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Chicken Karaage (Sesame Fried Chicken)

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Karaage or chicken karaage is a Japanese fried chicken dish. This homemade karaage recipe is easy, delicious with simple ingredients. The end results are juicy and crispy chicken that tastes just like Japanese restaurants!

Chicken Karaage - crispy Japanese sesame fried chicken, the best chicken karaage recipe that is better than Japanese restaurants | rasamalaysia.comChicken Karaage - crispy Japanese sesame fried chicken, the best chicken karaage recipe that is better than Japanese restaurants | rasamalaysia.com
Chicken Karaage served in a bowl with mayo on the side.Chicken Karaage served in a bowl with mayo on the side.
Chicken Karaage (Sesame Fried Chicken) 30

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.

A close up shot of a bowl of golden brown and crispy fried chicken bites. A close up shot of a bowl of golden brown and crispy fried chicken bites.
Chicken Karaage (Sesame Fried Chicken) 31

Other Japanese Deep-frying Recipes:

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.
A pair of chopsticks picking up a piece of crispy chicken Karaage from a bowl.A pair of chopsticks picking up a piece of crispy chicken Karaage from a bowl.
Chicken Karaage (Sesame Fried Chicken) 32

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.

Fried Japanese marinated chicken with golden-brown crispy exterior and  succulent texture of chicken highlighted. Fried Japanese marinated chicken with golden-brown crispy exterior and  succulent texture of chicken highlighted.
Chicken Karaage (Sesame Fried Chicken) 33

How Many Calories per Serving?

This recipe is only 361 calories per serving.

What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?

For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

Chicken Karaage (Sesame Fried Chicken)

Chicken Karaage – crispy Japanese sesame fried chicken, the best chicken karaage recipe that is better than Japanese restaurants.

Yield 2 people

Prep 10 minutes

Marinate Time 30 minutes

Cook 10 minutes

Total 50 minutes

Instructions

  • Use paper towels to pat dry the chicken and transfer to a bowl. Add in the sake, soy sauce, ginger juice, sesame oil and marinate for 30 minutes, best for 2 hours. Transfer the chicken pieces out of the marinate and coat them evenly with corn starch, in a plastic bag such as Ziplock. Shake off the excess cornstarch.

  • Heat up a wok/pot of cooking oil. When the cooking oil is hot enough for frying 350°F – 375°F (176°C-190°C), drop the chicken into the oil and quickly deep fry them until they float. Transfer them out onto a plate and wait for a couple of minutes.

  • Put the chicken back into the oil and deep-fry again until golden brown and crunchy. Dish out to a plate or bowl lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil, serve hot with a slice of lemon and mayonnaise.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Karaage (Sesame Fried Chicken)

Amount Per Serving (2 people)

Calories 361
Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8 g12%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 145mg48%

Sodium 1774mg77%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 51g102%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

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