LIVING2COOK

Best Ever Japanese Fried Chicken

Our favorite Japanese version of a Southern classic.

CourseMain Dish
CuisineAmerican Regional, Japanese
KeywordChicken, Fried Chicken, Gluten Free, Japanese Cuisine

Servings	Prep Time
8-10pcs	20mins

Cook Time	Passive Time
10mins	2-24hrs

Servings	Prep Time
8-10pcs	20mins

Cook Time	Passive Time
10mins	2-24hrs

Ingredients

For the Marinade

8-10pcs Chicken Drumsticks (if bone in, score the meat for even cooking)Chicken Thighs work even better, bone-in or out
4tbls Sake
4tbls Soy Sauce or Tamari
2tsp Mirin
2tsp Fresh Grated Ginger
2tsp Fresh Grated Garlic
1tsp Sesame Oil
Salt and White Pepper to taste

For the Flour

1c + 2 tbls Potato StarchBob’s Red Mill makes a great one. Sub corn starch if you can’t find it.
1c +2 tbls Glutinous Rice FlourCan’t find sticky rice flour? Non-sticky is fine.
1tsp Baking PowderWe use Alsa, an asian grocery secret find
Salt and White Pepper to taste
2lrg EggsNellie’s Free Range is our fav!
1-2qts Neutral Oil for frying

Instructions

Marinating

Season the chicken lightly with salt and white pepper. If you’re going bone-in, make sure to cut 1/2 inch deep scores along the thickest parts of the meat to evenly marinate. Combine all the remaining ingredients for the marinade in a bowl, tupperware or ziplock bag. Add the chicken to the marinade, cover and chill in the fridge. Let the magic do it’s thing for a minimum of 2 hrs or best overnight.

Breading and Frying

Begin heating the oil in a deep wok or frying pan on medium/high until oil reaches 325f degrees.
In a large bowl, combine 1 c of each flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, drain half of the marinade from the chicken into the bottom. Add the 2 tbls of each flour, eggs, and whisk together to create a thick slurry. Drizzle a very small amount of the batter into the dry flour bowl and whisk to create small shaggy lumps in the flour.
One piece at a time, begin dipping the chicken into the slurry then directly into the flour. Coat evenly, gently pressing flour into the slotted cuts. Transfer to a tray or plate. Repeat until all pieces are breaded.
Prepare a sheet tray lined with a drainage rack or wide fry basket with paper towels.
Begin frying 3-5 pcs of chicken at a time, depending on the size of the chicken. Set a timer for 4 mins for each side, totaling 8 mins, turning the chicken over once it has become golden. Remove the chicken and transfer to the draining rack or paper towel lined basket. Repeat until all chicken is fried.
Allow chicken to rest for 10-15 mins or up to 30 mins. Turn the heat on the stove slightly up. Once oil reaches 350-375f degrees, return the chicken to the fryer in small batches. Fry for 2 mins, turning occasionally, or until chicken is golden brown. Repeat until all the chicken is fried. No need to worry about checking the temperature on the chicken. It always turns out juicy and fully cooked. It’s a no brainer.
Enjoy. I hope you’ll love this recipe just as much as I do.