Crispy Ginger-Soy Karaage Fried Chicken

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Juicy chunks of chicken thigh soaked in a quick soy, ginger and garlic marinade, tossed in potato starch and double-fried until the crust shatters. It's the Japanese fried chicken you get at izakayas, made with things you can buy at any supermarket, and it comes together on a weeknight. Squeeze over lemon and dunk in mayo.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 large egg

• 3/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch
• 6 cups neutral oil for frying, such as vegetable or canola
• 1/2 tsp fine salt

• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise

Instructions

1. Trim any big pieces of fat from the chicken thighs and cut them into rough 2-inch chunks, about 16 pieces total. Pat them dry with paper towel.
2. In a bowl, whisk the soy sauce, mirin, ginger, garlic, sugar and egg until smooth. Add the chicken, toss to coat, and leave at room temperature for 20 minutes (or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours).
3. Pour the oil into a large heavy pot so it comes no more than halfway up the sides — never more — and clip on a thermometer. Heat over medium to 325°F. Safety note: dry oil splatters far less than wet, so pat chicken dry as directed, lower each piece in gently and away from you, keep the handle turned inward, and never leave hot oil unattended. Keep a lid nearby: if the oil ever ignites, slide the lid on and turn off the heat. Never use water.
4. Put the potato starch in a shallow dish. Lift the chicken from the marinade a few pieces at a time, letting the excess drip off, and press each piece into the starch to coat completely, shaking off the loose powder. Set on a plate.
5. Fry in 3 batches so the pot is not crowded: lower in the chicken and fry at 325°F for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until pale gold and just cooked through. Lift onto a wire rack and let the oil come back to temperature between batches. Rest all the chicken for 5 minutes.
6. Raise the heat and bring the oil to 375°F. Return the chicken in batches and fry for 1 to 2 minutes more, until deep golden and crackly and the thickest piece reads 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
7. Drain on the rack, sprinkle with the salt while hot, and serve right away with lemon wedges for squeezing and mayonnaise for dipping.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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