Chicken Karaage Sesame Fried Chicken

Published Jul 26, 2021 Updated Aug 21, 2024

What Is Karaage

Karaage (唐揚げ) is Japanese fried chicken where small bite-sized pieces of chicken are marinated and then deep-fried to crispy perfection. Karaage is a very popular item at Japanese restaurants here in the US. It’s often served as an appetizer or as part of a Japanese combo or bento meal, it’s also called sesame fried chicken. In many Asian countries especially Taiwan, a similar street snack called is Taiwanese salt and pepper chicken.

How To Make Karaage

Use chicken thighs or chicken legs for the best chicken karaage. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Marinate the chicken with soy sauce, Japanese cooking sake, ginger, garlic and sesame oil for as little as 15 minutes. Coat each piece of the chicken generously with potato starch or corn starch. Deep fry the chicken. They should be brown on the outside but the meat should be juicy and bursting with flavors.

The Secret To Good Karaage

For the best karaage recipe, you should marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours or best overnight so the flavors seep inside the chicken meat. Serve the chicken with mayonnaise and lemon wedges. Squeeze the lemon juice on top of the karaage and dip it with the mayonnaise.

What To Serve With Chicken Karaage

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