Triple Fried Chicken Bites

Triple fried chicken, or karaage, is a Japanese frying technique for crispy, juicy fried chicken bites! Karaage is best served with lemon, dipped in Japanese mayo (Kewpie) topped with shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice). Below I will share my recipe, but if you want to learn the best technique, please check out Adam’s Liaw’s video. He has helped me so much in learning the science and technique behind Japanese cooking.

  • Ingredients
  • 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp grated ginger, juices only if possible
  • 2 T sake
  • 2 T soy sauce
  • 1 C potato flour (or some mix of starch and flour, whatever you have on hand is ok but potato flour makes more authentic)\
  • Canola oil for deep frying
  • 2 T sesame oil opt’l for more flavor
  • Method
  • Cut out the bone from the chicken thighs, preserving as much meat as possible
  • Quarter the thighs so they are ~2 inch pieces. The trick is that they are large enough, about two bites each, too keep juicy and not dry out. Leave the skin on, you want this to fry up nice and crispy!
  • Mix the ginger juices, sugar, sake and soy
  • At this point, turn on your fryer with the oils
  • Marinate the chicken for ~10 minutes in the sauce
  • Lay out the flour on a flat surface and add the chicken, fully coat
  • Leave chicken for ~5 minutes to dry a bit
  • Check fryer oil with thermometer, it should be ~350 degrees F
  • Triple Fry Method: Okay now the fun part!
  • Add the chicken in but only fill the fryer half full, this allows for the grease to heat even and not go cold!
  • After 1 minute — remove the chicken carefully from the fryer to a rack where it can drain
  • Let it sit for 30 seconds then add it back to the oil for another 30 seconds
  • Remove again for 30 seconds, back in for 30…
  • Remove again and let rest on the rack. You should have cooked the chicken 3 times now. If your chicken is larger or has bone-in, ensure you are cooking for longer times.
  • You can check if you chicken is done by squeezing it and the juices run clear.
  • Serve with lemon slices, shichimi togarashi and some mayo for dipping! Yum!!

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