bowl. Add the ginger solids to the bowl and stir in the sake, tamari and lemon zest. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
Reviews
April 19, 2025
best fried chicken
ginger shavings make it very unique and the crunch! Very good and no leftovers.
January 13, 2023
Excellent
Made it with Japanese steakhouse hibachi vegetables. Had it with a ginger sauce and a mayo.shiracha/lemon juice dipping sauce. The chicken only took about 3 minutes in my deep fryer. Great recipe
December 22, 2022
No leftovers
My 13 year old aided in preparation of the Karaage, and has demanded that we make this again as soon as possible. I agree, it was super delicious!
July 14, 2022
Deliciously gingery poultry goodness
We enjoyed this deeply flavourful chicken with its shatteringly crisp crust alongside Milk Street's Japanese potato salad. The chicken did not really need the tamari dipping sauce. BONUS: It is easier to fry boneless skinless thighs than it is bone in pieces. This one is a keeper.
December 31, 2024
Exceptional Taste, Crisp and Lightness
I don't fry food but decided to try this as a special treat for my family. So glad I did! Easy to prepare, delivers a crisp, flavor-filled morsel! If you have any left over (I only did because I doubled the batch - it's too difficult to not indulge), it reheats wonderfully.
Karaage success!! This was a winner! I live in Japan so I have tried many karaage recipes. This is really flavorful. Letting the chicken rest for 30 minutes after adding the coating made for a really crispy crunch!! I didn’t add the black pepper and Shichimi to the Katakuriko (potato starch used here to make karaage instead of cornstarch). My Japanese husband liked it without those additions. If we wanted a more spicy kick, we could always sprinkle some Shichimi/七味 on top before eating it. I’ll be making this again.
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Wow this is good! The crust is so crunchy and light. Definitely a keeper. Served with the tamari dipping sauce and Japanese potato salad.